Battlefield 4 Multiplayer has been in open beta since October 4th and some of the servers are already filling capacity. The game, as the name suggests, is the sequel to Battlefield 3 and is the thirteenth installment in the Battlefield series developed and published by Electronic Arts (EA).
The first-person military shooter is quickly becoming one of my favorite games and it hasn’t even released yet. I’ve personally played the beta quite a lot since it became available and I’ve come up with a list of things that make it one of the best first-person shooter games to come out since its own predecessor, Battlefield 3.
Game modes
Since Battlefield 1942, players have been able to play Conquest mode, where you hold enemy and neutral flags to prevent your team ticket from reaching zero. Domination was introduced in Battlefield 3: Close Quarters, which is basically a faster version of Conquest since the flags typically take less time to capture. These modes both have the same goal of lowering the opponents ticket count.
Domination and Conquest were available to try out in the beta, but today (Oct. 9), EA also released Obliteration. Obliteration is easily one of the most fast-paced game modes to come to a military shooter. Teams start off on opposite ends of the map where there is a bomb that is dropped somewhere between the two. The race is on to see which team can carry that bomb to one of the enemies three military installations. The side that destroys all three first is the winner.
It’s fun, fast, and helps to hone in your skills as a team player! It will probably be one of the most popular game mode staples for future installations of Battlefield.
Movement
Even though it is only in beta, the movement of your specific character is more seamless than in Battlefield 3. The soldiers seem to make use of the objects they are hiding behind and it feels real when you take cover. There have been plenty of times I was shot at by a sniper but because of the smooth controls, I was able to zig-zag my way out of the situation. The controls feel intuitive which I think makes for a great game.
Surroundings
This one kind of goes along with the movement of your character. The Siege of Shanghai is the only map available now, but if the nine others are just as dynamic then we are in for an excellent treat when the full game is released.
You are able to climb towers, use elevators, jet ski, fly helicopters, drive tanks, and even dive into the water for a swim. Almost ever part of the map you see has some new feature that you can use to your advantage and help lead your team to victory.
Guns and Equipment
The guns feel light and accurate throughout gameplay, and some people have complained about just how straight these guns shoot. For example, if you go to a rooftop to use your sniper rifle, it doesn’t have much of a drop of the bullets.
I can see where people might be concerned about the ease of use and to be honest, I haven’t made up my mind about whether I would want the guns to have more recoil and drop. But as I mentioned before, when you can sprint out of a dangerous situation by zigzagging, the only real danger is if you stand still for the snipers; otherwise, it takes just as much skill to use the snipers as it does to use the assault rifles.
Customization is everything with the guns and you WILL be able to find something that suits your specific play style.
Vehicles
Last but not least, vehicles. You can drive tanks, boats, jet skis, armoured vans, and even fly helicopters. The vehicle controls, like being on-foot, are easy to grasp right away. This is not to say that it’s too easy, because there is a learning curve. But there is less focus on learning how to drive and fly and more focus on using these vehicles for your team’s best strategy.
These are just five of the main reasons Battlefield 4 is topping my games list. I recommend downloading the beta and giving it a try yourself–be ready for the official release of Battlefield 4 on October 29, 2013.
