Towards the end of the pandemic, DICE released Battlefield 2042. There was great excitement for the potential future weapons play. From all angles, it disappointed. It felt like all the greatest aspects of various first-person shooters thrown together on the Battlefield platform. This August, the beta for Battlefield 6 was held. As expected, there was a lot of interest, so much so I spent more than a minute trying to get in. Then I was in and there was the joy of Battlefield returned. Other Battlefield games have covered both world wars, jumped into the future and then back again, but the core remains.
As a first-person shooter, Battlefield includes several classes that have loadouts that support that role. The assault class is quick with the ability to hear nearby enemies better. The assault class can train up to yield grenade launches or gain improved health generation. The recon class scouts the enemy position and provides overwatch for advancing troops. They can spot enemies for advancing forces and can in an unmanned arial vehicle to help spot others. They can train as snipers or develop cloaking skills, making them undetectable to equipment. The support class serves as the medic and supply chief. It can drag the injured into cover before healing. They can use their ability to supply to increase the revive speed of downed soldiers. They can train to dispense health for allies or can develop improved weapon control from mounted positions.
There are many modes, two versions of deathmatch, one squad based, and one team based. Domination returns with small fast-paced matches, and then the larger versions with conquest, breakthrough and rush. Each focused on taking territory or diminishing the enemy’s reserves. Included is a king of the hill section where you try to get to the control point and secure it. Then the new one, escalation, where two teams move to capture strategic control points. The more success a team has the fewer control points are available.
Vehicles return and are just as fun or terrifying as before. It is quite a joy watching noobs hop in and crash in spectacular fashion all over the map. Although veteran flyers can wreak havoc on the battlefield, so if you’re interested, take some time and play the initiation mode. This is a training environment with a mix of artificial intelligence-based players and new initiates. Additions to this offering include the ability to affect your environment more with the ability to sledgehammer wall or cause floors to collapse them.
Fortunately, what hasn’t changed is the value of a good squad. A well-balanced squad can really turn the balance, if they move well together and stay objective focused. The first few games in conquest, were an experience with being killed relatively quickly over and over and over again. The maps put forward during the beta seemed to favor the sniper and they spent most of the time up on the mountainside out of bounds reigning fire down on different positions. My love for rocket launchers helped to disabuse some of them from returning, But alas I was popped in the forehead more times than I care to admit. So, if you can’t beat them join them, right? Well, I did. It was way too easy to snipe with little, or no bullet drop making it incredibly easy to put your crosshairs on a target and pop, headshot…kill. Similarly, the shotguns seem to be overly powered.
As is the intent, these issues were smoked out, and DICE has already communicated that patches are underway. I wish I could tell you that there was something new or special which makes this more than a content update from past games but being honest it is not. I think we all have realized that for the most part we need to be resolved that for now that is the best the developers can do. There are other games that do the same thing, but there is something about Battlefield that just keeps you coming back. So, to that end, I will see you on the frontlines in October 2025, when EA Sports releases Battlefield 6 on Steam and all the consoles except the Switch.
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