Despite the fact that there’s a couple of quirks to work out, EA’s Battlefield 2042 is still an enjoyable game to play.
Defined by its all-out warfare gameplay, 2042 seeks to capitalize on that by increasing its maps’ size, which are the biggest compared to other Battlefields.
Not to mention, it also expands its player count to an unheard-of 128 for each match, where fights can drag out for as long as half an hour as dozens of bodies are thrown into the fray.
2042’s implementation of specialists rather than Battlefield’s usual four class types—those being medic, assault, recon, and engineer—provides not only unique ways of approaching combat but also a more frenzied atmosphere to each skirmish, as not everyone can tell who’s which class at first glance.
As with every Battlefield before, however, the sheer size of both sides makes coordination nigh impossible, except it is on a much grander scale that is bolstered by the new specialist class system and map size.
Although some might argue that these new qualities make 2042 too different from the rest of the Battlefield series or tiresome to deal with in practice.
One such complaint is that its increased map size turns it into a walking simulator where the player has to cover miles of wonderfully detailed environment to find action.
This is true for all Battlefields in a sense because while 2042’s maps are the biggest in the series, the other Battlefields’ maps are built in a manner that makes them feel large for the player count it’s meant to hold.
Another complaint to be had regards the use of a specialist system.
To be sure, it is a bit off putting to see the exact same Maria Falck shooting at another Falck, but aside from the Clone Wars antics, it makes for some intense fighting.
One player could glide in on a wingsuit onto a rooftop guarded by automatic turrets while another can use a drone to watch the disastrous results and warn teammates that using ballistic shields and some hacking is a much better alternative.
These specialist-specific abilities are neither idle threats nor insignificant; what kills a player during combat might just appear small because of all the gunfire and explosions.
Apart from the unique additions, there is one problem that complicates 2042’s success: it’s designed for consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X.
What this means is that not everyone will be able to enjoy a smooth framerate and with a game as frenetic and big as 2042, it’s a real issue.
It’s not like the game can’t take advantage of the newer system’s capabilities, but EA has to take into account the fact that it’s difficult to even find a console like them to purchase.
All in all, the game is fun and holds potential, despite what some players might say about the game.
