New shooter season is well and truly upon us. Just last week Gears of War 4 was heralded as this generation’s greatest shooter; one week later, it seems that it has already been surpassed.
At the time of typing, EA’s Battlefield 1 is yet to receive a score below 8/10. God is a Geek felt it was deserving of full marks, while Digital Spy and GameSpot were also smitten by the World War 1 shooter, dishing out a pair of impressively high scores.
A few critics weren’t too keen on the new Rush mode, and some also felt that the single-player mode – split into a series of bite-sized war stories – was lacking (Hardcore Gamer went as far as using the term “tacked on”) but most agree that it’s the best Battlefield in years.
It’s stunning to look at too, with almost every superlative used to describe the visuals.
Here’s what has been said so far:
10/10 – God is a Geek: “It’s gorgeous to look at and the gameplay feels excellent, especially in the more animated sections. The multiplayer is great so far and the maps are plentiful and full of fantastic level design. DICE has made the best shooter on current gens and I can’t wait to see what they do with future updates and DLC”
9/10 – GameSpot: “Battlefield 1 is just an introduction to one of the deadliest world events in history, but it is an outstanding, feature-rich package in both its emotional stories and strong multiplayer”
4.5/5 – Digital Spy: It’s easily the best Battlefield we’ve had in years.
4.5/5 – Time: “Latitudes stand between the game’s slick, chaperoned vignettes and online free-for-alls, and something like Wilfred Owen’s “Dulce et Decorum Est†or Hemingway’s A Farewell or Arms. Which is just to say Battlefield 1 isn’t interested in adding ruminative ballast. Given what it’s so deftly up to (or, if you will, not up to), there’s nothing shameful in that”
8/10 – EGM: “A World War I setting is novel indeed, but this installment in the franchise is fundamentally the Battlefield game we have played before—and returning players may fall into a familiar groove quicker than expected. This isn’t necessarily bad for those in love with Battlefield, however, and while the setting may be the most significant shift, those invested in the series will find Battlefield 1 as another terrific reason to load up”
8/10 – The Metro: “The First Word War setting feels a little less daring than you might’ve hoped, but as a complete first person shooter package this is one of the best of the generation so far”
8/10 – Forbes: “No one makes more beautiful shooters than DICE, but their gameplay still leaves something to be desired, despite what appeared to be a total refresh with the WWI setting. Fans of the series may look past these faults or even embrace them, but some of them are hard to get past, and can define the entire experience”
8/10 – TheSixthAxis: “I do wish that the single player had been able to push on and draw more from that excellent opening, but stepping back to the First World War helps to give Battlefield 1 a refreshing and invigorating veneer to the game, and it’s lost none of the series’ explosive gameplay in the process”
4/5 – GamesRadar: “Whether in single or multiplayer Battlefield 1 absolutely nails the historical sense of adventure and expectation before swiftly giving way to dread as the war takes a physical and mental toll on its participants. And this – as much as the intimate, brutal virtual warfare – is the game’s most impressive feat”
4/5 – Hardcore Gamer: “Putting to rest any qualms about the World War I setting, Battlefield 1 is a true Battlefield game with everything you’ve come expect from the franchise. The multiplayer experience is top notch thanks to some well-designed maps, a solid amount of weapons and some quality game modes”
Battlefield 1 is out this Friday.