Battlefield 6 Open Beta Preview - Back to Basics
So the Battlefield 6 Open Beta has come and gone, and after playing the game, I think, well…hope, the game holds to the promise on display in the Beta. Showing off four different maps that showed off not only the chaos of infantry mixed with tanks, jeeps, jets, attack choppers and a whole lot of snipers in the mountainous region of Liberation Peak, but also introduced Empire State, an infantry-only map that can lead to intense firefights in tight quarters.
Nestled in between those were the Siege of Cairo and the Iberian Offensive. These maps were spread out enough that it was extremely difficult for any one team to outright overrun the other, but still had tanks in operation to increase the destruction and make things difficult for soldiers on foot. Starting in pristine condition, these maps end up looking just like the war zones you see shown on news broadcasts, with the sides of buildings blown off, walls destroyed, and the burnt-out carcasses of destroyed vehicles littering the streets.
Fortunately, the COD-like specialists with unique skills in Battlefield 2042 are gone, with developers DICE returning to the four classic class choices that have become a staple of the military shooter series. That said, there have been some changes that could work really well in balancing the class abilities. In a more realistic approach, the Assault class no longer has to be the one to play medic, instead carrying another primary weapon to help complement their offensive nature. On the flip side, the Support class is now an all-you-can-eat buffet, with ammo bags now providing both health and ammunition to nearby players and defibrillators for resurrecting downed teammates. In another touch that will promote even more teamwork, the old-reliable C4 charges are now the purview of the Recon class. No longer can a support player constantly refresh their own supply of C4 charges after slapping them on a kamikaze jeep.
Also gone is the ability to customise your weapon attachments on the fly. No longer is your avatar the equivalent of the Swiss-Army knife, with every weapon attachment known to man concealed within its many, many pockets. Replaced by a points system, players will have to make choices about which attachments work best with their desired play style and may have to make trade-offs. For example, using a 100-round drum filled with hollow-point bullets in your LMG may mean you have to choose between having a scope for better target acquisition or a front grip for better fire control.
So how does it play?
That is the big question, isn’t it? Fortunately, in my opinion at least, it felt like a return to the experience of Battlefield 4 but without the Levolution or scripted event gimmicks. Instead, the focus was on the combat. Pushing through enemy lines to capture objectives or taking advantage of flanking opportunities to sneak around and ambush your opponents. These are just parts of the moment-to-moment gameplay that encompass these massive multiplayer matches.
While it is more than possible to play solo, whether you are going the lone-wolf route or following your squad mates around, Battlefield is at its best when you are playing as part of a coordinated squad. I’m not talking special forces precision here, but just communicating over voice chat allows for a much better gameplay experience.
Of the four maps we got to experience, only one of them had the full range of vehicles that players have come to expect from the series. With still five other maps to be available at launch, including the much-loved Operation Firestorm from Battlefield 3, I hope that the remaining maps are geared toward those bigger conflict experiences. While I am cautiously optimistic about the future of Battlefield 6, only time will tell if the series can reclaim its former glory.
