Why Battlefield 1 is the best FPS I’ve ever played

I love a certain few FPS titles, but I wouldn’t say that I’m a die-hard fan of the genre. With RPGs, I’ll pick up a random title on the off-chance that I’ll like it. If I don’t, I’ll cut my losses and go back to one of my favorites. With FPSs, though, I’m more considered. One of the FPS series that I’ll always visit is the Battlefield games. And, thanks to my EA Access subscription, I’ve been able to play the game early.

Currently, I feel that the Battlefield series is the best choice for a first person shooter game. But I was once a CoD fan – from Call of Duty 2, all the way through to World at War. But after World at War, I fell out of love with the series. I was looking for a change, and the Battlefield series offered me just that.

Since playing Battlefield Bad Company (1 & 2), Battlefield 3, Battlefield 4 and (to some extent) Hardline, I’ve come to realise that the way the Battlefield games play is entirely suited to my tastes. I’m not a fan of running and gunning – I like to take my time and think a little more tactfully. I love destructible environments, and the Battlefield series is all about blowing shit up. And I live for team play – which the  Battlefield series seems to pull off far better than any CoD game.

That being said, there was always something missing from the Battlefield series of late. That something being a decent historic shooter. Before Battlefield 1, I’d only ever played shooters set as early as the Second World War. So I was initially a little skeptical about the upcoming release from DICE and EA. Would a WWI setting be a little too slow paced? Will there be enough action? What if the weapons are rubbish? As it turns out, my worries were unwarranted.

Battlefield 1’s multiplayer is far from a true representation of the actual conflict of the First World War. But it does a good job of portraying aspects of it. The brutality of the war shines through. The fear brought about by new weaponry, like the machine-gun. Or armored vehicles such as the tank. Even the light-weight and basic planes all contribute to the setting and overall feel. Throw in the exhilaration of charging into battle on horseback, or the blind panic caused by mustard gas, and you’ve got yourself a decent First World War shooter. But, thankfully, it plays far more like a WWII FPS. At least in the sense that the combat is faster, the weapons are better, and the vehicles seem far less ‘experimental’ than it would have been at the time.

For me, it brings back memories of Call of Duty 3 and World at War. But with one key and incredibly important difference – destructible environments. There’s nothing quite like charging across an open field, whilst mortars and tanks blow holes in the ground around you. Or hiding in a building as a shell destroys the room you’re standing in. Watching maps get gradually leveled and scarred as you play is pretty incredible. Particularly as buildings collapse around you in the streets of Amiens, or you’re surrounded by the enemy and a constant barrage of mortar fire in the center of Suez. In all, Battlefield 1 creates a complete experience – one which is just as important as the combat itself.

I loved World at War, don’t get me wrong. But Battlefield 1 is my complete FPS package. It has action, great combat, beautiful graphics, stunning maps, destructible environments, great weapons, multiple ways to play, a number of different vehicles and, as the cherry on top, an engaging and thoughtful single-player experience. Plus, it’s set in a period that is rarely covered in the FPS genre.

Even in the few days that I’ve been playing it, I can tell that this will be an FPS I’ll be playing for some time. And I can see it only getting better as they release new maps, which DICE pretty much always deliver on. In all, this is the FPS I’ve always dreamed of.

But how about you? Have you played Battlefield 1 yet and, if not, are you looking forward to having a go? Let me know in the comments below!