Battlefield 4 Review

Credits: Image Source - DICE & Eletronic Arts/Media

"Battlefield 4" is a first-person shooter developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts. In the game, you play as Sergeant Daniel Recker, who is on a mission in Azerbaijan to collect information from a Russian defector general. 

You and your team are discovered and must face the Russian army to escape the country. In this review, I will cover the main topics about the game.

Read Also:

• Battlefield 1 - Detailed Review and Conclusion

• Battlefield V - Detailed Review and Conclusion

What makes this game stand out in the Battlefield franchise?

The game stands out in the franchise by offering a balanced combination of tactical gameplay and intense action, allowing players a more dynamic experience.

What game modes are available, and how do they compare to other titles in the series?

A variety of game modes are available in the game, both in single player and multiplayer, with the latter being the big highlight. In multiplayer, the main modes include:

• Conquest – The most iconic mode in the series, featuring large-scale battles with up to 64 players and a focus on capturing control points while using vehicles and weapons.

• Domination – A faster, smaller-scale version of Conquest, without vehicles, focusing on intense infantry combat.

• Rush – A classic mode where one team attacks and the other defends strategic objectives, like M-COM stations, while advancing across the map.

• Team Deathmatch – A straightforward mode where teams compete to achieve the most kills.

• Obliteration – A mode that involves capturing a bomb on the map and carrying it to enemy explosion points.

• Defuse – Inspired by tactical games like Counter-Strike, where teams have one life per round and must plant or defuse a bomb.

Is the single-player campaign worth playing?

Definitely. Although it has a relatively short duration, the game delivers an exciting narrative from start to finish, developing the characters so that the player feels a connection to them, needing to make a difficult decision at the end.

How does this title evolve compared to previous entries in the franchise?

The game represents a significant evolution compared to previous titles in the franchise. Among the advancements are:

• Levolution: One of the biggest innovations in Battlefield 4 is the "Levolution" system, where maps dynamically change during matches. Building collapses, floods, and other large-scale destructions alter gameplay, requiring players to adapt to new scenarios in real-time. This tactical element did not exist in previous games.

• Large-Scale Multiplayer: Although Battlefield 3 already offered massive battles with vehicles, Battlefield 4 expands this experience with larger and more detailed maps. The number of players remains high, with up to 64 participants on PC and next-gen consoles, making the battles even more intense.

• Graphical Improvements: The game features significantly enhanced graphics, with more detailed environments, more realistic lighting effects, and more complex environmental destruction, thanks to the Frostbite 3 engine upgrade. These improvements enhance battlefield immersion.

Is the technical performance satisfactory, or are there issues that affect the game?

During my gameplay, I did not experience any performance issues in terms of optimization. I ran the game at 4K 60FPS without problems, with more robust hardware. 

If you’re interested in seeing the equipment I used to run the game, just click here.

However, a bug frustrated me, where I was stuck for over an hour trying to figure out how to get out of that part. I will detail this specific bug in the conclusion.

Credits: Image Source - DICE & Eletronic Arts/Media

Does EA still offer support or frequent updates?

Currently, EA does not offer support or frequent updates for the title. The game was released in 2013, and since then, EA and DICE have shifted focus to newer titles in the series, such as Battlefield 1, Battlefield V, and Battlefield 2042.

However, Battlefield 4 still has an active community, and dedicated servers continue to operate, allowing players to play the title.

Note: The game’s servers for PS3 and Xbox 360 will be shut down later this year. The PS4 and Xbox One versions will continue to function normally for now.

Are there collectibles or hidden secrets in the campaign?

There are no collectibles or hidden secrets in the traditional sense found in some other games. The campaign is quite linear and focuses on completing specific missions with defined objectives, only having diaries and documents that provide additional information to contribute to the narrative.

How long does it take, on average, to finish the main campaign?

According to HowLongToBeat, the main campaign takes about 6 hours to complete and 9 hours to finish both secondary and main missions. 

I took around 5 hours and 38 minutes to complete the main campaign, with over an hour and 20 minutes being just due to bugs.

Credits: Image Source - DICE & Eletronic Arts/Media

Is the enemy AI challenging?

As with most other games, I always play on hard difficulty to experience the most challenging gameplay. Battlefield 4 is no different. The enemies appear to be smart enough to anticipate your movements and deal more damage with their weapons.

Conclusion.

Battlefield 4 is not a bad game; in fact, it is quite good compared to current titles in the franchise in terms of campaign. However, I encountered issues with the game that discouraged me somewhat, and as mentioned earlier, I will detail them here. 

The first part was when our squad leaves in a military boat, and we need to shoot down some helicopters to advance. After that, enter the warship. 

However, during the return to the boat, I was in the water for over 20 minutes trying to reach the ship and couldn’t. I have no idea if this is part of the game or just a bug.

Regarding the other more serious bug, during the part where the bridge explodes, my character fell and kind of created a checkpoint underneath it, preventing me from returning to the structure to advance in the game. 

I spent over an hour trying to fix the bug without restarting the mission and going back to the beginning. In the end, everything worked out, but it was something that disappointed me quite a bit, considering it was part of the campaign. 

Aside from these issues I had with the game, moving on to the narrative, it has quite engaging elements, especially if you play paying attention to the campaign. 

I believe that despite the negative experience in some parts, Battlefield 4 is a game worth playing.

If you’re interested in watching some parts of the game, I’ll leave my step-by-step YouTube playlist here.