Is Battlefield 6 a Return to Form? Beta First Impressions

The Battlefield series has always been pretty special to me. I can still remember being in high school and hearing my friends talk about a crazy new PC game I'd never get to play. I also remember being shown Battlefield 2 for the first time when one of those very same friends invited me over. When I finally purchased an Xbox 360 my senior year, Bad Company was one of my go-to games, while Bad Company 2 would go on to become one of my all-time favorites. Eventually, I would get a gaming PC and invite my friends to play Battlefield Play4Free (a game based on Battlefield 2), and that would lead me to be there day one for Battlefield 3.

Since then, I haven't missed a single title. Battlefield has always been my go-to warfare first-person shooter, which has also put me in a strange situation. Rather than looking at games like Call of Duty as rivals, I've played them as companions to Battlefield, with Battlefield still being what I'd consider my number one choice. However, I cannot deny that the series hasn't been firing on all cylinders lately, and there have been times where I did cross over into the mindset of thinking that I liked the "rival" series better. I'm not saying the newer entries have been horrible, but they've seemingly lost the magic the series once had, with multiple issues holding back each title. For every step forward, there always seemed to be a compromise or a step back somewhere else, which has resulted in release after release being a letdown in at least some way. The most recent title, Battlefield 2042, was especially a letdown, as resources were diverted away from adding to the game and put into fixing what was already included. I'd be lying if I said I didn't still enjoy my time with it, but comparing it to past releases, there was clearly a huge disconnect between what Battlefield used to be and what it had turned into.

Surprisingly, EA heard the complaints, and after pulling the plug on fixing 2042, they decided to do something different. They decided to use the would-be 2042 improvements to make a new Battlefield title instead, and hopefully return to the glory days. This was the main goal of Battlefield 6, but the real question is if they were actually able to pull it off. Marketing makes us want to believe that the game is everything fans have been asking for, but is it really?

Well, after spending a weekend playing the Open Beta, I finally feel I've put in enough time to judge what we currently have... and it is actually quite a bit surprising! The Beta gave me the same feeling Battlefield 3's Beta did all those years ago and has given me hope for the full release. I can't say that it is perfect, of course, but this is for sure a step in the right direction. This just may be the Battlefield we have been waiting for and the perfect jumping-in point for new fans as well. But there are some things that should be understood before jumping in, and to keep in mind for the full release. Because while some things will be changed for the full game, the core will remain the same, and there are some options that are not so clear when you simply turn the game on for the first time.

Customization and Controls:

Before even starting, Battlefield offers a very extensive list of settings that can be fine-tuned and altered. These options are sadly buried deep within multiple menus which are overly complex to navigate, but once you find where you need to be, the sky is the limit with what you can do.

Controls can be altered and buttons reassigned however you see fit. The feel of movement and the controls in general can be switched to mimic past Battlefield titles (including Bad Company 2). UI elements can be altered to suit you best, you can control graphical effects and how much the screen shakes, and of course, you can change the coloring of different key elements as well. There's an extensive sound menu to mess with, and there are even hidden functions that can be enabled to make playing easier, including a quick turnaround feature which lets you do a 180-degree turn instantly.

There's honestly so much you can do with the settings menu, and this really should be every player's first battle. Go through every option, and use a training room to try things out as you move sliders and toggle options on and off. Everyone will have their own sweet spot they'll want to hit with all these options, and doing what works best for you will give you a great advantage when going into a match. Some settings might feel like "cheating" to other players, but it is really on them for not finding them and testing them out for themselves. The quick turnaround is especially useful, and increasing your speed with a controller in general can give you an edge over the slow defaults. Those who are using a keyboard and mouse can go even further with their settings, with so many more keybinds being available to make use of as well.

Either way, before anyone judges how the game feels to play, they really should look at the options first. (I personally swapped everything to match that of Bad Company 2.)

The Classes:

Like in past Battlefield titles, the game runs on a class-based system, but it also allows you to customize things slightly to meet your own needs within said class.

Assault is your typical "soldier" class with a huge focus on jumping into action and using explosives to take out enemies, blow up buildings, and damage vehicles. Their go-to weapons are assault rifles, and they are given bonus perks when using one. They are really meant to be front and center in battle, and they can also equip a second primary weapon to stay more versatile.

Engineer is the second class and has a gear set focused on supporting and taking down other vehicles. They can use RPGs and set mines to help take down vehicular menaces, but they also have the ability to repair friendly vehicles that have been damaged in battle. Of course, they can hold their own on foot as well, like any other class, but having them along for the ride on a tank is the difference between a tank that can survive for a few minutes or one that can make it the entire match.

Recon is your sniping and trap class. They can set C4 and use laser designators to help guide allies' missiles, but on their own, they can set up camp somewhere secluded to snipe across the map and defend targets. The maps in Battlefield 6 have plenty of locations for the Recon class to make use of, with most buildings and structures having roofs that can be accessed; though, sometimes it takes a bit of creativity to reach such spots.

The Support class is my personal favorite and is the "medic" of the game. They focus on using light machine guns and have the ability to place healing spots and quickly revive allies that have fallen in battle. They can also place and build shields to help protect those around them and use other tools to help aid the entire team.

Each class is unique and supports the overall team in different ways, but with enough customization options to make them your own as well. Weapons are not locked to the classes either, so you can pick whatever works best for you; it just won't be as effective with the added perks as when being used on the main class.

The Game Modes:

The Battlefield 6 Beta only had a few game modes to pick from, and the "standard Team Deathmatch" mode was not one of them. Instead, the Beta focused on "Battlefield Standards" and not what the rest of the industry is doing. This means Conquest was front and center, with a couple of small team options as well.

Conquest is the main Battlefield experience and sees two teams of 32 players going against each other to capture and hold territories across the map. To do so, they have full use of the different vehicle types and other devices placed across the map, and of course, the use of whatever tools each player's class comes with as well. The idea here is to play smart, sneak around the map, listen to the orders of your fellow teammates, and both take over and defend the different bases. There is a "home base" area on each side of the map where the other team cannot cross, but otherwise, everyone is free to go wherever they need to. 

This mode is all about strategy, however, and winning isn't about who gets the most kills, but rather who can work as a team the best. Running around going for kills will get you killed, and not supporting your fellow teammates will get them killed as well. Playing this mode requires a different mindset compared to your "standard" shooter game modes, and that's going to be a learning curve for some players.

Breakthrough is the second game mode offered and is a slightly different version of Conquest. Rather than taking over multiple bases, one team stays in control of the "first" base on the map, while the second team tries to take it from them. Once the base is captured, the defending team is pushed back to their "second" base, and they then have to repeat the process. The idea here is to either capture all of the defender's bases before the match ends, while the defenders simply have to hold out and take down all of the attacker's "units." There is a limited number of respawns here, and once the attackers run out of them, it's game over for them instead.

Domination is a small-scaled version of Conquest, or rather, your typical base capture mode as seen in most other shooters. These take place in smaller maps with smaller teams, and the goal is simple: capture and hold as many points as possible until you win. The maps themselves are small sections taken from the maps seen in Conquest and Breakthrough, which means they are still designed to allow players to have multiple options for planning out attacks. Rather than forcing players through "lanes," most rooms and paths have multiple ways to approach them, and destroying walls opens up even more.

King of the Hill is the final main mode the Beta allowed us to play, which is a single capture-point version of Domination. Once again, it is a small-scale battle, but with one capture point that constantly changes throughout the match. It is a familiar mode seen in most shooters, and it works quite well here in Battlefield 6.

Past these game modes, the full release will contain the classic Rush mode, Escalation, Squad Deathmatch, and small-scale Team Deathmatch as well.

The Maps:

The Beta only had three of the nine currently planned maps playable, but they offered a very nice mix to help show what the full experience will be like. The maps were Siege of Cairo, Liberation Peak, and Iberian Offensive. While Siege of Cairo and Iberian Offensive are a bit more urban with their settings, Liberation Peak is a more open map set within snowy mountains. They are all a lot more infantry-focused compared to some of the other maps the series has seen, but they do not shy away from vehicles either. It’s just that, rather than having large open areas to cover, roads lined by buildings and tight alleyways limit where a car can or cannot go, and these very same buildings provide cover against the helicopter and jets flying overhead. But at the same time, anyone experienced with using the vehicles can wreak havoc on the battlefield if they know what they are doing, and soldiers on foot still need to play it smart in order to survive.

This is where Battlefield has always shined, and the map selection for the Beta really helps show this off. Instead of simply running from point A to B, players have to consider the safest path as they duck behind buildings or crawl through foliage, and finding perfect defensive spots will be the difference between life and death as well. Some halls do force soldiers to come head-to-head in shootouts, but there’s always a way around as well, and having the right support members on your team can turn the tide. Medics can keep bringing others back from death, while snipers can get up high and provide additional cover as everyone tries to advance. The map design allows for plenty of opportunities like this, and it helps keep everything feeling fair; unlike the map design in 2042 where there were clearly some major issues initially.

With destruction also being back in full force, even more chances can be opened. While someone might hide in a building initially to give themselves an advantage and jump unsuspecting enemies, that same building can be turned into their grave with a few well-placed pieces of C4. Of course, a tank can do wonders as well, and alerting one to your hiding spot can be more fatal than being jumped from behind. Because not only will they blow you up and everything around you, but that building will collapse and be gone for the rest of the match, altering the course of the battle from that point forward. Due to this destruction, the battlefield at the start of the match will not be the same one we see at the end, which means both teams will constantly have to adapt as the fight goes on—a feature that helps each battlefield feel like a true battlefield.

Is Battlefield 6 a return to form?

So now that we've explained what Battlefield 6 is and its main features, it is finally time to answer the question everyone wants to know: Is Battlefield 6 a return to form?

Compared to many of the newer entries in the series, Battlefield 6 is the first game to be released in a long time that actually feels like a Battlefield game. Aside from a few minor issues, such as doors that open to invisible walls and areas where it is possible to clip through the map, the Beta is extremely well optimized and never really felt broken. Full-release Battlefield titles have had more issues than this work-in-progress build, which is crazy to think about. Additionally, the maps actually feel balanced for once and have returned to the type of designs we used to expect from the series. The full release will even feature the fan-favorite Operation Firestorm, which was introduced in Battlefield 3. While some players may find issues with the maps, they all offer plenty of ways to adapt to the situation at hand, and that's exactly what the series has always been about: adapting.

Besides feeling like the older titles, Battlefield 6 does introduce some new features as well. The new healing mechanic allows players to grab downed players and drag them while attempting to save them. It isn't anything crazy on paper, but it feels so satisfying to pull off in-game and can make you feel like you are in an action movie. Diving out into an open area as bullets whiz over your head, only to then drag someone back into an alley behind cover as tank shells explode where you both were just seconds ago, all simply feels amazing. Of course, the Support Class can still use defibrillators to bring allies back instantly, but with this new ability, that isn't always the best choice.

Of course, I would be lying if I said that this game is going to click with everyone the moment they start it up, as there is, in fact, a learning curve to jump in. Even past Battlefield players might find themselves struggling initially as they get back into the swing of things, and there is the whole controller customization thing that really should be done first thing. This isn't a game that will work for everyone out of the box, and those going from the Beta into the full game will most likely have to reset everything how they like it once again. (So take screenshots!) But these are not true issues with the game, and are more so features that allow the game to be fine-tuned to everyone's liking; something that has been lacking with recent titles. It is a much-needed feature and a great compromise to make as many people as possible happy.

With that being said, there are features missing from the Beta that have either been confirmed for the full release or will hopefully be added as well. 

The biggest feature missing currently is the ribbon system that many Battlefield fans love. This system rewards you with a ribbon for completing actions within each match, and not only provides you with bonus XP, but also gives you ribbons on your profile. Get enough ribbons and you receive a medal for the task, and weapons themselves can receive mastery stars for using them enough. All of this, in return, will unlock dog tags as well, which can be displayed next to your name when you take someone out in battle. Dog tags were seen in the Beta, however, so there's always hope that the rest of this system will be in place as well, but hopefully not how recent Battlefield games have used it, which was a shell of its former self with challenges assigned to each ribbon.

Outside of the ribbons, features we do know are coming back are Battlefield Portal and a campaign mode. The Portal will actually allow users to create their own content within Battlefield 6, which EA is hoping will expand the game in many new and unexpected ways. Meanwhile, the campaign mode will be the return to the classic story setup of older titles, and not be the random stand-alone missions we've seen in recent years (if we even got a campaign at all). Both are sure to extend the life of Battlefield 6 by quite a bit, but they alone will not determine how good the game is in the end.

The thing about Battlefield 6 is the fact that EA is counting on it becoming the next Battlefield 4. Battlefield 4 still has an active fan base to this day, despite releasing over 12 years ago. The game was a solid entry in the series, received tons of post-launch content, and had thousands upon thousands of unlockables for players to work towards. Even after getting "everything," however, the game was still simply fun to play and gave fans a reason to keep coming back. If Battlefield 6 sees the same support moving forward, then achieving this is for sure possible. This Beta proved Battlefield 6 already has a solid foundation, and how the game does in the long run is completely dependent on how much they truly decide to support the game.

I will say there are a few areas I would like to see the game improved upon before the final release; more specifically with how snipers and suppression fire are handled. As it stands, suppression fire has no effect on the person you are shooting at, aside from the fact that they may get shot if they stand up. This is fine and all, but for snipers all the way across the map, this isn't an issue at all. While playing as a sniper, you can sit across the map with a clear view of the entire field, and others shooting at you does little to nothing other than let you know where they are. Bullets whiz past me, and all I had to do is look back in their direction and pick off the one doing the shooting. Very little chance they would hit me with anything fatal, and my aim wasn't impacted at all. This made sniping easier than ever, and I felt as if I were the one cheating. I would also love to see improvements to general animations, as there were some weird clunky movements going on from time to time, but this is a minor gripe that doesn't impact the enjoyment of the game at all.

Overall, I'd say that Battlefield 6 is a very promising game, and it truly has the potential to be the turning point for the entire series. Not just a return for fans, but also a game that can finally attract a much larger new fanbase as well.