Battlefield 2042 ate loads of shit at launch, and rightly so, as a result of for a recreation claiming to be launching as a premium shooter at a premium worth level it certain got here out undercooked.
Most people merely mentioned the sport was “unhealthy”, although, which I’ve at all times maintained wasn’t strictly true, as a result of loads of what was there was truly tremendous, it was simply launched in a sparse and unready state. With some work—the form of work DICE can be afforded with an additional 12 months, and with out the stress of getting to launch an unfinished recreation in the midst of a pandemic to fulfill EA’s executives and buyers—I positively held out hope the sport would possibly someday prove higher than tremendous. Good, even.
Now that we’re two main seasonal updates into the sport’s lifespan, I don’t suppose it’s fairly there but, however you possibly can positively see “Good” on the horizon. The sport’s main additions like new maps, weapons and Specialists have after all helped flesh out the expertise, however the seemingly limitless high quality of life enhancements made to each different nook of the sport, from menus to icons, are doing simply as a lot work.
A lot of the sport’s early criticism targeted on how uncooked the sport was, the way it appeared to be lacking a lot of what made earlier video games higher. Stuff like scoreboards and lifelong statistics. Stuff that’s now within the recreation. It additionally felt a bit empty, and imprecise, like some maps held collectively by a handful of damaged menu screens. That’s mounted now too. Battlefield 2042 lastly feels extra like a coherent, purposeful online game, as an alternative of a sequence of maps held along with tape.
Every little thing simply feels extra rounded out, extra at dwelling on the planet DICE constructed for this iteration within the sequence. After some nips and tucks Specialists now look as severe because the climate-ravaged maps they’re combating over, and the maps are beginning to construct up sufficient in quantity and consistency that they’re fleshing the world itself out as effectively.
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Principally, there’s sufficient polish and content material right here that had you bought this in October 2021 as an alternative of what was truly rushed out the door, you may need merely thought OK, that is the brand new Battlefield recreation, let’s test it out. That’s a low bar to clear, I do know—assembly fundamental requirements of performance for a AAA recreation launch isn’t one thing we must be actively celebrating—however 2042’s launch was low, so any progress is progress.
Certainly issues are coming collectively so properly—if slowly—that I feel as soon as we’ve bought 1-2 extra new maps, possibly the identical quantity of Specialists, a couple of extra weapons (sniper rifles have been largely ignored since launch) and the method of remodeling the launch maps is completed (DICE are going again and modifying a lot of them out, including extra terrain and element), I feel “Good” is unquestionably inside attain of this recreation.
We didn’t simply magically arrive at this level, after all, as a lot of the recreation’s updates have come within the type of its first two Seasons. I’ve coated Season 01 already, which was surprisingly enjoyable, and Season 02 dropped final week. Happily (?) I used to be off work with Covid final week and so bought the prospect to play the hell out of it, and I got here away as soon as once more impressed with the best way the whole lot about it’s simply a lot extra attention-grabbing and gratifying than what was obtainable at launch.
The brand new armoured car, sitting someplace between the LATV4 and the Wildcat when it comes to its pace, safety and firepower, was a blast to drive round, and between its passenger capability and talent to drop spawn factors it’s already a recon participant’s favorite. Crawford, the brand new Specialist, has a cellular minigun turret, which is as silly and enjoyable to make use of because it sounds. The most effective a part of Season 02 although is the brand new map, which I used to be down on at first look, however which is definitely in apply simply three lengthy “lanes” (a desert space for automobiles, a ship’s inside for close-quarters infantry bloodbaths and a sniper’s paradise amongst some palm bushes), providing three fully totally different playstyles which are all only a fast jog away.
So yeah, each of Battlefield 2042’s Seasons have been nice, respiratory life right into a recreation many would have thought had landed Lifeless On Arrival. Keep in mind, although: AAA video games, particularly persistently on-line ones like this, are often too huge to fail, for higher or worse, and 2042’s sluggish enchancment after such a disastrous launch is the most recent instance of this.
