So far this generation we have been inundated with stale and repetitive gameplay concepts and stories that you would think that this was a futuristic limbo where jetpacks were the only mode of transport between two points. Since the launch of Titanfall, we have been drowned in games trying to mimic the fast gameplay style the game introduced; games like Halo and Call of Duty quickly latching on to an idea that quickly became the bane of every gamer out there. Not to mention the fact that every game released in the past few years haven’t really explored new ideas, with the exception of Sunset Overdrive.
Battlefield has always focussed on true-to-life combat, with stories and mechanics firmly planted in the reality of the battlefields of history. Battlefield 4, albeit extremely popular, suffered due to the rather lacklustre hardware capabilities of the current generation, and it took them a few years to really come to grips with what is possible. Star Wars Battlefront was the pinnacle of success for what one could achieve on hardware that was by all metrics mere calculators against their successors.
Battlefield 1 rushed on the scene with much fanfare after months of speculation that the franchise would return to World War 2, however, the developer surprised us all with them taking on a war that was almost non-existent in gaming; Battlefield 1 was going back to World War 1.
Gameplay wise the choice was a sure fire hit. The Great War was during a time when modern technology and old school battle tactics clashed, and it gives the player many ways to execute a task. During a single play through of the Conquest map of the past Beta, you would experience tanks and men on horses; you would see airplanes dogfighting in the skies above while a soldier gets hacked to death with a shovel. The gameplay experience is exhilarating, with the pure spectacle of the battlefield lade bare thanks to the awesome graphical fidelity of the Frostbite engine.
I have never experienced a Battlefield game that was this terrifying and satisfying at the same time. Running into the warzone armed with a Model 10 shotgun, while having artillery fire around you destroying everything in sight; with a hail of gunfire at your feet is what makes this game so unique. Mentioning the destruction in this game is second to none. The little town you’re fighting for control in, might seem picturesque until a barrage of tanks rush in, cratering the landscape and flattening the town giving you the mere assault soldier the chance to duck into one of these craters while attempting to stay alive for long enough just to take out an enemy so your fellow soldiers can lay claim to the objective.
Battlefield 1 manages to remove the self from gameplay, pushing you to run in and defend objectives and ultimately lose your life for the cause. It matters little how good your KD ratio is in the end, as the side who have successfully defended their objectives takes the win. I find myself respawning 13 times during a single match, rushing in taking out as many enemies while capturing as many objectives before I die again, and do it all over. You dying might give your fellow soldiers the chance to take out the sniper, making it easier to conquer your enemy in the end.
With Battlefield 1 only a month away I find myself excited to see what the game holds. I haven’t been much of a Battlefield multiplayer fan, with the Battlefield 4 experience lacking true excitement. The small slice of the latest entry into the franchise gave me the gritty experience I need, while offering me enough variation to keep the game fresh; and it helps that that experience will be planted in the Great War, something I want to experience for a while now, since killing Nazi’s have become quite boring.
By all metrics, I recommend you check out Battlefield 1 during the EA Access demo period which will run for 10 hours, giving you ample time to experience the sheer glory of a true ‘boots on the ground’ multiplayer game; beyond the historical single player mode. In my opinion, Battlefield 1 will be the best shooter this year.
Battlefield 1 is currently available for pre-order on Xbox One and other platforms.
Dreyer was a regular ICXM contributor between 2016–2017, publishing 139 articles across opinion pieces, game reviews, Windows and PC, and Xbox news. Their work focused on hands-on reviews, platform commentary, and breaking-news reporting during the Xbox One X launch year and Microsoft’s wider Play Anywhere / UWP gaming initiative. They post on X as @dreyer_smit.