Release Date: October 21, 2016
ERSB Rating: M (Blood, Violence, Strong Language)
With Battlefield 1, EA and DICE take a huge step forward in the series in terms of quality, especially regarding their last release of Battlefield Hardline. Simultaneously the series takes a huge pace back, now heading back to the true events of World War 1.
Beginning with the single player mode, Battlefield mixes things up a little bit; now consisting of multiple story lines following different characters on all sides of the war and exploring the technological advances of the time (including planes, trains, and automobiles). While the stories are deeply emotional and hit much harder than previous games, they are disappointingly short and each story can be easily finished in one play through. However, collectibles are available in these missions, so it’s enticing to go back challenge yourself in case the servers are down.
The main objective we all play Battlefield for is the exhilarating and explosive multiplayer mode, which treats us with large scale maps and a plethora of vehicles to choose from.
Battlefield 1 is truly a triumph in this respect, promoting a team based multiplayer mode that’s extremely rewarding when playing with friends tactically; elevating each person in your squad means you get more points and usually die a lot less, helping you climb the ranks much quicker.
The maps are vast, gruesome and beautiful to look at; the landscapes change throughout the game, in turn affecting the tactics of both teams which forces you play differently. For example, when fog comes in and clouds half the map, suddenly snipers are no longer effective, it’s time to get up close and personal with those bludgeoning new melee weapons.
The weapons are great too; no power ups, not a huge amount of attachments, and suddenly you bring every player back to the basics. It’s picturesque violence at its best, while still educating you on the tragic events of The Great War. Additionally, Operations is a great new game mode that exposes the best of what battlefield has to offer.
Overall Battlefield 1 is one of the most outstanding games of the year. Blending the old with the new, it incorporates the best of the recent Battlefield games, whilst adding the brand-old authentic gameplay of surviving in the trenches of World War 1. It truly adds and pushes the franchise forward. Battlefield 1 is probably the best DICE has managed to accomplish since Battlefield 3 or Bad Company 2.
Final Score: 9.5/10
Words by Eddie Michael