Battlefield 6 Review

We have now spent an extensive amount of time with the game’s multiplayer suite post-launch and thoroughly tested the updated Portal mode. While our review score has remained the same, we have updated the review below to reflect our current thoughts on the state of the game now that it’s live with the public.

[UPDATE 19/10]

I certainly hoped that Battlefield 6 would launch in a stable state, especially following two very clean open beta weekends. I thought I was being overly optimistic, given the series’ history with completely busted releases, but Battlefield Studios and EA have to be commended this time around, because this launch has been excellent.

I’ve spent a few dozen hours with the game’s multiplayer post-launch on public servers, and I haven’t had so much as a hiccup the entire time. No crashes, no game-altering bugs, not even a dip in performance. While it’ll be an ongoing back-and-forth battle, the game’s netcode has improved massively since the open beta, with time-to-kill feeling far more balanced and consistent, even if it’s not perfect. I’m not finding myself dying after rounding a corner or dropping to the ground of thin air, which is vital to the overall enjoyment of each match.

More than anything, this stellar launch means that Battlefield Studios can focus on getting post-launch content moving far sooner than in the past. As a live-service title, so to speak, it’s essential that new maps and modes start trickling in sooner rather than later, which is something that the Battlefield series has struggled with in years prior, with expansions releasing months after the fact, with many players having moved on by the time. It’s one thing for Battlefield to be back; it’s another for it to stay that way, and this positive start gives me hope that it will.

The last part of the Battlefield 6 puzzle is the return of Battlefield Portal. For those unaware, Portal is a browser-based creation suite that allows players to modify and create their own game types, modes, and experiences for use with Battlefield 6. The first outing for Portal within Battlefield 2042 was novel enough, letting you mess around with player count, weapon restrictions, and the like, but this version is an entirely different beast.

Using the versatile Gadot engine, players far more creative than I can play around with sliders that affect just about everything you can think of to alter match rules, but that’s the tip of the iceberg. The Gadot tools allow folks to reshape, create, and alter map geometry, physics, and more. The web-based toolset was user-friendly enough for me to make a few basic alterations, like whacking a massive, dumb tower in the middle of Operation Firestorm, but it’s trawling through the content created by the community that shows the power of this toolset.

I’ve played user-created parkour modes, jet-based obstacle courses, extraction matches, and even a near-perfect recreation of the Shipment map from Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Finding these player-created matches is as easy as popping in a four-digit code that can be shared online or searching through the server browser to find the most popular ones. Outside of the game-changing move to Gadot, the other benefit of this new Portal experience is the fact that verified modes generate XP, unlike the experience-barren modes in 2042. This means you can experiment and explore random user-created monstrosities without sacrificing progression.

The final point I’ll make following my post-launch playtime with BF6 is that the studio appears to be listening to feedback, just as it did in the lead-up to release through Battlefield Labs. Glacial-paced progression was a common complaint in the community, with many lamenting the insane time it took to unlock weapons, skins, and attachments. Thankfully, this is being addressed and, while there’s still more work to be done to perfect the balance, it’s refreshing to see that complaints aren’t falling on deaf ears.

[ORIGINAL REVIEW CONTINUES]

EA is putting everything it has behind Battlefield 6. A massive blowout preview in Los Angeles kickstarted a wave of press access that’s seldom seen for a single title, with additional previews, interviews, and behind-closed-doors first looks to follow. Battlefield 2042 was a significant misstep, with the majority of the player base bemoaning the fundamental changes made to the series formula, so the next instalment has to hit the ground hard and have something to say. Soundtracking the game’s incredible reveal with Limp Bizkit’s Break Stuff meant the ground was hit hard, and Battlefield Studios made it perfectly clear that it had one very important thing to say: Battlefield is back.

It’s a bold statement for the developer and publisher to make, but is it a claim we can substantiate? Together with the multiple preview sessions, I’ve spent well over 35 hours with Battlefield 6’s dense multiplayer suite and made my way through the campaign in the boots of Dagger 1-3, all to answer that exact question. In truth, my time with Battlefield 6 has been so extensive because I can’t bring myself to put the controller down. So, yeah, Battlefield is definitely back.

Whereas Battlefield 2042 opted for an online-only approach, Battlefield 6 offers a more comprehensive package, combining multiplayer with a single-player campaign and the return of the user-generated mode Portal. 

The main course for the series has always been its multiplayer, and Battlefield 6 is serving a three-stage dining experience with fantastic, familiar flavours as well as delectable new ones. Like any good restaurant visit, the company you keep makes the meal. Squad-based gameplay isn’t just incentivised by slotting you into a team with three other soldiers; it’s made damn-near necessary by the reintroduction of a series staple: classes. 

Reclaiming their throne from the Specialist usurpers, the four core classes return, and their presence creates the bedrock for every multiplayer round. The Assault, Recon, Engineer, and Support classes each serve a purpose on the battlefield, making team composition essential. While default multiplayer sessions have unlocked weapons, freeing up any class to use any category of weapon, it’s the unique gadgets and traits that give each class an identity.

Assault units and their adrenaline injectors are poised to rush into the firing line, while Engineers and their repair tools are better suited to escorting armoured vehicles to keep them in the fight. A Recon’s motion sensor makes them invaluable when it comes to knowing where the enemy is, and the Support’s supply bag keeps your squad stocked with ammo and a healing hand when those same enemies come knocking.

Each class boasts a unique trait and weapon proficiency to complement their kit, deepening the skill pool and widening their use case. Engineers take reduced explosive damage to offset their proximity to tanks, and they boast increased hip-fire accuracy with SMGs. At the same time, Supports have a faster revive and ignore the sprint speed reduction when equipped with an LMG. 

The final piece of the class system puzzle is the training perks. Each class will have two training paths at launch, each with its own set of situational advantages that culminate in a powerful one-time use ability. The Sniper training for Recon, for instance, starts you with improved auto-spot, which is helpful for a data-gathering role. As you gain XP, you’ll unlock the second level, which highlights enemies you hit with a sniper rifle, followed by unrevivable headshots. Lastly, you’ll be able to call in a UAV that will auto-spot enemies in a target area.

The shift to open weapons will undoubtedly irk some within the community, as weapon types being locked to classes is a Battlefield staple. Still, the various perks, abilities, and incentives on offer allow for more player choice while keeping the core of the class intact. Each of the four classes feel unique, offering a completely different play style from the others, and the synergy between them and the edge it gives you over less organised opponents is intoxicating when perfected. 

The excellence of the classes is built on a strong movement and gunplay foundation created through iteration and community feedback. The recoil, weight, and feedback are unique to each weapon, whether it be a pistol or SMG, right through to assault rifles and launchers. Various attributes and attachments will ensure that skilled players will be in min-maxing heaven with Battlefield 6’s healthy arsenal, but, no matter the skill level, every player will be impressed with the way the guns feel, which largely comes down to expert use of animations and industry-leading sound design.

The Kinesthetic Combat System is the name given to the movement and player mobility enhancements by Battlefield Studios.  In practice, these enhancements include dragging downed players as you revive them, mounting your weapon on all manner of surfaces to enhance stability, and a combat roll to avoid taking fall damage from moderate heights, slides, an incredibly useful crouch sprint, and leaning around cover. All of these inclusions come alongside tweaks to movement and draw speed from the open beta weekends that make the game feel less twitchy and more deliberate. Altogether, the very core gameplay systems that hold Battlefield 6 up are incredibly strong, and that should only improve as more player feedback leads ongoing development. 

Long-time Battlefield fans will be familiar with most of the modes here, with the exception of a few newcomers. Classics like Rush and Breakthrough will fit like a glove, as you defuse or defend bombs and battle over an evolving frontline, while the series juggernaut, Conquest, continues to impress with its large-scale tug-of-war gameplay. As sacriligious as it may be to say, however, the newest mode, Escalation, may be coming for the crown. 

Playing out similarly to Conquest, a round of Escalation begins with several control points to capture, with the team holding the majority taking the lead. Instead of bleeding the opposition’s tickets, though, you’ll fill a bar, earning a point if yours fills first, with victory going to the first team to net three points. The wrinkle here is that with each point earned, one control point ceases to exist, constantly pushing combatants from across the map closer together for one climactic firefight. 

Not only does Escalation go some way to curb the frequent one-sided slaughters that rounds of Conquest are known for, but almost every match I’ve played has ended in a nail-bitingly tense finale that hinges on the final point. I’m not willing to say that Conquest has been knocked off its perch just yet, but Escalation is easily the best new mode that the Battlefield series has seen in an age.

While the bread and butter of the series is with large-scale warfare, there is also a variety of close-quarters modes on offer that prioritise weapon proficiency and decisive thinking. Team Deathmatch, King of the Hill, and Domination all scratch the itch that only a fast respawn can satisfy, but it’s the sheer chaos of Squad Deathmatch that’s really worth jumping into. Admittedly, it can be a little too insane at times, but relying solely on yourself and your three squadmates is an exhilarating, if stressful, endeavour. 

You’ll play these modes across nine different maps at launch, each with its own distinct look, feel, and gameplay style. Much like the movement and gunplay, the maps feel playtested to death in the best way. Chokepoints and sightlines are dotted throughout each space, with control points and objectives devilishly positioned to best suit a cinematic standoff between the opposing sides. While my nostalgia for Operation Firestorm, brought back and prettied up from Battlefield 3, is strong, the new Mirak Valley map is my standout. A vast, yet thin map with a central point of interest comprised of two under-construction buildings and a very breakable crane is the perfect battleground for heavy armour, while small buildings provide temporary cover for ground units to dart between.

While I would have liked to see more than two truly huge maps at launch, there are no duds here. Each map has highlights that I look forward to when they come around the rotation. And if you don’t like a particular building, or a sniper is nestled into a second story, you can always resort to explosives. Another hallmark of the series, destruction, is heavily on show. Buildings crumble, cover is destroyed, new sightlines are created, while others are obstructed. The tactical options are so vast when it comes to destruction that the map will often look unrecognisable at the end of a match. 

Honestly, I could drone on about the excellence of Battlefield 6’s multiplayer forever. I haven’t touched on the rewarding progression that drip feeds you new weapons and attachments the more you use them, or the vastly improved vehicle handling that finally let me drive a tank with some success. There are so many improvements and additions, both minor and major, that make this multiplayer suite so engaging. The greatest compliment I could pay would be to say that Battlefield Studios set out to recapture the spirit of Battlefield 3 and 4, and while they certainly managed that, they may have ended up exceeding them both. 

Of course, the multiplayer isn’t the only part of this package, as Battlefield 6 comes complete with a six-to-eight-hour single-player campaign as well. Following the exploits of Marine unit Dagger 1-3, we are introduced to a world on the brink of collapse, as a paramilitary group known as Pax Armata threaten to destabilise the globe. Yes, this sounds like a paint-by-numbers military story that you’ve heard before, and it essentially is. Pax Armata is backed by ex-NATO countries that are only ever alluded to, and Dagger squad is filled out with fairly forgettable faces. Still, its late-game revelations were less global warfare and more domestic deception, which is interesting in today’s climate. 

Missions will put you in the role of a member of Dagger 1-3, each of whom assumes a different class. Together with scenarios like escorting a tank through a town littered with Pax soldiers, the campaign missions do an admirable job at simulating situations you’ll find yourself in when you transition to multiplayer. It’s a soft onboard for those unfamiliar with Battlefield’s more team-focused gameplay. 

The missions are varied enough to keep you entertained, with a particular highlight seeing you halo jump onto the Rock of Gibraltar, make your way through pitch black tunnels under the monolith, only to emerge on the other side to a hail of gunfire. It’s a prototypical Battlefield campaign that you’ll either smash out in a weekend or ignore, but it’s far from insulting.

The same can’t be said for the enemy AI, unfortunately. No matter the difficulty you choose, these idiots will stand in the field like target dummies, waiting for you to mow them down. The campaign puts you in a bunch of cool, scripted moments, with a few open-ended segments dotted throughout, but it often feels like a dressed-up firing range thanks to the bone-headed baddies. While forgivable, I also encountered a range of technical issues during my time with the campaign, including pop-ins, frame drops, desynced audio, and muddy textures. I’m not saying you should skip the game’s single-player; I had fun, but it’s far from appointment viewing. 

Final Thoughts

Battlefield 6 had the weight of a franchise on its shoulders after the misstep that was 2042, a burden that only intensified with the promise of a return to the days of Battlefield 3 and 4. Stepping back into and refining the class system has reignited the squad-based fire that Battlefield is known for, while, at the same time, advancements to gunplay and player movement have resulted in some of the most satisfying moment-to-moment gameplay you can find in the first-person shooter genre. A serviceable campaign/tutorial, some fantastic maps, and a new mode that could unseat Conquest mark an incredible start for what should be a long-running title. Battlefield 6 is more than a return to form; it’s one of the best entries in the franchise. 

Reviewed on PS5  // Review code supplied by publisher

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