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The Battlefield series has been experimenting with different gameplay mechanics for years,
trying something new in each game and attempting to identify the combination that would result
in the true successor to Battlefield 2. Each game in the series has introduced a new
ingredient, and with Battlefield 4, EA has mastered the recipe, simultaneously and triumphantly
returning the game to its eponymous roots: epic battlefields.
Multiplayer has always been Battlefield's strongest (and occasionally it's only) component,
and it has never been stronger than in Battlefield 4. The amount of detail woven into each map
is exceptional given their size and compositional depth. Unlike previous games in the series,
players won't experience the occasional déjà vu of copy-pasted buildings, objects, or textures.
Each match offers endless potential scenarios, each unique and resultant of the player's
in-game decisions. Fly to the top of the highest skyscraper and hop out with your sniper rifle,
or rumble through narrow hallways with a squad mate, clearing rooms and capturing objectives.
The return of commander mode, absent since Battlefield 2, is welcome and well done.
The game engine is reinvigorated and responsive, allowing movement and gunplay to feel swift
and decisive. Environmental destruction is now a staple rather than a gimmick.
"Levolution"—tropical storms, falling buildings and blizzards that change the landscape midway
through battles—are well executed, but lose their glamour after just a few games.
For the most part, though, BF4 multiplayer is a pleasure.
Perhaps nothing is more indicative of the game's concentration on multiplayer gameplay
than BF4's single-player campaign. At times, the unfolding action feels like
little more than a beautiful showcase of war and graphics computing. And it is very beautiful,
but it's not always very fun. While everything happening around you is more
realistic and intense than ever, you are forced to dispatch waves of AI in a formula that
hasn't changed since Galaga, and frankly, it's disappointing.
Enemies run predictably toward cover and then pop up intermittently like targets at a carnival
game. Increasing the difficulty doesn't change AI behavior; it just makes it more difficult
to stay alive amidst random explosions and sporadic gunfire.
Perhaps the next installment of Battlefield will focus on creating a solid campaign, but
in the meantime, players will enjoy the greatest multiplayer experience ever in the series.
Battlefield 4 is the successful culmination of years of trial and error, and I expect
it will be the hallmark of the shooter genre for years to come.