With the 20th anniversary of the original first-person shooter Wolfenstine 3D creeping up on us next year, it’s safe to say that the FPS genre has been one of, if not the, most significant components of the gaming industry. Throw aside the recent repetitiveness of the genre; it’s provided some of the best games, innovations and memories of any wing of the gaming industry. What, then, if a game could culminate all of this rich history into one definitive shooter - all of the action, fun, and firepower in one awe-inspiring title? Well, say hello to Battlefield 3, your ultimate first-person shooter.
Welcome to...where?
Set in 2014, the game takes place during a somewhat convoluted war between the United States and Russia’s militia force, the PLR (People’s Liberation and Resistance). Little has been revealed yet in terms of where the plot will go, but with prolific military author Andy McNab penning the entire story (as well as an associated Battlefield novel) expect it to be fast paced, frantic and full of interesting little details. What we know so far is that one Staff Sergeant Henry Blackburn, along with his merry band of troopers, is attempting to rescue a fellow squad that was investigating possible nuclear weapon hideouts. Expect the classic ‘world is under nuclear threat, you and your men must stop the enemy’ to be the centreline of the narrative, although with a war taking place in the background expect diversions, such as the tank battle shown at E3, to be numerous and hard-hitting.
In terms of gameplay, Battlefield 3 is shaping up to be the Swiss army knife of FPSes. Current gameplay footage has included a daring night assault on a glowing metropolis and a perfectly executed tank battle, as well as early footage of a manic jet dogfight. With such an incredible range of gameplay styles, BF3 is sure to keep players on their toes. The classic gun play sections look very well balanced and include weapons that provide a very satisfying kick; these scenes are sure to provide the game with a sturdy backbone. Battlefield has always been a game that’s about combined arms; whether online or in the campaign, most games have implemented more than just your average foot trooper. This title will be no different, with Jets making a celebrated return after a two-game hiatus. The campaign will feature specific jet sections in which you’ll be tasked with carrying out an array of destroy or defend missions. No official word yet on how often you’ll be taking to the skies, but expect there to be at least two aerial combat missions. On top of this Jets will also be making their return to the famed online section of the game (more on this later).
In the E3 demo we got a glimpse of one of the many varied locations that Battlefield 3 will be taking players to. The campaign will largely see battles raging in the Middle East, with vistas ranging from cramped urban streets to wide and vast deserts. It may not globetrot as much as Modern Warfare 3, but it’s sure to bring a nice variety of scenery.
There’s no I in Battlef(i)eld 3
A whole new gameplay mode that BF3 introduces to the franchise is the Co-op mode. This will see players work as a pair to make their way through special co-op stages, each one providing a different gameplay experience. The demo at this year’s Gamescom showed the players evacuating a hostage from his capturers’ den using a combination of stealth and destruction, followed by a manic street fight. The developers were keen to point out that the co-op mode will also implement vehicular gameplay; co-op jet battles? Yes please! Whatever the case, it looks to be an exciting feature that should go toe-to-toe with the equally brilliant looking COD Spec-ops mode; perhaps its only weakness is the very disappointing fact that the co-op mode will not be playable split-screen.
The building blocks of a Battlefield
The technology being used to build Battlefield 3 is just as, if not more, crucial to its development as the creative ideas that feed it. As you’ve probably heard, BF3 is powered by the mighty Frostbite 2 engine, but what does this mean? Many of the changes involve improved graphical processes such as deferred shading, morphological anti-aliasing and screen space ambient occlusion. Most improvements are implemented in the console versions, although more advanced processing technologies are available on the PC - assuming you have DirectX 10 or higher, that is.
For those less familiar with anti-aliasing methods and other backend jargon, all these terms mean Battlefield 3 will look and feel better than any previous entry in the series. Although saying that, the current online beta on console is somewhat disappointing in terms of graphical capability and actually looks quite questionable. Hopefully this is improved before the final game is released.
On top of graphical performance, the Frostbite 2 engine will include Destruction 3.0, an improvement on the famed destruction engine used in previous Battlefield games. The engine features radically improved physics and grants even more realistic and precise destruction capabilities. It’s an element of Battlefield that has almost been lost in the fanfare surrounding the game as of late, but after a session with the beta it’s clear that it is just as much a significant part of the game as it has always been; being able to blow holes in significant sections of the map is a very good way of creating flexible and ever-changing gameplay.
The Frostbite 2 engine will also implement a new level of audio design that uses a layered effect for optimum realism. Just have a go at the beta in surround sound and you’ll understand how little changes in audio design can make a very big difference to the feel of the game. Bullets crack and whizz in the distance while fire from your own gun sounds deadly and powerful.
Another significant design improvement is through the use of advanced animation tech. Battlefield 3 will use the ANT technology that is used in Fifa to make soldiers move more realistically than ever. Just controlling your avatar feels strangely smooth, as jumping over obstacles is no longer achieved with a weird vertical jump - this time you slide or swing over obstacles in an unusual but extremely satisfying way. The animation of your allies and enemies is noticeably improved - gone are the days of hapless troopers running around like a gaggle of one-legged pirates. Animation is an often thankless element of gaming but with big improvements such as this under the bonnet, it’ll be hard to ignore Battlefield’s impressive technology come launch.
It has to be online
Let’s face it, no matter how gripping the story is, how varied the co-op mode will be or how impressive the game engine turns out, Battlefield 3 will live or die based on its anticipated multiplayer section. With the multiplayer beta out this past week, many have had a glimpse of what this mode will offer. However, core gameplay aside, there’s so much more to experience when the full game is released.
Following the long-time Battlefield trend, the online multiplayer will be centralised on huge sprawling battles across large and diverse maps, giving it some uniqueness over Call of Duty. The locations for these battles are extremely varied and should provide a good collection of online battlefields; places such as New York, Sarajevo (which holds much military significance for those historically savvy), Oman, the classic Wake Island and even Paris (shown in the current beta map Operation Metro) are all currently confirmed.
With a total of nine maps at such a variety of locations, these maps are shaping up to be a beautiful centrepiece for BF3’s online spectacular. The maps shown so far (Operation Metro and Caspian Border) have proved to be very well balanced, but it will be interesting to see just how well the maps work with every game mode; it’s hard to believe that one map will be perfectly balanced and fun for every mode.
Speaking of game modes: BF3 features five premium and fully featured modes that each present a different way of playing. Battlefield fans may notice the lack of originality, but this is more of a ‘best of’ collection of Battlefield game modes than an attempt at innovation.
Alongside BF classic Conquest, in which players battle for control of certain territories, the new title is set to reintroduce Bad Company’s Rush, Squad Rush and Squad Deathmatch modes to incorporate some old-fashioned fast and frantic gameplay. The Rush mode displayed in the beta emphasises how this game mode can be surprisingly tactical, with players attacking and then defending M-COM stations at levelled points on the map. Battlefield 3 will also include the classic team Deathmatch mode that has actually not been in a BF game since 1942 - you can check out a more detailed look at game modes here.
These are the core elements that make the Battlefield multiplayer such a strong contender, but it is the elaborate and exciting list of extras and add-ons that makes it a brilliant package. Vehicles are certainly a calling card of DICE’s online experience and this title takes that ideal further than ever before with an unprecedented level of vehicular combat. You’ve got APCs for protected infantry transport, transport vehicles for speedy movement, tanks for all-out ground war, two different types of helicopter for air-to-ground assaults and last but certainly not least Battlefield 3 returns the jet fighter for manic air-to-air combat and devastating bombing runs. It’s an impressive and very exciting list of heavy equipment that is sure to mix up the standard gunplay.
The somewhat simplified class system is also sure to create a nice bit of extra variety; the four classes each provide their own very unique abilities. The Recon is your classic sniper class for long range head popping but also has the ability to call in artillery strikes and deploy explosives. The Engineer, on the other hand, is used specifically to engage with more heavy duty opponents with rocket launchers and mines at close hand. For those looking to lay down an endless volley of fire then the Support class with its heavy machine guns and ammo resupplying abilities is the class for you. Finally, though perhaps most pivotally, the Assault class brings together the traditional foot soldier and the medic for a well rounded ‘backbone of the team’ trooper. Of course, this is a Battlefield game and so playing a significant role in a team is extremely important. The brilliant squad structure still features with players being one part of a four man squad whom they can spawn from at any point in the game.
Overall, the Battlefield 3 online multiplayer mode is filled to the brim with exciting features and it’ll be interesting to see how the entire package stacks up with Modern Warfare 3’s offering; it’s certainly easy to see why a verbal battle has broken out between these titles over the past few months.
FPS Heaven?
Undoubtedly, the impressive looking campaign mode is sure to lure many gamers in, especially with the Frostbite 2 engine behind it. No matter how good the campaign ends up being however (and it’s shaping up real good), it’ll be the new co-op mode and the potentially brilliant multiplayer that will keep people playing and investing in the Battlefield franchise, and with DLC planned for 2012 loyal players are sure to be rewarded with constantly updating and evolving content.
Battlefield 3 is set for release on October 25th (US), 27th (AU) and 28th (EU); our review is coming soon so be sure to check back for that. In the mean time be sure to download the beta for an early feel for the game.
Preview written by Ryan Davies
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