Battlefield 5 Review

The Battlefield series takes us into World War II with a fantastic FPS experience and more content upgrade on the way.

This time we are brought back in the World War II era with Battlefield V, and it is significantly improved the excellently balanced gameplay, exciting game modes, outstanding graphics and sounds and a careful treatment of the most important war conflict in modern history. However, Battlefield V arrives with very limited content in terms of game modes, maps and armies during its launch. To supply it, DICE has already announced an extensive plan of free downloadable content for the coming months!

Battlefield in its pure essence

The main strength of Battlefield V is that it has maintained almost intact its addictive and balanced gameplay, a factor that clears all doubts about its possible turn towards a more arcade approach. Fans of the series should not be worried at all, because in BF5 control of weapons and vehicles are precise and forceful, very well designed maps, exciting confrontations and a progression curve as demanding as satisfactory.

Due to the setting of the Second World War era, we enjoy a more dynamic and attractive approach. Such as, we have more modern weapons and vehicles that provide greater force and agility, highlighting the effectiveness of automatic rifles. The rest of the arsenal has also been updated, finding a varied roster of shotguns, pistols, submachine guns and sniper rifles, as well as a good amount of equipment such as smoke grenades, incendiary grenades or rocket launchers.

One of the most remarkable aspects of the weapons is that they will improve as we use them, being able to choose between different optimizations in each of them. However, although this approach to progression in weapons is unrealistic since it does not depend on the real modifications we make, it offers a good specialization. Finally, we can equip a main weapon, a secondary weapon and different types of equipment according to our class.

DICE has introduced important changes in the classes, we still have four different: Medical, Support, Assault and Recon, although now each of them has a double specialization. In this way, we will obtain experience points, not only to use for each class but also to do so with the specialization we have selected, a successful decision that provides greater variety.

As usual, the traditional gameplay is enhanced by the presence of land and air vehicles. This time we have access to more modern planes and tanks, allowing the great pilots to shine on the battlefield. Undoubtedly, the vehicles in the Battlefield series are one of their hallmarks, and once again they are the icing on a very well balanced gameplay and with several combat fronts.

One of the great novelties is that the importance of squads has been enhanced. On this occasion whenever we start a game we will be assigned to one of them, so we will get additional experience to respawn with our teammates, for providing support to each other in the battle. In addition, a new and successful respawn screen has been included that allows us to see the situation of our teammate(in 3rd person) before returning to combat.

The new DICE title also incorporates the possibility of modifying the battlefield by installing fortifications. These can only be placed in specific areas of the map and, although they initially seem unhelpful, the truth is that they are really practical to defend themselves, so they end up being an almost essential complement.

Finally, the progression is very well measured, enjoying a balanced advance that rewards us with experience points and coins (that we can use for the cosmetics), not only for killing but also for fulfilling the objectives of the mode and our class. In addition, EA did the best move in BF5 removing any rewards boxes or micropayments that affect progress, thus achieving a very satisfactory progression and the best gaming experience of recent years.

Few online modes

The multiplayer offers a catalogue of fun online modes and exciting confrontations, but almost all of these modes are the same from the previous installment. The most spectacular one is the Grand Operations, a mode in which we will fight several days(not real world days) of war in huge maps with up to 64 players. In this mode every day is important and affects the following, being able to enjoy, if the game is a tie then it continues to a spectacular fourth day.

Conquest is a somewhat more direct mode that allows games with up to 64 players in which we will have to capture areas and fought against a large number of enemies, a style of game that manages to convey the essence of the conflict. Finally, Stand-alone Multiplayer modes include three variants: Domination, The Frontlines and Team Deathmatch, being able to play with up to 32 players in faster games, centred on the ground troops only and the maps are smaller to favour close combat.

To enjoy the multiplayer there are four locations: France, Holland, North Africa and Norway, each with two different maps. The quality of all of them is very good, finding huge sites that are capable of perfectly recreate the dimensions of the conflict and adapt very well to all game modes. We must also highlight the fantastic design of levels, the amazing audiovisual finish and the enormous capacity of the destruction of the environments.

Regarding the online service, the performance during our tests has been outstanding, finding a match with speed and enjoying great stability. In addition, it includes the option to filter the search of departure by modes, maps and servers, an additional essential complement to enjoy the best online experience.

Undoubtedly BF5 has several very exciting game modes, we notice an evident lack of new addition during launch and, most worryingly, very little content. Although DICE has already confirmed Tides of War, a free DLCS plan for the coming months in which new maps, vehicles, weapons and game modes will be released, as well as highlighting the arrival of the battle royale in March 2019. However, it is clear that the potential of the game for a few months is huge, although analyzing the game we have in hand right now, we must penalize Battlefield V due to lack of content in terms of maps and game modes.

War Stories

The campaign mode returns with the name of War Stories. Here we enjoy three individual stories that we can complete in the order we want and that allows us to experience several stories of the WW2.  We will travel to Norway to infiltrate a sophisticated German base, in another story takes us to the north of Africa to destroy the rival defences of the enemy resistance. Finally, there is a fourth story that is not yet available and that will focus on the importance of armoured vehicles in World War II.

The narrative approach of all of them is very interesting, with well-planned plots that crudely show the true nature of the war. Each one has an approximate duration of 2 hours, being able to complete them in four different levels of difficulty, although the enemy AI does not offer a very realistic behaviour. Finally, we can take the time to meet additional challenges and gather collectibles in the form of cards.

At the playable level, all the missions offer a very good approach, since, although there are more linear areas with a cinematographic touch, it is common to find ourselves with enormous environments in which we will have to fulfill several objectives. This can be done using stealth or direct action, all maps have several routes of action and finding different types of weapons, which makes each game is very different.

However, War Stories comes with little content and variety of gameplay you choose to complete each mission is limited too, ends up being repetitive, depriving us of the variety we saw in Battlefield 1 or the spectacularity of Battlefield 3. Although it is still an exciting and worthwhile to complete, due to its careful narrative and its amazing audiovisual finish, it is far from the best deliveries.

Customization

Aesthetic changes are a very important point in Battlefield V. In BF5, it is possible to change the visual appearance of our soldiers (male and female) in sections such as helmet, facial paint, torso and legs. These new clothing and camouflages will be obtained with the progression or using the obtained coins to acquire different personalization packages. In the same way, there is also the option to change the visual appearance of weapons, modifying for it the painting of a multitude of pieces and incorporating new peepholes. Although the micro-payments are not in effect during launch, and this option will be implemented at a later date, and from that moment on, it will be possible to apply cosmetic modifications with the coins obtained by playing or paying real money.

Graphics

The audiovisual section of Battlefield V is spectacular and allows us to feel first hand all the brutality of the war. This time the Frostbite engine goes a step further and not only manages to recreate huge environments with a lot of details, but also appreciate an obvious improvement in the destruction of the scenarios, the effects of light and a system of physics and particles much more advanced than in Battlefield 1 , enjoying with it one of the best graphics sections to date.

We must also highlight the good optimization, with some minimum requirements and recommended quite accessible, and an outstanding graphics performance, maintaining without problems a solid rate of 60 frames per second, being possible to increase the refreshment and resolution to enjoy a better finish.

The title also stands out for the enormous work done with the sound,  with some strong and very realistic effects in the explosions and the weapon shots.  The airplanes and the armoured vehicles need to be experienced by gamers to feel their true power during the war. BF5 proposes a remarkable soundtrack, just like the previous installments.

Final Thoughts

Battlefield V is a great FPS that has managed to maintain and evolve its playable essence, thanks to the new historical setting, of greater dynamism and action during the games. The absence of rewards and micropayment boxes that affect the progression has been a success, enjoying a balanced breakthrough and the most satisfying gaming experience of recent years.

As for the game modes, War Stories is interesting and offers a mature narrative, although it arrives with little content and is not at the level of the best deliveries. The multiplayer perfectly captures the enormous scale of the conflicts, and the presence of infantry, tanks and planes in games with up to 64 players is still a sensational experience, highlighting once again the exciting games in the Grand Operations mode and the spectacular finish audiovisual.

However, the title suffers from a worrying lack of content during launch, with few online game modes, an unfinished campaign mode, just two armies and few maps and vehicles. To solve it, DICE will launch a multitude of free content during the coming months (since there is no premium/season pass), including the expected battle royale in March 2019. Although Battlefield V will surely be much more than what it is Today, it is far from being all that it promised, yet.

We have prepared this review with a digital code provided by Electronic Arts.

 

9

Amazing

As far as I can remember, I've been surrounded by technology. My father bought us a Commodore 64 so I started playing games as a baby, following my passion with Amiga 500, then PC and so on. I love game related collectibles, and when I'm not collecting I review games, watch movies and TV Shows or you may catch me keeping a low profile at Game Events.

Lost Password

Sign Up