KGK Dragon’s Reviews:
The 16th installment to the Battlefield franchise jumps back into the fray of World War Two with Battlefield V, the 2018 release developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts. Take up arms during a time when the world was engulfed in war, during its darkest hours of World War II and in the Western Front of Germany and the Pacific theater of Japan’s islands.
Campaign
Battlefield V does not have a direct campaign following one character, but rather, it takes an approach similar to “Battlefield 1” (2016) with “War Stories” following multiple takes on different campaigns of World War II, following operations in North Africa, Norway, Provence, and Germany. Following tales of heroism, honor, friendship, and loss, the execution is questionable between campaigns, but boasts a lengthy 6 hours if primarily focused on main objectives. With a total of 4 different chapters and 6 experiences. Pushing it even further for the completionists, gamers can expect over 29 hours on average in collecting and completing all side objectives.
Battle Royale
During its time, the Battlefield franchise took an attempt at its own spin on a Battle Royale mode called “Firestorm.” While revered by those who played it as a solid BR mode, unfortunately had a very short lifespan of virality as Battlefield V’s advertisement and publicity focus remained on Multiplayer and War Stories. The gamemode introduced a new form of movement mechanics system which proved far more fluid and smooth, similar to that of Battlefield 1. But, as the title attempted to compete with other Battle Royale titles of its time suffered on PC from hackers, only dampening its already fragile existence. Players also found that solo play often leads to most “teaming” with other solo players for an unfair advantage. This, along with the lack of advertisement, publicity, and the fact that the Battle Royale game mode was locked behind a paywall for those who did not own the full game of Battlefield V, ultimately lead to the game mode’s quick abandonment by developers.
Visuals and Graphics
Like its predecessor “Battlefield Hardline” (2015) published by Electronic Arts, Battlefield V uses the “Frostbite 3” engine, sporting hyper-realistic graphics and high end dynamics. That being said, the graphics continue to make Battlefield V an immersive shooter with its stunning visuals.
Multiplayer
With Battlefield V’s multiplayer, you can dive into the classic game modes like conquest, Team Deathmatch, and Domination, but offer much more like Final Stand, Frontlines, Assault, Operations, and Tides of War. Fight on both sides of the war, whether it be the Allied Americans and British or the Axis Germans and Japanese. Customize your soldiers with multiple options from the Armory, sporting options from historically accurate Fallschirmjager or classic G.Is of the US army. The game even goes further, offering specializations for each weapon, pushing them beyond their standard capabilities to suit any player’s general playstyle.
Classes
Players have a selection of four separate classes, offering different perks, weapons, and abilities. These options range from Medics with sub machine guns and medkits to support gunners with Mounted and Lightweight machine guns, offering different options for each type of player, whether it be a supporting and defensive role or an aggressive and offensive role. Even subroles may become available such as pilots and tank operators.
Summary
Battlefield V proves to be a great title for those who enjoy the chaotic nature of first person shooters, offering amazing gameplay and experience, living up to the expectations of many even 6 years after its release. Even with the flop of its Battle Royale mode, the game survives with its other content and persistent playerbase, especially with the game’s recent virality spike once more as of April 2024.
Pros
Stunning visuals with the use of Frostbite 3
Smooth game mechanics
Wide and immersive weapon selection
Lively servers for most game modes
Cons
Updates ceased 2 years post release, leaving many feeling the game was abandoned at its peak
Lack of other nations such as France, Italy, or Russia and the Eastern Front has left many criticisms on the game’s final product after its final update
PC still has issues with unprotected servers, leaving many eastern servers vulnerable to aimbot hackers and exploit users
Mixed reviews on Single player modes, highlighting many issues of campaigns being more focused on stealth rather than combat.
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