Battlefield 2042: A step into the future or a step backwards?

Battlefield 2042 was probably one of the most anticipated multiplayer-focused first-person shooter (FPS) games coming out in 2021. Many players had the chance to test the game during its open beta, and a couple of weeks later those who had bought the premium edition of the game got to play the game early in its entirety. The rest of the public got their hands on the game on the 19^th of November.

During the open beta, it was abundantly clear that Battlefield 2042 had issues with bugs, and its User Interface (UI). The players were hoping that these issues would be fixed by the launch of the actual game, and EA reassured them that they would look into every single bug and fix the issues accordingly. One question still remains though; does the game feel like a huge slap in the face, or is it actually playable?

The objective in Battlefield 2042 is to fight against the enemy team on a large map, that is divided into sectors and points inside those sectors. The teams must take control of these smaller points, which leads to taking control of an entire sector. The more coverage you have on the map, the fewer points your team will lose during one match. The first team to lose all their points will lose the whole game.

In Battlefield 2042, the player plays as an operator. There are ten operators currently in the game, each having their own unique abilities; one can heal teammates, the other can set up turrets to the points. What is different compared to the other Battlefield games, is the fact that there are no restrictions considering weapons; every operator can use the weapon of their liking. The futuristic approach in the game gives the operators interesting new novelties that they can use in battle, for example, a robot “dog” that shoots your enemies.

The UI in the game caused quite a bit of confusion at first, but after I spent a couple of hours playing the game, I got used to it. It is actually quite straightforward and makes the gameplay feel much more simple than in the previous adaptations. Changing attachments to your weapons is just one click away, and you can do it whenever you like.

The biggest issue for me, however, was the fact that you can play with three of your friends only. There is no server browser in the game, so you cannot even join your friends’ game as an opponent or teammate. This means, that if you join in late for your friends’ gaming session and there are four players already, well, tough luck, you’ll just have to play on your own. There is also no single-player campaign available, so you cannot entertain yourself with the story of Battlefield 2042 until there is a spot in your friends’ squad.

Even though EA removed some bugs from the game, there are still quite a few of them left. There have also been complaints about the weapons feeling awkward to shoot with, but personally, I didn’t have any issues with that. To be honest, I actually enjoyed the fact that you had to learn how to shoot with the weapons properly instead of instantly mastering the way they work.

Overall, Battlefield 2042 is an enjoyable experience, but it does get quite boring after a while of playing, especially if you are playing alone. It does contain some bugs, but personally, I did not find any that ruined the gameplay experience for me. So, if you’re looking for a new FPS game to play with your friends, I’d suggest looking into Battlefield 2042. And if you’re not into paying 60€ for a game that might not be for you, you can get a ten-hour trial through EA Play.

 

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Developer: DICE

Platforms: PC, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Release Date: 19^th of November, 2021

Genres: First-person shooter, Multiplayer

Pegi: 16

Pictures: Screenshots from the game, taken by the author

You might also like

---

More from Game Reviews

---