Battlefield 2042 Reviews
Battlefield 2042 felt like an eternity away, but now it’s only a little over one week from release. After spending three days with other media types playing the next giant war game, I can finally say it’s ambitious but isn’t able to match the ambition so far. I say so far because while we did play online with our group and while we did have at least 4 hours with each mode (some of us had six with Breakthrough), that’s not enough to properly assess modes like Hazard Zone and Portal. I also don’t know if they’re going to start the battle pass during the early access period. So for now, check out my review-in-progress.
Battlefield 2042 is DICE’s most average Battlefield yet, one that despite boasting two new modes to discover in Hazard Zone and Battlefield Portal, clearly forgot about the core of the experience. With some weird design decisions, plenty of bugs, and more crashes than a destruction derby; the future of Battlefield, this is not. It’s still fun, but we hoped for so much more.
What we saw while playing the preview of Battlefield 2042 3.2 update was impressive. Going back to the tried-and-true class system was a great move and it will certainly pay off in pulling players back into Battlefield 2042. I know it’s certainly going to pull me back into the scrum.
Battlefield 2042 is a fun enough time, but DICE needs to work hard if it wants to take the unrefined ideas found here and turn it into something that feels like a worthy successor to the Battlefield legacy.
Lots of things in Battlefield 2042 does not work the way it's supposed to. There's a lot of issues, and that's to be expected, unfortunately. Still, the foundations are solid, and if everything worked well, the final grade would be higher. After a few months of fixes, the game will work better. However, even now, I'm having tons of fun.
Review in Polish | Read full review
Battlefield 2042 is a good game at its core. It's fun, frantic, and as engrossing as Battlefield has ever been. While the launch has been filled with a myriad of technical issues that I failed to mention in this review, those are sure to be ironed out over the next few months. The majority of maps are too large to be impactful, the Specialist system has taken away a core aspect of what makes Battlefield work as a franchise, and the tone of the game is often at odds with itself. But through it all, I'm still enjoying my time blowing things up, screaming and laughing with friends, and making more of those Battlefield memories.
I don't think there's a situation so bleak they wouldn't try to render in service of people-pleasing and making sales climb higher. Battlefield 2042 represents the pinnacle of a feedback loop that told its creators that bigger is always better. Now that we're here, I'm sure we were never right to think that and I don't think we're stepping back from it anytime soon.
When Battlefield 2042 hits the mark with its enormous, gorgeous, destructible maps in All-Out Warfare, it’s good, but it sometimes tends to crack under the weight of its own massive scale.
If it wasn’t for a few poorly designed 2042 maps, combat balancing issues, and performance concerns, Battlefield 2042 might be the best in the franchise
In a world where developers are getting used to working from home and games are being pushed back due to the global pandemic, EA decided that Battlefield 2042 was ready for this year. It’s not. More time is needed to fix a lot of the problems, but even then that might not be enough to save it from being one of the most lacklustre Battlefield titles yet.
It's not without its issues, but Battlefield 2042 is off to a fantastic start for DICE's beloved series. All-Out Warfare modes are immersive, Hazard Zone is enjoyable while Battlefield Portal steals the show. There's a lot to love here, and I'm excited to see where the game goes.
While the overall quality is outstanding on both a gameplay and graphical level, DICE has unfortunately drastically cut back the amount of content on offer in this latest release, and the loss of both a single player campaign and additional multiplayer game modes is certainly felt.
'Battlefield 2042' is a huge disappointment for gamers and the Battlefield franchise. Had this been the product of an indie developer, then this might be a different story as it would be understandable how a game like this could be the product of an independent studio that doesn't have enormous corporate backing. Instead, EA pumped more resources into creating a CGI film that acts as the only real source of storyline context than ensuring the game was going to live up to the enormous amount of hype they were trying to create. I hate saying such negative things in my reviews, but when a game developer can't be bothered to even try and live up to it's own legacy, then I have to call it as I see it and for that very reason, I don't recommend this game. Not even the nostalgia or temptation of 'Battlefield Portal' is enough to save this game from itself.
In my opinion, especially with all of the bugs, you should save your money on this one or wait until a heavily discounted sale. Maybe in a year or so they'll iron out some of the issues that plagued its release and work on the "fun factor", but it just isn't there right now for this reviewer to feel comfortable recommending it to our readers or friends.
The launch has been something of a mess all around, from the removal of one of the Specialist’s abilities (an impossible-to-take-out shield) through to a gadget that caused server issues like rubber-banding. Both of these are back in the game, yet the shield can still fully absorb the imposing force of a tank shell. For a series that has always been about fostering a refined sandbox with clear objectives creating some truly spectacular moments, the tank shell sending the shielded player flying makes more sense (the physicality of Battlefield V would have allowed for such a trick). I could list a dozen more examples and ‘what if’ scenarios, but it ultimately circles back to one singular point. Battlefield 2042 is a heartbreaking disappointment.
Bigger But Not Necessarily Better.
Battlefield 2042 is a fun and bold experience that shows that DICE really knows how to please shooter games fans.
Review in Italian | Read full review
Perhaps because of the sudden enlightenment of EA and DICE, or because the players' voices are getting louder, this time Battlefield 2042 has surprised me far more than disappointed.
Review in Chinese | Read full review
Heading in a multiplayer-only direction, 2042 offers a unique blend of experiences that combines classic Battlefield sensibilities with fresh new ideas, making for a game filled with exciting content to explore whether you’re a returning veteran or a series newbie.