Battlefield 4 feels familiar, but with the appearance of next-generation hardware, it looks better than ever before. The sport is running at 60 frames per second, which complements the brand new dynamic aspects of the map.
At the beginning of a match on Paracel, the sun is shining and the wind is calm. Because the battle progresses, the skies darken and a storm rolls in. The changes are subtle while playing, but watching before and after pictures reveal an exquisite change.
Battlefield 4 also encourages a brand new level of player agency. New actions which are so simple as closing a metal container door (preferably to guard yourself from enemy gunfire) or as significant as crashing a enormous ship into the island provide arenas which can be constantly in flux. Together with the normal Battlefield environmental deformation, these new opportunities to engage with the landscape offer new options when combating the enemy.
Given the condensed size of the map’s landmass for a domination match, my squad moved between the 3 points to make sure we kept our opponents on their toes. Possessing two of the 3 causes the opposing team to bleed tickets, speeding their destruction. Battle pickups, purposely placed overpowerd weapons also help maintain superior position.
The verticality of the map means not only watching corners, but ensuring that enemies don’t sneak up the steps and get a height advantage. Obviously, even behind cover, players aren’t safe. One opponent made the error of hiding behind a wooden fence. Both were obliterated quickly.
Another enemy tried to stab me while i used to be facing him. To my surprise, i used to be given a short window to click within the right thumbstick and reverse the attack. In place of collapsing to the bottom, i used to be in a position to twist the blade and stab him instead. This significantly limits folks that wish to rush their opponents for the only-hit knife kill. Melee attacks still have value, but now you will have to be more careful about approaching from behind.
Battlefield 4 is out on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC on October 29, 2013. PlayStation 4 owners could be ready to pick it up when the console launches on November 15, 2013. An Xbox One release is planned for a similar window.