Battlefield 2042 ate lots of shit at launch, and rightly so. For a sport claiming to be launching as a premium shooter at a premium value level, it certain got here out undercooked.
Most people merely stated the sport was “bad,” although, which I’ve at all times maintained wasn’t strictly true. A lot of what was there was truly nice, it was simply launched in a sparse and unready state. With some work—the sort of work DICE may have been afforded with an additional yr, and with out the strain of getting to launch an unfinished sport in the course of a pandemic to fulfill EA’s executives and traders—I positively held out hope the sport would possibly in the future prove higher than nice. Good, even.
Now that we’re two main seasonal updates into the sport’s lifespan, I don’t assume it’s fairly there but, however you may positively see “Good” on the horizon. The sport’s main additions, like new maps, weapons, and Specialists, have after all helped flesh out the expertise, however the seemingly limitless high quality of life enhancements made to each different nook of the sport, from menus to icons, are doing simply as a lot of the work.
So a lot of the sport’s early criticism targeted on how uncooked the sport was, the way it appeared to be lacking a lot of what made earlier video games higher. Stuff like scoreboards and lifelong statistics. Stuff that’s now within the sport. It additionally felt a bit empty, and obscure, like how some maps have been held collectively by a handful of damaged menu screens. That’s mounted now too. Battlefield 2042 lastly feels extra like a coherent, useful online game, as an alternative of a collection of maps held along with tape.
Everything simply feels extra rounded out, extra at dwelling on the planet DICE constructed for this iteration within the collection. After some nips and tucks, Specialists now look as critical because the climate-ravaged maps they’re combating over, and the maps are beginning to construct up sufficient in quantity and consistency that they’re fleshing the world itself out as nicely.
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Basically, there’s sufficient polish and content material right here that had you bought this in October 2021, as an alternative of what was truly rushed out the door, you might need merely thought, OK, that is the brand new Battlefield sport, let’s test it out. That’s a low bar to clear, I do know—assembly primary requirements of performance for a AAA sport launch isn’t one thing we needs to be actively celebrating—however 2042‘s launch was low, so any progress is progress.
Indeed, issues are coming collectively so properly—if slowly—that I feel as soon as we’ve bought one to 2 extra new maps, perhaps the identical quantity of Specialists, just a few extra weapons (sniper rifles have been largely ignored since launch), and the method of remodeling the launch maps is completed (DICE are going again and modifying lots of them out, including extra terrain and element), I feel “Good” is certainly inside attain of this sport.
We didn’t simply magically arrive at this level, after all, as a lot of the sport’s updates have come within the type of its first two Seasons. I’ve lined Season 01 already, which was surprisingly enjoyable, and Season 02 dropped final week. Fortunately (?) I used to be off work with Covid final week and so bought the possibility to play the hell out of it, and I got here away as soon as once more impressed with the best way every little thing about it’s simply a lot extra attention-grabbing and gratifying than what was obtainable at launch.
The new armoured automobile, sitting someplace between the LATV4 and the Wildcat when it comes to its pace, safety and firepower, was a blast to drive round. Between its passenger capability and talent to drop spawn factors, it’s already a recon participant’s favorite. Crawford, the brand new Specialist, has a cellular minigun turret, which is as silly and enjoyable to make use of because it sounds. The greatest a part of Season 02 although is the brand new map, which I used to be down on at first look, however is definitely in follow simply three lengthy “lanes” (a desert space for autos, a ship’s inside for close-quarters infantry bloodbaths, and a sniper’s paradise amongst some palm bushes), providing three fully completely different playstyles which are all only a fast jog away.
So yeah, each of Battlefield 2042’s Seasons have been nice, respiration life right into a sport many would have thought had landed Dead On Arrival. Remember, although: AAA video games, particularly persistently on-line ones like this, are normally too large to fail, for higher or worse, and 2042’s gradual enchancment after such a disastrous launch is the most recent instance of this.
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