Battlefield 6 Review (PS5, Xbox Series X/S, & PC)

The thing is, Battlefield 2042, released in 2021, took a complete nose-dive in the eyes of the most loyal fans. All of that futuristic play on the guns and gameplay took away the rawness of warfare that the series has always been known for. The authenticity of military grade bullets flying through debris-filled maps, piercing through flesh and metal. Resorting to more powerful rocket launchers to grind tanks to a halt, and airborne missiles to level entire buildings. A true mayhem-propelled warzone in the steady momentary flow of gunfire and chaotic explosions. It pulls your hair on end and sends your skin tingling with adrenaline and dopamine hits. 

Battlefield 6’s trailer looked promising to take us back to that gritty exchange of bullets and smoke grenades. And with the final launch out now, and enough time given for human players to populate the online servers, I can confidently say that the franchise is fully back in shape. Fully back to the peak heydays of Battlefield 3 and 4, that should bring any millennial and old dog out of Battlefield retirement. Tag along as we explore what’s on offer in the newest addition to the FPS multiplayer frenzy, and the single-player campaign side piece attached to your overall playthrough. Here’s our Battlefield 6 review to explore whether it’s an entry worth your time.

Solo Dolo

After Battlefield 2042 skipped out on a single-player campaign, it’s good to see that Battlefield 6 brings the offering back to the masses. Featuring NATO allies losing their grip and control over the globe. The opportunistic private military corporation, Pax Armata, is taking advantage of the chaos and establishing itself as the new dominant force. You’re part of the military elite team, Dagger 1-3, neutralizing Pax Armata, while figuring out ranks and roles amongst yourselves. Nothing revolutionary, with similar story threads you’ll have played through in Call of Duty single-player campaigns or any other military combat-oriented media. 

And I’m completely bashing my head in for mentioning CoD because now, I have to compare, subtly I hope, how the franchise has never been afraid of digging into mature themes, delving into political drama, exploring terrorism and the effects of global conflict on the economy and globe. And I quite enjoy the level design of Modern Warfare as well, and Captain Price and his team. There are high stakes you’re pulled into, from the urgency and severity of the mission itself. But also how attached you’ve grown to the characters. And Battlefield 6 simply never reaches those highs. 

Set Dressing

It’s not fair to compare. But when you’ve played through more compelling single-player campaign missions, and you know that it is indeed possible to tackle heavy topics while adding tension and emotional attachment to missions, you can’t help but fault Battlefield 6 for not wanting to push itself a little bit more. Anyone with a passion for single-player campaigns will enjoy the cinematic cutscenes and beautiful landscapes you play through. But I suppose that’s already a shame that the best part about Battlefield 6’s single-player campaign is its set dressing, and not at all your experience of the narrative or getting to know the characters.

Buddy Up

Anyway, it’s in the multiplayer bit that Battlefield 6 fires on all cylinders. It puts out all the stops to ensure fans and newcomers alike remember what makes the series so great in the first place. The game modes you’d expect return: Escalation, Deathmatch, Domination, King of the Hill, Conquest, and more. You’ll definitely find your favorites, potentially the ones that let you switch between close-quarters boots-on-the-ground combat, unleashing flurries of rage behind the turret heaped atop your tank, and raining hellfire from up-above, aboard your very own chopper. These three ways of playing Battlefield 6 have been executed to such high thrilling effects, with immersive sound and visual designs, and satisfying wiping out of foes. 

They’re on varying skill levels as well, presenting you with an unquenchable challenge and goal to work toward. And then zip your way back as you enjoy the limitless replayability of nonstop Battlefield action. It’s in the way headshots are accurate, with authentic recoil and satisfying feedback. The way you can poke bullet holes through metal, and explode concrete with a grenade. When you cleverly place C4S at the foundation of a skyscraper, and sit back and enjoy the show of it crumbling down on heaps of enemies. Not at all arcade-y, but pretty believable the way debris breaks off walls, and crumbles on top of each other, forming clouds of dust and leaving the areas around it aghast with destruction. 

Role Play

You never know when destructive forces will be unleashed on your team or the opposing force. Whether their tanks’ armor will explode on the impact of your team’s Recon’s C4. Or their choppers flying overhead that will come crashing down on buildings at the behest of your team’s engineers’ aim-guided rocket launcher. There are indeed more classes you can play as, including Assault and Support roles. No more Battlefield 2042’s hero-based specialist classes that did little to encourage teamwork. Now, you really have to coordinate your attacks and defenses if you’re to survive. Or at the very least, enjoy the co-op multiplayer experience.

Before Assault players can go out guns blazing, running and gunning foes in close to mid-range quarters combat, Engineers have to demolish enemy tanks, Recons have to take out any pesky long-range enemies, while support players remain at the ready to revive fallen buddies and resupply ammunition. The more you play, the more you’ll discover and upgrade class-specific weapons and gadgets that make you a better teammate. You can specialize in certain abilities within your role, like Engineers who can unlock anti-armor, self-repair, or mine detection. It’s not just the Assault class that’s fancy anymore, but all the other options offer unique playstyles that are inherent to surviving and winning Battlefield 6’s matches.

Favorites

Where you might pick favorites is in the game modes, with their varying scales and gameplay options. Some game modes don’t offer vehicular or airfare combat altogether. Rather, they take place in constricted, smaller-scale maps more akin to Call of Duty’s fast-paced FPS action. But Battlefield 6’s satisfaction, you might argue, comes from destruction and leveling entire buildings. Perhaps a good balance of both fast-paced and more methodical, tactical play is great to keep multiplayer interesting. Yet, some players may find the map rotations fail to offer some of the cooler maps. There are simply maps you might not see in quite some time. However, I suppose the same issue cuts across most multiplayer FPS games, including CoD (fine, last time I’m mentioning it).

And right on cue, as I wind up Battlefield 6’s review with just how pleasing the sound and visual design are. On the DualShock controller, the adaptive triggers and haptic feedback are insane. And with your headphones on, even the subtlest sound cues like bullet casings falling to the ground or approaching footsteps are all so clear. I also love the movement that feels so organic, mid-combat. Mounting your gun on the ground or walls to steady your aim and recoil puts you right in the authentic feel of military combat, as you peek around corners, and slide and dive out of incoming fire. The movement is smooth and tactical, easily jumping into a sprint while shooting with improved accuracy. And of course, the maps are immersive, beautiful, and deserving of a chef’s kiss all around. 

Verdict

There’s a fair amount of time we spend on Fortnite, Call of Duty, and more FPS multiplayer games, with their addictive gameplay loop that challenges you to always want to perfect your shot and game. And Battlefield has, for a while now, been a part of the fray of games that veterans often come back to. But over the years, the franchise has slowed down in momentum, with Battlefield 2042 the worst entry so far, stepping away from what makes the series great. With the new Battlefield 6, DICE no longer disappoints its fanbase. 

They strip away all of the fancy futuristic gadgets and guns, or the trying to be like CoD’s fast-paced shooting. The true joy of Battlefield has always been its rampant chaos and unpredictability. The mayhem that is expected in a warzone, bullets and explosions flying all over the place, and inflicting damage and a destructive impact on flesh and buildings alike. Exactly as you might expect in a warzone, that’s how Battlefield 6 feels. The single-player campaign, sure, has its spectacle moments. But never in the thrilling level that multiplayer with friends will give you.

Regardless of your age or favorite games, Battlefield 6 will surge tension and excitement within you. It’s an organic flow of combat. Accurate in the shots you take, and utterly delightful when you bring down tanks and fighter jets. Every other second you spend here comes with its plentiful reasons for coming back for more. Tactical and grounded is Battlefield 6, and entirely perfect in that it chooses to stick to what the franchise does best.