Battlefield 6: Explosions, Chaos, and Medics Who Still Won't Revive You - Yep, It's Battlefield!
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Rock Paper Shotgun went hands-on with *Battlefield 6* and reckons it's shaping up to be a return to classic Battlefield chaos, with a few interesting tweaks and improvements, but maybe spreading itself a bit thin. Sounds like medics will still ignore you when you're bleeding out, though - some things never change!
Right, so *Battlefield 6* (or whatever they end up calling it – Roman numerals, anyone?) is gearing up for launch on October 10th, and the big question is: can it actually pull a decent combined arms FPS out of the bag *and* apologise for past blunders all at once? James Archer over at Rock Paper Shotgun took it for a spin and, fair dinkum, it sounds like DICE might just be onto something here.
After navigating security that apparently expected an orange paint-fueled uprising from disgruntled *Battlefield 2042* players (seriously, two metal detectors?), Archer got stuck into the multiplayer. The verdict? Classic Battlefield is back, baby! We're talking the original four classes, destruction that actually matters (more on that later), and the kind of large-scale vehicular mayhem that looks less like a Hollywood action scene and more like… well, a Battlefield match.
Now, DICE might be tempted to crank up the Limp Bizkit, but Archer reckons the bigger maps and modes lend themselves to a more free-flowing, jazz-like experience. Will you get that coordinated team effort with tanks, jets, and perfectly timed C4 drone strikes? Maybe. More likely you'll witness utter chaos - Assault classes sprinting off solo, medics developing a sudden interest in the sky, and engineers chasing tanks that have already left the postcode. Good news for us, though, right? It's *Battlefield.*
But it ain't *just* a rehash. There are some interesting tweaks. The open weapon selection, for example, sounds like it *could* have been a disaster, but apparently most players are sticking to the weapons that suit their class. Smart bunch, eh? Archer only switched things up in Squad Deathmatch for a bit of close-quarters SMG action. Can't blame him, really.
Another nice touch is the ability to drag downed allies while reviving them. Okay, so it might not be *hugely* practical, but it dials up the drama. Adds that extra layer of "Don't you dare die on me!" desperation, doesn't it? And the environmental destruction has been given a rethink. It's not quite *Bad Company 2* levels of carnage (and apparently *The Finals* still holds the crown for arena reshaping), but it allows for some tactical explosions and sledgehammering to create new routes and ambush points. So, blowing a hole in a wall to get a better shot at a sniper? Classic Battlefield.
Speaking of explosions, Archer recounts a particularly memorable death during a round of Breakthrough. A tank, unable to blast him directly, just started firing into the wall he was hiding behind, until a perfectly-placed hole appeared, allowing the gunner to take him out. Brutal. Brilliant.
Breakthrough mode sounds like the highlight, offering the right balance between vehicle mayhem and focused frontline combat. Conquest, on the other hand, still felt a bit directionless – like a game being played *around* you rather than *by* you. But hey, at least barrelling around in trucks and tanks is still a blast, and the ability for allies to cling to the sides is a neat little addition. On-foot gunplay is decent, too, although Archer reckons the feel of connecting a shot could be improved.
Ultimately, there's a worry that *Battlefield 6* might be spreading itself a bit thin, trying to appeal to *everyone*. But there's also plenty of cause for optimism, from the focus on destruction to the emphasis on sticking with your squad. And, tentatively, it sounds like it might even launch in a decent technical state. Archer played at 1440p on a beast of a PC and experienced slick, stutter-free performance on Ultra settings. Plus, no falling through the floor or floating doors (though some corpses did flop upwards into the air, which, frankly, sounds hilarious enough to keep in).
So, is *Battlefield 6* going to be the return to form we've been waiting for? Time will tell. But it sounds like DICE is heading in the right direction. Just remember to stick with your squad… and watch out for those tanks.
Tags: Battlefield 6, FPS, Multiplayer, DICE, Rock Paper Shotgun
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun