I’ve played just over thirteen hours of Battlefield V, and so far, the game has exceeded my expectations. Battlefield V has the potential to be one of the greatest installments of the series. It definitely outperforms Battlefield 1 in every aspect; be it visually, gameplay, or features.
Related: Battlefield V: Every Edition and How You Can Play Early and Get Extra Content
The first thing that struck me in both single-player and multiplayer was the sheer beauty of the game. It is the most beautiful game I have ever played. DICE outdid themselves to deliver a game that is as good in its gameplay as it is visually. That said, thanks to Evetech I am playing Battlefield V on a beast of a machine, and a lot of my appreciation of the game comes from playing the game the way it’s meant to be played. We’ll cover this aspect in more detail in a future article. For now, my specs include for graphics the GTX 1080, the AMD Ryzen 7 processor, and LG’s 24GM 77 gaming monitor.
Battlefield V – Multiplayer & The South African Experience
Just look at those pings! I noticed in chat during the first few rounds that a lot of people complained that they experienced serious lag issues and some even suggested leaving local servers to play on the European servers. I did notice some lag spikes, but these significantly subsided, so much so that by late Sunday afternoon there were almost no complaints.
Everyone was having a ball of a time, and every match I participated in was extremely tight, and those are the best Battlefield games. It was such a delight to experience almost no server issues from the get-go. I also never waited for a game longer than three minutes, and every server I joined was filled to the max. And what a joy to be killed by someone called Kaalv0etR4nger, GeneraalGrapGat, or some such uniquely South African name!
(Battlefield V PC players can join Hadley Nieuwoudt’s Discord server here.)
The best way to join a local game is by using Quick Play. Click on Multiplayer, then select either Conquest. The game will auto join you to a South African server. Don’t even bother trying to find a full server for Grand Operations and Infantry Focused. Joining a local server by using the filter option is still a mission currently as it doesn’t seem to work properly.
Battlefield V’s multiplayer maps are each a work of art. My favourite so far is Arras; a village in the French countryside that is surrounded by the most beautiful yellow fields. It felt like someone dropped me into a movie set. Everything just looks so perfect; from the quaint French houses to the burning fields and run-down buildings. Even the destruction looks magnificent.
DICE made a lot of improvements from the beta. One of my biggest issues was soldier visibility and visual clutter. Both these are now a thing of the past. In fact, I’ve experienced no bugs or issues. Gameplay is smooth, and I’ve had a steady framerate even during moments of big destruction.
Another big issue during the beta was the terrible “flinching” whenever you got hit in the face. As promised, DICE changed it slightly and you now feel a bit more in control or rather stable when being shot at. Previously it almost always meant a sure death as you felt so disorientated when under attack that you couldn’t respond. You still feel the pressure, but with your head being more stable it is easier to react when under fire. DICE also thankfully shortened the bleed out time from the beta, but I still feel it is too long. Reviving a downed teammate also feels smoother and with the overall visibility improvements, you can assess the danger quicker to decide if it’s worth the risk to revive.
I am loving the attrition system in Battlefield V. I feel that at least for Medic, the amount of ammo you start off with is just perfect. It forces you to prioritize your role – healing, reviving, and providing support fire when needed. There are fewer ammo depots around the maps, but players can resurrect these in key spots. The attrition system favours squad play and handicaps individual play, which is great for a Battlefield game.
Gunplay is more refined than what it felt like in the beta; movement and handling feel intuitive, and it certainly feels like you’re hitting what you aim at, especially when using aiming down the sights. It’s less of a “spray and prays” situation. Handling also feels better in the sense that recoil feels more relevant to the weapon you’re handling. Bullet penetration received the overhaul DICE promised, and it makes for a much more realistic war zone experience. For example; on Twisted Steel when trying to capture the B flag after the enemy placed a few snipers on the elevated section, you’ll have a hard time to advance up that bridge. It’s littered with flaming debris, and those sections where you can duck behind cover, you’ll find that the right rifle in the right hands will make camping near impossible.
So far, my favourite Medic gun remains the Sten sub-machine gun, although I’ve unlocked a few more. The Sten released with all of its Specializations unlocked, each class has one weapon unlocked. Handling is a lot better than the beta, and if you play strategically as a Medic you can rack up a decent kill score. However, you have to understand your limits – you are not an offensive class. Don’t be shy to use your grenade launcher when you’re rushing in to revive a teamie.
I love the current map variety. Narvik plays a lot better now that DICE improved visibility. Rotterdam remains one of the most exciting maps to play; everything in it just works together perfectly to deliver that trademark Battlefield urban warfare moments. Hamada is one big motherfucker of a map. Excuse my French. DICE didn’t joke when they said it will be the biggest Battlefield map ever created, I just wish there were more vehicles so I could hitch a ride. Fjell 652 is a strange one; you play as infantry across a few snowy mountain peaks (above Narvik), and you’re constantly bombarded by gunfire and bombs from enemy planes. Our whole side almost got wiped within the first 2 minutes! On that note, Medics are invaluable on this map. The aerodrome is very enjoyable as it caters for a lot of playstyles. Snipers can have a field day setting up camp around the central hangar, while those who enjoy close-quarters combat can engage in the many buildings scattered across the capture points. It’s also a big map with stretches of open road that give a good line of sight for vehicle operators.
I’ve barely scratched the surface of what Battlefield V’s multiplayer has to offer, and I’m loving every second. A deep dive into what Specializations and The Company have to offer will be next on my list. Later this week we will also talk about the Battlefield V console experience, so stay tuned.
No, I have not seen any female Cyborgs running around on my battlefield.
Battlefield V – War Stories
I’ve only finished Under No Flag, and if it’s any indication of the quality we can expect from Battlefield V’s War Stories, then we are in for a treat.
You play as Billy Bridger, a failed bank robber who is offered a second chance when he is recruited into the Royal Navy’s Special Boat Service. One George Mason decided Billy had some skills they could use – namely his persistence in trying again (and again and again) to rob a bank, and his love for explosives. Billy and George are shipped off to North Africa where they have to sabotage Luftwaffe supplies and radar stations.
I’ve selected to play it on the second hardest difficulty and was pleasantly surprised by the intelligence of the AI. They will flank you, they will hunt you down, and they will take you out of you play carelessly. The characters are very believable, and you’ll find that you care as much about the story as you do about the action. The banter between Billy and George is so cheesy yet so exactly what the situation calls for.
As I’ve stated earlier, the graphics are a sight to behold. You play through three chapters, and although the whole story is set in Luftwaffe, North Africa, each chapter has its unique look and feel.
Under No Flag favours the Assault Class as you’ll find yourself in both offensive and defensive situations. It’s also the class that can handle enemy vehicles as well as infantry fairly well. However, I deliberately chose to play Sniper in as many situations as possible – and it is definitely the harder path to follow. There are a wide variety of guns scattered across the maps to change your approach from stealth to full assault at any time. In the final chapter, Onslaught, you are bombarded with waves of tanks, armoured vehicles and infantry, and you have to hold out until help arrives. A sniper just won’t cut it. Luckily there are enough stationary artillery and weapons to help you survive – while singing “It’s a Long Way to Tipperary” in duet with George.
So far, I can easily recommend Battlefield V for anyone who has ever enjoyed playing a Battlefield game. I’ve used Origin Access Premier to unlock the Deluxe Edition, and it’s worth every cent of the R200 I paid.
Marco’s Thoughts
Battlefield V is a big title for 2018 and along with it comes some pretty high expectations. EA is not everyone’s best friends right now so what they deliver needs to be top-notch and so far with my time with the game, you get that feeling that this is their big-budget shooter they want everyone to experience. While I don’t have the monster rig of a PC Han is using for the game, my GTX 980 build held up pretty well. The game is highly optimized and looks fantastic. Every green bush, crumbling building and war-torn field comes to life in the Frostbite engine and it goes to show just how powerful it is that it just keeps getting better and better.
But Battlefield V is all about the action, right, and if you are familiar with the Battlefield series you would expect this going into the game. Battlefield V delivers exactly what you are looking for. That slow-paced gunplay that heightens during intense group fights before dipping back into that slow trek across the map after being meleed from behind. This is not Call of Duty and your life feels a lot more precious as you make careful decisions on how you are going to infiltrate a building in front of you.
Battlefield V’s weapons feel great and every clang and kick of a gun is felt and heard as if you were holding it. EA has done a great job to bring the feeling of World War II to life as much as possible and this is felt throughout the game. The few matches I played felt like I was transported into a giant battlefield where every decision I made could really turn the tides of war. Gunfights all depend on how you approach a situation and there is a lot more strategy behind it this time around.
But the overall explosive experience is as you would expect, fantastic. There was nothing better than starting on a map where it is clean and organized to end the match with everything in shambles. That is the Battlefield feeling you won’t get in other games and it is what makes it so great.
Battlefield V is releasing on 20 November but you can play early with Origin Access Premier and it is really worth it. I will be playing the game on PS4 when it releases and my squad and I have plans to hopefully dominate. Best of all, local servers should keep things smooth, if everyone dedicates themselves to play on them.
What has your experience been like playing Battlefield V? Drop us a comment in the section below.
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