One of the things I felt when playing Battlefield 2042 was just how awkward it felt being in the middle of such a large map with a hundred other people. The Battlefield franchise has always been known for its chaotic symphony, but I found it difficult to enjoy when I’m constantly being killed less than a minute from spawning into the map.
That isn’t to say that Battlefield 2042 doesn’t offer anything enjoyable. But it says a lot that the game mode that’s the most fun to play is the one that allows you to re-experience older Battlefield games.
Still it can’t be all a blunder. On this review, we’ll talk about what Battlefield 2042 does right and what it does wrong.
Battlefield 2042 feels uninspired.
It doesn’t seem to have anything particularly noteworthy. It’s a Battlefield game that takes place in the nearby future. That’s really about it. With the absence of a single player campaign, it doesn’t really have a story to fall back into. Battlefield 2042 feels like an awkward multiplayer that just sort of exists.
With everything banking on its multiplayer, one would think that DICE would’ve at least nailed their servers right. Yet, I have been placed into queue for more than 10 minutes trying to get into certain game modes like Conquest due to an inability to change server regions. Depending on where you are and what time it is, you may not even be able to play a game.
Whenever I did get into matches, the experience was less than spectacular. Mostly in due to player behavior. The Battlefield franchise has always been known for its large scale battles featuring a lot of players. This time, they DICE ups the amp by putting you into a 124 player map. The result is what you’d expect with virtually nobody playing the objectives, snipers everywhere, and getting killed every 5 seconds into respawning. If that sounds like fun to you, I’m not judging. But I prefer to actually be able to play the game before dying to a camper nearly a kilometer away from you. Don’t expect the medics to actually do their jobs and revive you.
None of that sounds like Battlefield 2042’s fault. But the decision to include 124 players into a large map was a bad creative choice. I enjoyed Battlefield V despite its numerous flaws, but I just couldn’t find the same charm when it came to playing Battlefield 2042. The only silver lining was the Portal Mode which rehashes the older Battlefield games into the new engine.
A new thing introduced to the Battlefield franchise are the Specialists. They’re DICE’s attempt at creating hero characters with backgrounds and stories of their own, but they just wind up falling flat. They’re basically generic goons that augment your playstyle rather than add anything substantial to both the gameplay and lore.
Where the Specialist really shine are in Hazard Zone where coordination is key. Certain abilities will force your team into roles that they have to embrace to thrive in this game mode. I really like Hazard Zone, at least in concept. It isn’t a standard last-team-standing battle royale as it is more objective focused. I enjoyed this game mode more than the ones in All-Out Warfare. There is a risk and reward factor when it comes to currency that makes you revaluate engagement with the enemy. Die and you’ll be stripped of the equipment you bought for that specialist and have to buy new ones using the currency you’ve earned from playing Hazard Zone matches.
The maps in Battlefield 2042 are gorgeous. Battlefield has always been a graphically gorgeous game and 2042 isn’t the exception. There are even extreme weathers that makes gameplay dynamic. With tornadoes and sandstorms roaming around certain maps limiting visibility and use of vehicular combat.
Portal Mode is quite possible the best addition Battlefield 2042. A bit of irony that the most enjoyable game mode just happens to be the one that lets you experience previous titles. Without the annoyance of semi-futuristic weaponry and specialists, the 124 player map actually feels more bearable.
Still, I wouldn’t say buying Battlefield 2042 is worth it for Portal Mode alone. Besides Hazard Zone and Portal Mode, the game just lacks enjoyable content. I can’t really recommend it for those looking for a long term game to enjoy.
