Battlefield 1 Reviews
Battlefield 1 does a service to the series’ core fanbase with a unique, yet strangely familiar take on World War I.
Its developer is afraid of settling down for even a moment, worried that players will grow bored with even a second of necessary peace. This approach works in the meat-grinder of multiplayer and the series of American corpses of its opening moments, but fails elsewhere. The result is a game pulling in all directions, aesthetically coherent, but with a muddled design ethos that allows it to come near something extraordinary without ever quite achieving it.
Battlefield 1 is undoubtedly the breath of fresh air that both the genre and market have desperately been craving for quite some time.
Battlefield 1 is the definitive Battlefield game not only of this generation, but this decade. By focusing on moments and emotional realism, rather than a continuous campaign, it’s crafted the best single-player experience of any Battlefield game, and backs it up with stellar multiplayer. Operations is the best addition in years, and the returning favourites suit the World War I theme to a tee. Now, I’m off to attempt to land a plane on the airship and take it down from the inside. That’s possible, right?
DICE made a perfect game with Battlefield 1. It has a competent campaign that properly does justice to The Great War and a deep, fun multiplayer experience that reminds us why Battlefield does it better than anyone on a massive scale.
DICE should be praised for taking the risky move and turning back the clock with Battlefield 1, both in terms of the era and the direction for the franchise. Very often these moves can cripple a series, but thankfully for us – and DICE – it’s a move that has revitalised the franchise.
With a fantastic single-player segment this year's Battlefield feels like a very complete package. The multiplayer adds some impressive new modes and features but at its core its the same old Battlefield experience.
Shooting down the blimp for the first time or blowing up a tank with dynamite gives you that great sense of accomplishment, that you are making a difference on the battlefield. These epic moments are what make the Battlefield franchise great and keep people coming back for more.
While the campaign’s experimental short stories may just be the most interesting thing about Battlefield 1, this is not a niche experience to accurately portray the history its borrowing. This is a Battlefield game, and that means World War One in the Battlefield style, with all the compromises therein.
Putting to rest any qualms about the World War I setting, Battlefield 1 is a true Battlefield game with everything you’ve come expect from the franchise.
Frustrating, yet spectacular all-out war
Make sure you do yourself a favour and grab a copy as soon as you can. It really will change the way you look at first person shooters. Utterly amazing.
Overall, I still emphasize the fact that for those who expect a Battlefield game, that is exactly what you are given. At its core, it’s a competent shooter from a company that knows what it is doing, but it really should have been so much more. Perhaps shifting eras will be enough for most, but it feels like EA Dice went through the motions here. From the ho-hum campaign to the by-the-numbers multiplayer, it feels like a manufactured product rather than a game that developers poured their hearts and souls into, and that’s a real shame.
A few minor shortcomings aside, Battlefield 1 is just the type of reinvigoration that the franchise needed.
Battlefield 1's solemn campaign and over-the-top multiplayer may feel like polar opposites, but the complete package is all-around excellent.
EA DICE came through in the clutch and provided an engaging title that’s both entertaining and challenging. Battlefield 1 is certainly worth your investment and should carry you well past fall and into the winter.
Battlefield 1 manages to break up the monotony of current first person shooter trends by offering a fresh setting. Despite some issues, it offers one of the better Battlefield campaigns and a robust multiplayer component that will keep you hooked up for quite a while.
The fact of the matter is that DICE has created one of the flat-out best multiplayer games in years. And with 60hz servers from the get-go and no noticeable issues with hit detection, it has clearly learned from Battlefield 4's launch.
The fantasies I want to fulfil aren’t found in the trenches.
If you can look past the shortcomings (length, glitches) and enjoy the awesome experience that comes with Battlefield 1, you’ll find it to be a welcome addition to your library. It’s definitely found a spot in my best-of-year list.