We returned to the battlefields of WW2 with the game that brings the franchise home – Battlefield 5. Many applauded DICE for continuing the great success of Battlefield 1, but some fans were infuriated by a few of the changes.
Let us rise above any controversy, and judge the closed beta gameplay trailer from Gamescom 2018, which features the Rotterdam map, and answer the most important question of them all: is Battlefield 5 the ultimate WW2 battle experience?
The answer is a resounding HELL YEAH.
Graphically speaking, Battlefield 5 looks fantastic. The new version of the Frostbite engine allows you to destroy almost anything you see around you. Tanks can plow through trees, fortifications and even buildings, explosions knock you off your feet, and fire clings to your clothes and cause more damage if you run (remember to stop, drop and prone).
The level of detail is admirable. The one thing that doesn’t look as good at the moment is the water; while on the surface they look great, there’s almost no visual difference when your underwater or above them – only a blue filter.
You can also hear the improvement in the game’s sound. You can tell from which direction your being shot at almost in almost instinctively. Bullets whistle past your head, shell explosions are deafening, tank engines roar, characters shout, and everything compiles together into a great, and horrible, war symposium.
Remember how in previous Battlefield games matches would grind to a standstill around chokepoints, because each team had a Medic and a Support to constantly refill their health and ammo? Battlefield tries to circumvent this by allowing each Medic and Support to carry only one supply crate at all time. Before they can redeploy another one, they have to “refill” their stock in large ammo and medkits stockpiles scattered around the map. These stockpiles also allow an Assault or Recon players to refill on ammo and health.
Speaking of Medics and health, any player can now revive their squad members, not just Medics. The Medics can revive any player on their team, and they can do so much faster.
Support has a new role to play – building fortifications. Certain points across the map can be fortified with makeshift blockades or even anti-tank obstacles. They will make help funnel enemy soldiers into narrow spaces, or protect a capture point. Technically every class can build fortifications, but the Support can do it much faster (and receive more points for doing so).
Those of you who are thinking “great, BF5 has a battle royale mode, and now they’ve added construction,” shouldn’t worry – this isn’t BattleFortnite quite yet. Construction is slow, and can only be done in specific locations. It also leaves you quite vulnerable.
The vehicle damage mechanic has also been upgraded. Tanks can take localized damage and lose one of their tracks, making it impossible for them to move forward – only circle itself.
Battlefield 5 takes the franchise to the next level. It takes the Battlefield formula and adds small features and improvements that seem simple, but have a significant effect on the game.
The game was recently delayed to November 20. DICE claims it needs the time to polish the multiplayer modes, some speculate the reason is the short time between the original release date of October 16, to the release dates of two big competitors: Call of Duty Black Ops 4 on October 12 and Red Dead Redemption 2 on October 26.
Whichever the case may be, the dev team already says we’ll get to see significant improvements in the open beta starting September 6.
Battlefield 5 will be released for PC, Xbox One, and PS4 on November 20.
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