If you caught my article on the first impressions of Battlefield 1, then you could tell how psyched I was for Battlefield 1. It was indeed refreshing to return back to World War 1 after a couple of years spent in modern warfare, and I absolutely loved it.
Campaign
You play through the eyes of 6 different characters, each waging their own wars in their own territories, using an array of different skills, from flying fighters, operating tanks to being an armoured infantry soldier. Each story is short, but yet at the same time, meaningful. You feel camaraderie, sacrifice and experience first-hand, the bleakness of war.
The single-player experience isn’t just rich in terms of storyline, but gameplay as well. Stealth, for the first time, was a huge component of Battlefield. The way you achieved mission success was completely up to you. Do you want to go at it head on guns blazing, with a lower chance of making it out of a firefight? Or do you prefer to strategise and crack your head trying to find the easiest way to “ninja” your way out of the situation when you’re outnumbered? The choice is yours.
Driving tanks, planes and operating a whole array of weaponry, was most definitely an epic experience that brings out Battlefield’s signature characteristics.
The destructible environment, on the other hand, didn’t feel as interactive as titles like Battlefield 3. It might just be me, but the buildings seem to feel a lot more sturdy in this game. The only exception being the ceilings, which break apart like Apple Crumbles when artillery shells fire down upon them.
Multiplayer
You get a huge array of multiplayer options in Battlefield 1, the usual Conquests and Team Deathmatch are there as usual, but the best part of Battlefield 1 was Operations. Basically, you engage in a full-scale war, much like the campaign, except that every player is a man behind a console.
The variety of weapons seem to be less robust in this version of the multiplayer compared to Battlefield’s predecessors, but that also means that even as you level up, the level of “OP-ness” doesn’t increase that much such that newbies have a hard time. Attaining a 1:1 KDR or a 2:1 KDR right from the beginning with simple weapons wasn’t that difficult for a rusty player like myself.
Weapon customisation on the other hand, is much more robust. Take for instance the recoil. You can alter your recoil to either fire to the left, right or weighed in the centre. Your iron sights can be switched to buckhorn sights as well. This gives the player true mastery over his soldier and plays in whatever style he really enjoys. The variety of classes, from Assault soldiers to Medics and Scouts are quite similar to the old Battlefield games, but some roles are switched.
Assault troopers are now frontline soldiers with submachine guns and heavy weapons to take down enemy armour. Medics heal and revive, but they get stuck with single-shot rifles. Support troopers repair friendly vehicles and pack on heavy weapons as well as ammunition and Scouts are your spotters and snipers that pick off those who stray from the fray.
Overall Verdict
I have yet to truly hit the top ranks in Battlefield 1, but I love every single moment of it. The emotional plot in the single player and the chaotic war-like multiplayer looks good and feels good. Returning back to the 20th century was a bold move by Battlefield, but they pulled it off well and it was most certainly a job well done.
About the Aut
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A Dentist-To-Be Dabbling in Tech Journalism:
Zayne is a writer who reports for VR-Zone, Stuff Singapore and The New Paper on all things tech-related. Follow this geek on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram!
