The Swedish studio DICE is tirelessly working on polishing and improving the Battlefield series. After the controversial third installment, it seems that the renowned developers have managed to release a product that can be called a worthy successor to Battlefield 2.
The specialists at DICE have indeed done significant work. This applies to both single-player and multiplayer modes, map design, new features, and so on. The greatest progress has been seen in the single-player campaign. No, it still doesn't reach the level of its competitors. It's just that this time it's at least interesting to play.
Irish vs. Hannah
Surprisingly, DICE took a bold step by offering players the chance to become part of an active terrorist organization called the "Sixth Fleet of the USA." It takes brave people to abandon the notorious "bad Russians" and "American democracy" and show things as they really are.
The plot of Battlefield 4 tells the story of how American terrorists seized power in peaceful Soviet China. Throughout the game, three and a half people organize terrorist attacks along the entire Pacific coast, and then escape to their aircraft carrier.
First and foremost, the terrorists tried to plant their own "progressive person" into the Central Committee of the PRC, who, of course, was overseen by a CIA agent. Such interference did not go unnoticed by the brave Chinese generals, and they tried to eliminate the future "leader of the nation." It’s quite obvious that American soldiers rescued their agent from harm, and then invaded mainland China, carrying out several dangerous operations.
The best forces of the PRC and Soviet Russia—their elite special forces divisions—were sent to repel the terrorist attacks from the protagonist and his team. However, they could not withstand the onslaught and were destroyed. It all ended with a grand battle for the dam on the Mekong and its complete destruction.
Seriously speaking, such actions can only be called terrorism, and as the Battlefield 4 story progresses, the player will have to destroy other important Chinese targets as well. Strangely enough, all this is referred to as "defending the interests of ordinary Chinese people" and happens without any declaration of war.
It’s also surprising that the main character is completely mute. Perhaps he would like to express his opinion about certain situations, but throughout the game we only hear the dialogues of other characters and listen to how they make decisions for the commander, even though we are technically supposed to be him. And those awkward relationship clarifications that we have to listen to from time to time are just something else! It's puzzling how quickly, by the end of the game, the characters change their attitudes and become real friends. Just a couple of days ago, they were ready to kill each other.
It also feels like the DICE writers took inspiration from some nonexistent army when writing the story. Swearing and cool phrases have been added to the game for the main characters to throw around, but how ridiculous they sound! In a real army, insulting subordinates is not acceptable, and it's even less acceptable to see women among the soldiers, let alone as commanders.
The gameplay, like the story, has its share of problems. For example, it's impossible to navigate properly. The map doesn't show the target's location, so you constantly have to look at the compass. As a result, you might run into an "invisible wall," with the actual path lying far to the right or left.
Artificial intelligence (AI) issues are present as well. It's absolutely disappointing to see dummies running out of corners who can't even react to grenades. As a result, instead of shooting at enemies, it's easier to just throw grenades at them and rack up tons of points for multi-kills.
At the same time, you'll be killed at every step, even on normal difficulty. Enemies shoot very accurately and are often armed with handheld grenade launchers. To top it all off, DICE decided that if the player gets surrounded from all sides, that would be really cool.
Considering all of the above, it can be concluded that although the story and its presentation have taken a big step forward, the gameplay and encounters with enemies are more reminiscent of an average Polish shooter than a true AAA blockbuster.
Multiplayer
DICE also didn't let us down with the launch of Battlefield 4, which was preceded by a two-week beta test. As veterans of the third installment remember, the influx of players to the servers was so great that Electronic Arts spent a week adding more capacity, and buyers had to wait all that time. With the fourth installment, there were no such problems, despite the hype before the game's release.
Both the number of servers and the connection speed to them increased, and ping noticeably decreased. If in the beta you could find servers with a ping of 160-180 ms, in the final version there were servers with a delay of 90-100 ms. In other words, the delay was almost halved, which is a good result.
The Battlelog client was also redesigned. It became easier to understand and more accessible. Interactive bars help you choose optimal equipment, and the new "Battle Packs" added to the game offer rare gear. From connecting to the game to deep customization of vehicles, you only need a couple of mouse clicks, and by the time you find yourself in the game, all your chosen settings will already be applied to the client.
The multiplayer mode in Battlefield 4, on the one hand, pleases with its variety and depth, but on the other hand, disappoints with its complexity and lack of unification. You can be a great player in just one mode, but is it worth buying the whole game for that? For example, "Conquest" mode is fundamentally different from "Obliteration" or "Domination," and the maps you play on also have a significant impact.
The map design has been significantly improved. They're still far from perfect, but they're much better than in Battlefield 3. For example, the dynamics on maps like "Caspian Border" or "Grand Bazaar" were almost nonexistent. Most players would disperse and do their own thing. The fourth installment is much more dynamic. There's no point in describing all the advantages—try it yourself and you'll see.
The main problem inherited from the third game is the effect of vehicles being "smeared" across the map, having almost no impact on the outcome of the battle. This issue is especially noticeable on the "Siege of Shanghai" map. In contrast, vehicles dominate most of the time on the "Paracel Storm" map, shooting everything in sight, leaving infantry completely defenseless.
More balanced maps include "Zavod 311" and "Mekong Dam." Here there are places inaccessible to vehicles where infantry can have fun, as well as areas suitable for tank battles, where soldiers can only support the heavy machines. For the first time in the Battlefield series, in Battlefield 4, destructibility and "Levolution" affect gameplay as much as the chosen mode and map. Compared to the third game, you can really destroy a lot more structures and cover. If you feel the game and anticipate the enemy's actions, this can be a powerful tool for racking up kills.
The downside is that now it's unclear which cover is safe to hide behind and which isn't, or which wall can be destroyed and which can't. You'd think it would be easy to knock down a building wall with a tank or a grenade launcher shot. Especially since you just did it, leaving a pile of rubble where a mall used to be. But no, a building standing on two pillars can withstand a nuclear strike, so all your attempts to bring it down will be in vain.
Speaking of "Levolution," it's important to remember that this unique feature can change gameplay as the battle develops. On maps like "Siege of Shanghai" and "Paracel Storm," Levolution is mostly cosmetic, but on a map like "Flood Zone," it plays a key role. Players have to climb higher and higher as the lower floors get flooded.
To the delight of many, there won't be a Close Quarters analogue in Battlefield 4. All the existing maps are well-trimmed by the developers and are perfect for short skirmishes between infantry and light vehicles across a couple of city blocks.
In any case, the multiplayer turned out to be quite complex and will take a lot of time to master. If you don't plan to delve into the game mechanics, play solo, and just want to have a good time, Battlefield 4 probably won't hold your attention for long. In a few days, you'll master the simplest "Team Deathmatch" and find a couple of suitable maps, but the other modes will require more time to get used to—if you like them at all.
We're talking, as you understand, about tactics on the battlefield and victory strategies. And here, newcomers who've "never played Battlefield" have no way of understanding what it takes to win. This creates the impression of a "pig in a poke." The developers promised total war on land, air, and sea, but in reality, snipers kill from 100 kilometers away, helicopters are shot down in seconds, tanks turn out to be clumsy cardboard giants, you have to run for too long, and there's just no fun.
That's why the competitor, Call of Duty: Ghosts, has every chance to surpass Battlefield 4. "CoD" may not be aiming for the stars, but it offers a multiplayer component proven over the years, and when you buy it, you get exactly what the developers showed in the trailers.
Another thing that spoils the impression of the fourth installment is server issues. For example, out of 10-15 games I played, only 2 ended successfully (with the stats screen). The rest were interrupted at various stages. Sometimes the server disconnected, sometimes the client stopped sending data, and so on.
Jumpmaster
The graphics have been significantly improved, both compared to Battlefield 3 and to what we saw in the beta test. Every location is now filled with small details and even lush grass. Optimization has also greatly improved, and you can complete the single-player campaign on high graphics settings. However, things aren't as rosy in multiplayer, and you'll probably have to lower the settings to minimum to avoid major lag.
***
n fact, DICE can only be praised for the work they've done. Battlefield 4 truly commands respect. The game has really made a big step forward. Those who call the fourth installment Battlefield 3.5 are wrong. Because it was Battlefield 3 that turned out to be a big expansion for the second game, while Battlefield 4 has taken the series to a new level.
