Chris Trottier on Nostr: Battlefield 4 is a big, beefy AAA game that came out in 2013 – basically the video ...
Battlefield 4 is a big, beefy AAA game that came out in 2013 – basically the video game equivalent of a protein shake with a side of freedom fries. I know, I know – I’ve been critical of these blockbuster shooters in the past. But shockingly, even a decade later, this one slaps.
Now let’s address the elephant in the room. The multiplayer seems dead. At least, I couldn’t get a single match. But the single-player campaign? Oh man, it slays.
The story? Who cares! It’s your typical “America! Guns! Freedom” extravaganza featuring Russians and Chinese as the bad guys. Originality? That’s overrated. All I care about was having a gun, some grenades, and a knife. Battlefield 4 understood the assignment.
Sometimes, I liked stealthily sneaking up on enemies like a discount ninja. Other times, I perched my sniper rifle in a nice secluded spot, and channelled my inner wolf. And when I really wanted to let loose? Guns a-blazing, gas tanks exploding, everything on fire – it’s chaos in the most glorious way. The beauty of Balltefield 4 is that it doesn’t cram you into a playstyle box. It just lets you do you.
My A.I. squad? Surprisingly useful. There weren’t just cannon fodder – they actually pulled their weight. Overwhelmed? No problem – just let them obliterate a specific spot, and they’ll let the bullets rain. That’s what I call teamwork!
Look, I’m not saying this is high art. It’s more Michael Bay than Michelangelo, and sometimes it engages in “rah-rah” propaganda. But sometimes, you just want a shooter that works – polished, fun, and unashamedly explosive.
My favourite aspect of this game is the graphics. I cranked everything to ultra settings, and oh god, is it a visual feast. I don’t know if EA did any kind of update, but Battlefield 4 definitely doesn’t need a remaster. Seeing all that tremendous lighting and the weather effects, that makes for a stellar experience.
Sound is also excellent. There’s a choice soundtrack here that features electronica with a whole lot of dramatic vibes. The ambience and sound effects are stellar. As for the voice actors, they performed well.
Controls are amazing. Mind you, I only played on keyboard and mouse, but I really don’t want to experience this on gamepad. No, this is the kind of game where a mouse makes all the difference – especially since aim is such a core part of the game. Nevertheless, everything was intuitive, and I never had a problem with the UI.
EA Digital Illusions (a.k.a., DICE) made this game, and they’ve had a long pedigree in the video game industry. While they’ve made all the Battlefield games, they’re also known for Pinball Illusions and Mirror’s Edge. In fact, I think DICE is EA’s finest in-house developers.
So is Battlefield 4 just another bloated AAA shooter? Nope, it’s one of the good ones. If you haven’t played it yet, go ahead and scratch that itch. Worth it just for the gratuitous explosions.
Now let’s address the elephant in the room. The multiplayer seems dead. At least, I couldn’t get a single match. But the single-player campaign? Oh man, it slays.
The story? Who cares! It’s your typical “America! Guns! Freedom” extravaganza featuring Russians and Chinese as the bad guys. Originality? That’s overrated. All I care about was having a gun, some grenades, and a knife. Battlefield 4 understood the assignment.
Sometimes, I liked stealthily sneaking up on enemies like a discount ninja. Other times, I perched my sniper rifle in a nice secluded spot, and channelled my inner wolf. And when I really wanted to let loose? Guns a-blazing, gas tanks exploding, everything on fire – it’s chaos in the most glorious way. The beauty of Balltefield 4 is that it doesn’t cram you into a playstyle box. It just lets you do you.
My A.I. squad? Surprisingly useful. There weren’t just cannon fodder – they actually pulled their weight. Overwhelmed? No problem – just let them obliterate a specific spot, and they’ll let the bullets rain. That’s what I call teamwork!
Look, I’m not saying this is high art. It’s more Michael Bay than Michelangelo, and sometimes it engages in “rah-rah” propaganda. But sometimes, you just want a shooter that works – polished, fun, and unashamedly explosive.
My favourite aspect of this game is the graphics. I cranked everything to ultra settings, and oh god, is it a visual feast. I don’t know if EA did any kind of update, but Battlefield 4 definitely doesn’t need a remaster. Seeing all that tremendous lighting and the weather effects, that makes for a stellar experience.
Sound is also excellent. There’s a choice soundtrack here that features electronica with a whole lot of dramatic vibes. The ambience and sound effects are stellar. As for the voice actors, they performed well.
Controls are amazing. Mind you, I only played on keyboard and mouse, but I really don’t want to experience this on gamepad. No, this is the kind of game where a mouse makes all the difference – especially since aim is such a core part of the game. Nevertheless, everything was intuitive, and I never had a problem with the UI.
EA Digital Illusions (a.k.a., DICE) made this game, and they’ve had a long pedigree in the video game industry. While they’ve made all the Battlefield games, they’re also known for Pinball Illusions and Mirror’s Edge. In fact, I think DICE is EA’s finest in-house developers.
So is Battlefield 4 just another bloated AAA shooter? Nope, it’s one of the good ones. If you haven’t played it yet, go ahead and scratch that itch. Worth it just for the gratuitous explosions.