Battlefield 1

Battlefield 1 for PC, PS4 and XONE is another full-fledged installment in one of the most popular series of first person shooters focusing on the multiplayer kind of gaming experience. Beginning with 2002's Battlefield 1942, the series comprises four installments, as well as several spin-offs, including Battlefield Vietnam, Battlefield 2142, Battlefield: Bad Company and Battlefield Hardline. This installment was developed by DICE - the creators of the original game. Since 2006, the studio is part of Electronic Arts.

The new installment in the Battlefield series was officially announced on May 6, 2016 and released on October 21, the same year, for the two most popular consoles and PCs. The PC version is superior to its console equivalents in terms of the graphics and the number of different configuration options available.

Plot

As the title may suggest, Battlefield 1 for PC, PS4 and XONE introduces the players to the realities of the First World War, which is an exceptionally rare occurrence in the world of gaming. The plot presents twentieth century's first large military conflict through the eyes of several independent characters involved. Accompanying them, the player witnesses the emergence of the total war, which brought the largest technological developments in the history of warfare. It was during the World War I, when artillery, flamethrowers and nerve agents were all used for the first time. Both tanks and machine guns were being spread wider; also, air support was coming into use. In the story campaign, the player takes part in the largest battles this world has ever seen, taking place in different regions the Great War left its mark on - for instance, narrow streets of French towns, strongly defended forts in Alps (Italy) or sun-drenched deserts of Arabia.

Mechanics

In terms of the mechanics, Battlefield 1 for PC, PS4 and XONE reaches back to the roots of the franchise, throwing the players into the midst of the conflict and giving them much more freedom of approach than the latest installments. Particular missions take place on more extensive and open maps, which contrasts with relatively linear missions from Battlefield 3 and Battlefield 4, which took place in half-closed environments.

The realities of the First World War have their in-game representations in the forms of weaponry and vehicles, but the game recreates the specific fighting techniques used during that war as well. In Battlefield 1, combat is more brutal and particular encounters more personal, for a significantly greater emphasis was placed on melee combat - for instance, using shovels or bayonets. Apart from infantry encounters, for example, the game allows to take control over different planes (both fighters and bombers), different kinds of tanks, as well as warships. Importantly, controlling various machines comes with a great deal of diversity, for even within one type of vehicles, particular models handle differently, thus being able to control a lightweight tank does not guarantee the same performance while handling its heavier equivalent. Small vechicles known from previous games were substituted by horses, which is pretty original.

Game modes

As usual, Battlefield 1 for PC, PS4 and XONE offers an extensive story campaign and a set of multiplayer options. Contrary to most of the recent installments, Battlefield 1 brings the singleplayer and multiplayer modes together, thus the mechanics of particular story missions resemble the specifics of the multiplayer mode to a large extent. In the multiplayer mode, even up to 64 players are able to compete against each other in epic, online battles accounting for one of the most spectacular combat experiences in the history of the genre. Interestingly, the game features the so-called persistent squad system allowing the players to gather themselves in teams that are transferred from one battle or a server to another.

Technical aspects

In terms of technicalities, this installment utilizes the latest version of the acclaimed Frostbite engine as usual. As a result, the game offers substantially more interactive battlefields - to illustrate, a new damage system was implemented and destruction of environment has more influence on the course of action. The players are capable of destroying smaller and bigger vehicles, as well as entire buildings - from wooden chalets to huge forts made of stone. Because it is the first installment in the series to be created only for modern-day PCs and consoles belonging to the eighth generation of hardware, the game is a large step forward in terms of the quality of graphics, standing way ahead of Battlefield 4 - a game released three years earlier.

Last updated on 25 August 2016