Battlefield 6 review: Getting back to the roots paid off

Old flames never die, especially for fans of the legendary online shooter, Battlefield. Every now and then, new contenders would pop up to fill the gap, especially when the wait for the next installment of the virtual all-out war dragged on, or when the people at DICE got a bit too experimental with new, pretty controversial features for the series. However, no one succeeded—not Call of Duty with its large maps and vehicles, nor the free World War 3, nor the new incarnation of Delta Force. When the chance to try out the latest Battlefield 6 in beta tests came up, the number of people eager to play and buy their copy without hesitation skyrocketed.

The secret to winning back the fans wasn't flashy new features or big changes. It was actually the opposite—going back to basics with tried-and-true elements, bringing back the vibe from the good old days of Battlefield 3 and 4 when those games were super popular. After having thoroughly explored all aspects of the game, especially the multiplayer mode, I can say that this return to the brand's essence was a success. The last time I had this much fun was with Battlefield 1 in 2016.

Back to the roots

What exactly does this return to the essence of the old Battlefield games mean? First off, we've got unique soldiers with their own perks instead of a bunch of clone "specialists" with bios longer than the map list. You can pick from Assault, who's all about mission objectives and quick aiming; Engineer, who's got the tools to blow up and fix vehicles; Support, who's now the medic; and Recon, the sniper with a knack for spotting enemies. Each class also specializes in a specific type of firearm, and the game features modes that limit our choice of weaponry. Besides free gameplay, where you can always choose any weapon for each class, there are also special modes that limit your choice of arms. This is, in a way, a compromise that satisfies supporters of both options and is probably the best choice, because although I used to be a fan of specializing in rifles, in reality I more often choose open modes.

We said goodbye to the huge, empty maps for up to 128 players. Battlefield 6 is bringing back the 64-player limit for its biggest modes, which, combined with smarter map designs, means you get epic, action-packed gameplay with plenty of room for strategy, depending on the mode you're playing. The devs have also improved the shooting model, enhanced the movement system, and setting the action essentially in modern times allowed the game to be filled with authentic vehicles, helicopters, planes, and weapons commonly used by various armies around the world. Even if most of them have different names, it still adds a cool vibe and a sense of authenticity to the game.

And the classic single-player campaign has also returned, as one complete story filled with action. We last saw this formula in Battlefield Hardline in 2015. But in this case, Battlefield 6 doesn't really shine. Again, no surprise there, as the series focused on multiplayer has rarely excelled in single-player campaigns.

A tribute to Call of Duty? Really?

The single-player mode in BF6 kicks off pretty well, kind of like Top Gun: Maverick, by hitting players with a bunch of Easter eggs that long-time fans of the series will instantly recognize. However, the nostalgic magic wears off pretty quickly, and you're left with the usual stuff: a painfully clichéd and not-so-engaging story with flashy effects, much like a Michael Bay movie. This time, a huge private mercenary army called Pax Armata is launching attacks on various countries. Despite a total war breaking out worldwide—from Tajikistan, through Europe, and Egypt, all the way to the USA—it's not the world leaders, generals in headquarters, or intelligence services keeping a close watch, but rather a group of ordinary soldiers: American Marines. They always know what's going on and chase the main antagonist across different continents, even though he appears in the game only twice, and very briefly at that.

But a poor storyline could still be overlooked. The most interesting part is that the storyline campaign blatantly copies the latest Call of Duty: Modern Warfare titles. We've got more than just the usual corridor shooter setup here, where you go from one scripted event to the next, with the usual chases and shooting from a vehicle. There's even one mission in an open area where, thankfully, you can choose the order of shootouts. There's this mission where you have to slowly and strategically move through a bunch of rooms, just like in Clean House from Modern Warfare 2019. You've got NVG goggles, and the choice of main characters is even more surprising. Among them is a mature woman pulling the strings at the top, an honorable and brave bearded man, and... a guy who hides his face under a mask most of the time! Sounds familiar?

Judging by the official Battlefield trailer that totally mocks the Call of Duty series, it seems like there's a serious disconnect between the campaign team and the marketing people. Of course, we could argue that the single-player mode in Battlefield games is just an appetizer before the main course, but since time and resources were dedicated to creating it, it's a shame that its potential wasn't fully utilized. We remember that the Battlefield series has had great single-player experiences in Bad Company 2 or brilliantly executed stages in "Battlefield 3," especially the sequence on the aircraft carrier. In BF6, they could've gone for a more genuine atmosphere, showing what life is really like for an average soldier, just a small part of the massive war machine, especially since there are hints of that already. In one of the stages, for instance, we'll be dropping small explosive charges from drones, which in recent years has become a symbol of modern warfare. Fortunately, the campaign is a separate entity, and after finishing it, you can easily uninstall it to free up space on your drive.

Like Beta, but with improvements here and there

Thanks to the open beta tests, anyone interested could already experience what multiplayer in Battlefield 6 will look like, and in the full version, small improvements can be noticed here and there. The devs have refined the movement animations, which no longer seem so chaotically fast. You can really feel the weight and momentum of our soldier, but he's definitely not sluggish. He smoothly gets over obstacles and can surprise you with a lightning-fast slide. The weapon recoil model has also been changed. The bullet spread is noticeably more random now, however, this is mostly annoying at the beginning of our career. Over time, it is possible to heavily reduce the recoil effect in some guns by choosing the right accessories. These, however, take a long time to unlock. This is not a flaw in the game, though – after all, the point is not to have everything right away. It is also almost certain that future updates will change the meta of the best weapons and introduce changes to their performance. Attention has also been paid to smaller details like the sniper scope's reflection. The glowing scopes that the Internet mocked have been removed and replaced with a much more discreet, rainbow point that imitates a prism effect.

In the launch version, there are nine maps to choose from, although it's known that two more will be added soon. However, they feel fewer because they are set in five locations. The maps in New York, Gibraltar, and Tajikistan seem to look the same and mainly differ in size. The biggest differences are in Egypt, where you either fight in the narrow streets of Cairo or on the outskirts of the city around a skyscraper construction site. And as a bonus, there's Operation Firestorm, a remake of the map from Battlefield 3. In these environments, we can jump into eight different modes and online battles ranging from small to full-scale. Plus, there'll be more variations coming with the Battlefield Portal. So, what did I like most about the multiplayer mode, and what didn't I?

Appetite for destruction is just the beginning

The first thing that immediately makes a huge impression is the destruction of the environment. It has probably never looked so natural and spectacular in any game before. Every time, it feels and looks like a wall of rubble is crashing down on us, not just some foam blocks. It looks impressive both when an entire building collapses on the map in Cairo and when small houses or walls in Tajikistan are hit by a tank cannon. Moreover, we've a shaking camera, a cloud of dust that limits visibility, and in some cases, completely new paths to reach higher floors. On that note, the tactical ladder has proven to be very useful as a new gadget for the Assault class. I've seen it set up in the most unexpected places, and it always made it super easy to quickly get to a spot.

I think I enjoyed playing the most in all the medium-scale modes, such as Rush, Breakthrough, and Domination. That's where the battles would often pull almost all the players into one spot, leading to some seriously intense firefights and lots of successful hits. The way each kill is visually and audibly satisfying just adds to the thrill. On the two largest maps, you can take a bit of a breather, wander around looking for your position, but vehicles undoubtedly play the main role there. Teaming up as a driver and gunner in a tank, infantry vehicle, or helicopter is like playing a different game within the same one, and it's just as satisfying. That's when you truly experience the devs' promoted slogan: "all-out warfare," as infantry, tanks, helicopters, and fighter jets all attack simultaneously, reminiscent of the earlier installments of the series with a similar vibe: Battlefield 3 and 4.

Out of all the maps, I really liked Siege of Cairo because it's similar to Strike at Karkand and has great environmental destruction, even though the streets are way tighter. The maps in Tajikistan also look great, especially the largest one, Mirak Valley, with its trenches and gloomy atmosphere somewhat reminiscent of BF1. Operation Firestorm is in a class of its own, and it makes you eager for remakes of other iconic maps like Metro or Caspian Border.

However, I wasn't having that much fun on the New York map. There is minimal environmental destruction, making it harder to spot opponents because of the numerous colors and excess objects on the streets. The Brooklyn location with a view of the Manhattan Bridge has been featured in games multiple times before, and in my opinion, even in the older The Division, it still looks better than it does here. The maps in Gibraltar are yet another version of narrow streets, reminiscent of Call of Duty matches. I also got the impression that the developers used the construction site theme with an unfinished skyscraper a bit too often on various maps, which becomes noticeable and quickly tiresome.

Battlefield Portal – the source of good and evil

Battlefield 6 lacks the server search engine that fans of the series have been eagerly anticipating – instead, there are filters for maps and modes, but this only applies to official content. The list of servers can be found in the tab showing community creations in Portal mode. The Portal itself is not an integral part of the game – options that modify gameplay are available from the browser, while the map editor requires the installation of separate SDK tools and is intended more for experienced creators.

The new version of Portal, like any tool that gives players a lot of freedom, is both a goldmine of brilliant and absolutely reprehensible ideas. Within hours, some really interesting offers appeared, such as remakes of cult maps from Call of Duty, a board for playing arcade classics like Space Invaders, jet races through an obstacle course, a mode for “old” players with various facilities, or, on the contrary, hardcore versions of various modes without a crosshair or minimap.

On the flip side, there are minor shortcomings, like the absurd removal of the crosshair from vehicles in hardcore mode. But there are much bigger sins, too, such as XP farms with bots, which allow players to level up simply by fighting moderately intelligent AI.

It gets even worse: vicious traps are set up using inviting server names like "Heli Training," only for players to enter and find themselves immediately spawned into a swarm of waiting players who instantly shoot everyone. I think Portal has enormous potential for some truly brilliant things, but it needs some quick fixes, such as adding the ability to rate the server during the match, rather than only after it has ended.

It is not a perfect game…

During the beta, I wasn't a fan of the on-screen interface, and now I have even more reservations about it. Moving tiles horizontally in the main menu or the large number of clicks required to modify weapons are just some of its many issues. What really got on my nerves were those huge pop-ups about how little time was left and that I needed to get cracking on mission objectives, or those annoying tiles popping up to tell me what kind of gun was dropped by a fallen player. They can totally block the most important part of the screen right when we're scanning for enemies. The settings menu is another handbook example of how not to design an interface. Finding anything in the jungle of poorly organized tabs and categories is an agony. And yet, the competition has long since shown model examples with a search engine and a graphical presentation of each relevant option change.

The game also doesn't fully explain the progression system. On one hand, we have the fairly obvious player leveling, which unlocks various gadgets. On the other hand, there is the individual leveling of each weapon, allowing for the selection of additional accessories and upgraded versions. But besides that, there are also training paths for each class, offering a different set of passive perks, and here, simply playing a given class isn't enough. You need to focus on tackling the challenges that come with that promotion, even if it means clicking through a bunch of menus again. These are pretty specific requirements, like getting a bunch of kills with a special shotgun model, which might put off a lot of players from trying to complete them.

I must also mention occasional technical issues, such as falling through the map, strange camera locking in TPP view, or being kicked to the desktop. However, these issues didn't occur particularly often and will likely be resolved with future patches.

… but still the best Battlefield over the last decade

Battlefield 6 may not be a perfect game, but it is definitely the best game in the series in a long time, and it's hard to describe just how good it feels to play Battlefield again! You have to try it yourself! The full-scale battle atmosphere with infantry, tanks, helicopters, and planes is unmatched. There are so many moments that just make you smile uncontrollably, go "whoa," or yell into the mic to your teammates. You want to level up again to unlock specific camouflages and accessory sets for your favorite M4A1 or other guns. Moreover, the game is super well-optimized, and it's hard to believe how great it looks and runs smoothly on my not-so-new PC. The sound design also deserves praise, as it makes an even greater impression than the graphics when experienced with good headphones or speakers with a subwoofer.

The best thing about it, and the smartest move they made even before production started, was setting it in modern times. Thanks to this, we don't have any weird gear, made-up weapons, or AI-modified vehicles like in Call of Duty. And you won't find those bizarre combos of early 20th-century rifles with modern sights that always felt off. BF6 is packed with gear that any shooter or military fan will instantly recognize. It's the stuff they've known for ages and probably have some favorites among them. This adds a layer of credibility and authenticity to even such an arcade-style gameplay, avoiding unnecessary discussions and problems. And to think we had to wait a whole decade for such an obvious decision...!

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the game's continued development, hoping the creators won't get any wild ideas about experimenting with weird skins and microtransactions. They should just keep refining and balancing the gameplay, because so far, it's not bad.

Even though I've already clocked several dozen hours, I still can't get enough, and I play at least a few matches every single day. Minor technical flaws or interface issues just can't overshadow how much fun the gameplay provides, not to mention its spectacular nature—it's truly a feast for the eyes and ears. We'll probably forget the single-player campaign quickly, but the multiplayer mode is just getting started!