By Oliver Gable
Staff Writer
War, what is it good for: absolute entertainment.
The “Battlefield” series has had a very successful run in the first-person shooter genre of video games since 2002. By enhancing the graphics and making the environments more interactive in “Battlefield 4,” developer Digital Illusion CE overcomes a poor storyline by building upon the series’ quality in multiplayer.
The story is set during a war in which a Russian-Chinese alliance attacks the United States. The player is in control of Daniel Reckter, whose unit holds the responsibility of eliminating the Russo-Chinese forces in attempt to find some sort of resolution to the now-global conflict.
The narrative itself is a train wreck. It does not provide enough time to allow for character development, and many major plot points in the story mode are glossed over. The storyline is difficult to follow and is complicated by the estranged political situation upon which the storyline is based.
Thankfully, the customization in “Battlefield 4” makes up for the footfalls in the campaign. With a wide range of weapon attachments and modifications, players can build guns to fit their own play style. This creates a more personal gameplay experience, as the guns being used have each been uniquely designed.
Players can destroy aspects of the environment to strategically alter their surroundings. This produces a constantly-changing setting that ultimately leads to more dynamic gameplay encounters.
While other shooters like “Call of Duty” have become increasingly confined in map design, the multiplayer in “Battlefield 4” offers refreshing open environments. The multiplayer maps are massive and feature a variety of vehicles for the player to use. By introducing so many variables into multiplayer, DICE succeeds in laying the foundation for constantly-changing encounters between players, none of which ever begin to grow stale.
The game’s beautiful graphics compliment the gameplay. The various facial features seen in the characters are all well defined, allowing for a sense of variation of emotion. More importantly, the attention to detail in the environments and destruction gives a sense of realism to the over-the-top combat.
While there are some minor flaws, “Battlefield 4” is an all-around outstanding game. With gorgeous visuals and diverse gameplay, DICE has made a game which is truly a wonder to play.
“Battlefield 4” is now available for $60 on the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Microsoft Windows, and will be released on Nov. 12 for the Playstation 4 and on Nov. 22 for the Xbox One.
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