Here’s a question for you gaming geniuses out there. How many hours do you think the Battlefield series of titles has been played for?
Seriously, think about it for a second. It’s a multi million seller, so even if half its users play a mere hour per week – and remember there’s a huge number of hardcore gamers who’ll be ploughing in half a dozen hours a day too – that’s a massive amount of hours used up. Just think of all the cleaning, washing and ironing we could’ve done during that time eh?
For those of you without any prior knowledge of this long running series – yep, both of you – it’s basically a huge online team based first person shooter, with each release set in different time periods. First we had 1942, then Vietnam, after that Modern Combat and now the future in Battlefield 2142.
But can this modern setting still claim to hold Battlefield’s basic gaming genius close to its heart?
They say:
EDGE: “As with any online multiplayer experience, the final verdict rests with the skills and dependability of your comrades in arms, but at least with BF2142 the underlying structure is of such high quality that an adrenaline fuelled moment is never too far away.”
Eurogamer: “It's easy to be downbeat with BF2142, which makes it worth reiterating that it's built around the core of one of the genuine great games.”
Gamespot: “When you get down to it, Battlefield 2142 is a solid entry in the series, as it feels like a slightly more refined version of its popular predecessor.”
We say:
For all those fans worried that a jump into the future might see that ye olde gameplay get lost in the process, then worry no more. We’re relieved to tell you that Battlefield 2142 is basically what it says on the box. Battlefield, but in the future.
Yup, instead of those old rifles of 1942, we’re packing some seriously technological heat this time around. Luckily though, the designers haven’t got too overboard with their predictions of futuristic weaponry. In your hands are basically twists and tweaks on all those current day weapons that we’ve all enjoyed using in virtually every shooter in the last decade.
The same goes for the vehicles, with the exception of the giant walking behemoths that act like huge tanks on legs. If you fancy playing a part in a mass killing spree, these are the daddies to go for.
The same game engine that powered all the previous Battlefield titles once again takes centre stage, and once again, it does look pretty snazzy. Vehicles and the maps themselves are dripping with detail and it all runs at a fair old lick online.
The engine, however, is starting to show its age, particularly with the lengthy loading times that do nothing other than cause mass frustration when you just crave to get out on the field of battle and blow away some young Texan by the name of Tommy who keeps yelling “Fag!” at you every few seconds.
Which brings us to our main point. If you’ve got a bunch of online gaming chums for regular Battlefield action then great, you’ll love this just like the rest. But if you’re a lonely soul, then your experience could very well be much diminished. Joining a game with a bunch of randoms and expecting them to act as a part of a large team is petty far fetched, particularly with some of the immature gamers that seem to adore first person shooters in particular.
But for those who plump for Battlefield 2142, try out Titan mode. Firefights aboard these huge flying machines are a joy to behold and prove to be a major source of gaming enthrallment.
So for those who love the franchise, online gaming, or even just FPS fans wanting to dip their toe online, this is the best to go for right now.
Like this? Try these:
Team Fortress Classic - PC
Battlefield 2, Modern Combat - Xbox 360
Half Life 2 - PC
FORMAT REVIEWED
PC
OTHER FORMATS
None
POSTED...
Wed 1 Nov 2006 at 6:40am
