Remaking a classic is always a dangerous proposition, but when the developer happens to be the same outfit that created the landmark game, apprehension dissolves into exhilaration. With Battlefield 1943, DICE triumphantly returns to World War II by enhancing the solid gameplay of one of the original multiplayer-only titles and adding a new layer of depth.
Battlefield 1943 recreates three popular maps from its predecessor — Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, and Wake Island. Each map maintains its trademark layout, but DICE went the extra mile in tailoring these maps for 24-player battles (the original had 64 players) by adding trenches, jungle, and destructible environments courtesy of the Frostbite engine.
Once the community for the respective platforms reaches 43,000,000 kills, EA will unlock a fourth map, Coral Sea, which features its own Air Superiority mode. Soldiers can either take to the skies in fighter planes or stay on the aircraft carrier to defend with flak cannons. While this mode will appeal to dog-fighting fans, the planes take time to master and are more effective in bombing situations than they are in air-to-air combat. Shipping another highly regarded infantry map that plays to its strengths — like Stalingrad, Berlin, or Market Garden — would have been a wiser move.
To streamline the gameplay, DICE trimmed the amount of soldier classes from five to three: Rifleman, Infantry, and Sniper. Since Battlefield 1943 uses a regenerative health system, there is no need for medics. Each class also comes armed with a tank busting weapon, so you’re never left defenseless against hulking masses of steel on the battlefield. Each weapon handles wonderfully, with the crisp, responsive controls Battlefield vets are used to.
Battlefields are awash with the cacophony of firing jeep turrets, bombing runs, and exploding tank shells, but players must also listen for air raid sirens if they want to stay alive. New to the game, the air raid stations scattered across the maps in neutral territory allow the first soldier that lays claim on the bunker to conduct bombing runs with a squadron of planes, targeting map areas with the largest concentration of enemy activity. It was no small coincidence that the team in control of the air raid station often won the battle in our skirmishes, creating another layer of strategy for players to consider.
While there is no questioning the quality of the entertaining battles, the same can’t be said for 1943’s awards and statistics support. The game tracks your overall score, time played, and number of kills, but that’s it. No kill-to-death ratio, stat tracking by kit, or vehicle stats, which stands in stark contrast to the rich feedback other modern Battlefield games offer.
While the game lacks the feature depth of other Battlefield titles, 1943 is a fairly priced, solid core to build around with more downloadable content. If EA introduces weapon packs and additional maps from the franchise’s storied past, I’ll be playing right up to the release of Bad Company 2.
Battlefield 1943 recreates three popular maps from its predecessor — Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal, and Wake Island. Each map maintains its trademark layout, but DICE went the extra mile in tailoring these maps for 24-player battles (the original had 64 players) by adding trenches, jungle, and destructible environments courtesy of the Frostbite engine.
Once the community for the respective platforms reaches 43,000,000 kills, EA will unlock a fourth map, Coral Sea, which features its own Air Superiority mode. Soldiers can either take to the skies in fighter planes or stay on the aircraft carrier to defend with flak cannons. While this mode will appeal to dog-fighting fans, the planes take time to master and are more effective in bombing situations than they are in air-to-air combat. Shipping another highly regarded infantry map that plays to its strengths — like Stalingrad, Berlin, or Market Garden — would have been a wiser move.
To streamline the gameplay, DICE trimmed the amount of soldier classes from five to three: Rifleman, Infantry, and Sniper. Since Battlefield 1943 uses a regenerative health system, there is no need for medics. Each class also comes armed with a tank busting weapon, so you’re never left defenseless against hulking masses of steel on the battlefield. Each weapon handles wonderfully, with the crisp, responsive controls Battlefield vets are used to.
Battlefields are awash with the cacophony of firing jeep turrets, bombing runs, and exploding tank shells, but players must also listen for air raid sirens if they want to stay alive. New to the game, the air raid stations scattered across the maps in neutral territory allow the first soldier that lays claim on the bunker to conduct bombing runs with a squadron of planes, targeting map areas with the largest concentration of enemy activity. It was no small coincidence that the team in control of the air raid station often won the battle in our skirmishes, creating another layer of strategy for players to consider.
While there is no questioning the quality of the entertaining battles, the same can’t be said for 1943’s awards and statistics support. The game tracks your overall score, time played, and number of kills, but that’s it. No kill-to-death ratio, stat tracking by kit, or vehicle stats, which stands in stark contrast to the rich feedback other modern Battlefield games offer.
While the game lacks the feature depth of other Battlefield titles, 1943 is a fairly priced, solid core to build around with more downloadable content. If EA introduces weapon packs and additional maps from the franchise’s storied past, I’ll be playing right up to the release of Bad Company 2.
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