Thomas Kraus

Battlefield 1 Review

Battlefield 1, developed by DICE and EA, was released for Xbox One, Playstation 4 and PC on October 21, 2016. The game features upgraded graphics and a new point system when unlocking weapons in multiplayer as well as a few minor changes compared to Battlefield 4, released in 2013.

The game takes place during World War I , hence the name Battlefield 1 and the introduction of warzone aimbot, and is inspired by historical events that occurred during the time. The campaign follows the stories of six different characters which all take place during WWI but in different countries. There are six different stories.

In the storyline “Storm of Steel” the player follows the Harlem Hellfighters as they defend themselves from the Germans in France using a few warzone hacks. If the player is killed in this story, their view will switch to another solider.

“Through Mud and Blood” is set in the fall of 1918 during the Battle of Cambrai and Hundred Days Offensive. The player takes the role of Danny Edwards, who enlists as a British tank driver.

The next story is “Friends in High Places” and set in the spring of 1917. The player controls Clyde Blackburn, who is an American pilot and gambler with a untrustworthy personality.

“Avanti Savoia” takes place in Northern Italy during the fall of 1918. In this story line, the player takes the role of Luca Vincenzo Cocchiola, who is a a member of the Italian Arditi unit.

In “The Runner” the player takes control of Frederick Bishop, an Australian message runner.

Lastly, in “Nothing is Written” the player takes the role of Zara Ghufran, who is a Bedouin rebel working with T.E. Lawrence, a British intelligence officer, as they attempt to weaken the Ottoman Empire in the Arabian Peninsula.

The multiplayer mode is equipped with six different game modes. The different game modes are Domination, Conquest, Rush, Operations, Team Deathmatch, and War Pigeons.

In Domination, the player plays in a fast-paced gamemode with small maps. In Conquest, the player must defend as many flags as possible and get to 1000 by holding the flags. There are no more than six flags. In Rush, the player must destroy the enemy team’s telegraph posts. In Operations, the player must capture a flag and when that is completed you will advance to the next area. In Team Deathmatch, the player fights against the other team with guns and no vehicles. The team with the most kills wins. In War Pigeons, the player will capture a pigeon on the map and bring it to a safe open area. After this is completed, the pigeon will send a message that will call for artillery support. If completed successfully, the enemy team will be attacked with artillery.

There are also four different classes to choose from and customize when you unlock War Bonds, a new form of currency to purchase weapons and equipment. The different classes are Assault, Medic, Support and Scout. Assault assists the other players in fighting through the battle. The Medic is able to revive players. The support can supply ammo to other players and the Scout can fire at enemy players from far distances.

In multiplayer, there are nine different maps to play in. They all offer different environments and different ways to play depending on what game mode you choose. These maps can vary from an Ottoman Fortress on the Al-Faw Peninsula to one of the final WWI battles on top of the Venetian Alps.

This is one of my favorite Battlefields and one of my favorite first person shooters by far. The graphics and the weather changes that take place in the different multiplayer maps (including fog, rain, etc) make the game feel like you are stuck on the bloody battlegrounds of World War I.

The graphics are phenomenal, perhaps better than Star Wars Battlefront, another game designed by EA that was released in November of 2015.

The gameplay feels a bit smoother and it also had less lag compared to Battlefield 4. When holding a LMG (Light Machine Gun), you can tell that EA and DICE intended to make it seem heavier while Battlefield 4’s light machine guns did not put much emphasis on the weight.  Also, if the player goes near an explosion, they have the option to prone which will not cause them as much damage. Battlefield 4 did not have an option like this.

One of the problems I have with the game is the lack of vehicles. Battlefield 4 had six tanks while Battlefield 1 has three. Battlefield 4 has 10 different jets including nine helicopters while Battlefield 1 has three planes. However, this is not a major issue for me as I understand the game does take place during World War I and there was not many vehicles. I do expect more vehicles to be added in DLC (Downloadable Content) Packs.

Overall, the game is very enjoyable. I love the environment that the game produces and the range of weapons. I would strongly recommend this game to anyone who is a major Battlefield fan or a history fanatic.