Battlefield 2042 Ultimate Edition (REVIEW)
Distributed by Electronic Arts
Developed by DICE
As you log into Battlefield 2042, you are transported to a menu screen with three options for gameplay. Those are All-Out Warfare, Battlefield Hazard Zone, and Battlefield Portal. The three experiences are multiplayer, and I highly recommend having a squad for two of them.
As the world descends into chaos, the United States and the Russian Federation fight for the few remaining resources left in the world. Both powers recruit Non-Patriated or No-Pats from former countries to battle for survival and control.
All-Out Warfare
The playing experience that is the main draw is the 128 player All-Out Warfare. With two match options, you can play Breakthrough or Conquest. Each one pits two sides against each other for total domination.
In Conquest, your side most occupy and defend objectives. Objectives are spread out throughout the level to allow for different forms of battle. They can range from all-out chaos with multiple players battling to small pockets of gunfire. The main draw is that your Specialist isn’t locked to their type and allows for customization freedom.
The other option is Breakthrough, where one side attacks while the other defends. Attackers have a limited number of reinforcements, while defenders are supplied with unlimited backup. This also allows players to customize their Specialist to their desired style.
If you are uncomfortable playing online with other players, you can play them in Solo/Co-Op mode. It’s the same game settings but with AI as your team and enemy. This mode is perfect for players who want to practice or are uncomfortable playing online.
My experience with All-Out Warefare was nerve-racking and fun. You can go a good while without finding any enemies and then walk into an all-out battle. These battles are pure chaos and disappointing as it becomes a war of attrition with vehicles being the primary weapon.
Breakthrough is more structured with the objective. It still brings chaos as it’s an all-out battle to break the enemy line or hold it. With how the objective is set up, there is no other option but to join the chaos unfolding in front of you.
Final Thoughts on All-Out Warfare
All-Out Warfare is fun to play with friends or by yourself. Vehicles take over the open area battles and make getting caught in no man’s land a death sentence. After a few rounds, Breakthrough and Conquest start to become similar and repetitive.
They share the same maps, and with 128 players (PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X), they need to be massive. At times they are too massive where I spent many matches just running around and calling a vehicle to get somewhere.
All-Out Warfare Score: 7
Hazard Zone
One of the more contentious inclusions in Battlefield 2042 is Hazard Zone. With 32 players (PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X), 8 squads of 4 No-Pats must battle each other to recover data drives and get extracted from the area. The data drives are turned into currency to unlock tactical upgrades to be used in later rounds. You can only collect on those drives if any number of squad members can be evacuated.
This multiplayer experience is tailored made for established squads and groups. The key component to getting data drives and being extracted is communication and planning. The random squads can prevent you from success as you have to worry about other players and enemy AI. So communication and planning are vital to being able to succeed in this experience.
A different challenge only found in Hazard Zone is that you can not customize your specialist as you do in All-Out Warfare. So you need to make sure you made the correct choices for your playing style and approach. There are also only two extractions per game, forcing the players to take each other out while avoiding the AI enemies.
The upgrades you can purchase from successful data drive extractions give are only for Hazard Zone matches. Some of the upgrades are Squad Reinforcement, Loadout Insurance, and others. One of the bigger issues with this is you do not keep your upgrades and need to be purchased each game. Players will always need to stockpile Black Market Credits and complete continuous extractions to have the best loadout each round.
Final Thoughts on Hazard Zone
Hazard Zone makes it clear it is for the tight-knit squads who play together. Playing with random players makes spending credit on upgrades a risk as they can waste or ruin any extraction streaks you have. After playing a few rounds with two strangers, it became clear we were better off playing the other experiences.
At times the size of the map is an issue with getting to data drives and extraction points. Going from one side of the map to the other to get to an extraction point puts your squad out in the open, potentially not completing anything. The matches can go quickly, depending on how your team plays. This is an excellent change of pace from some of the near hour-long battles in All-Out Warfare.
Hazard Zone Score: 6
Battlefield Portal
Battlefield 2042 shines with Portal. One of the biggest draws is the remastered versions of 1942, Bad Company, and Battlefield 3 with updated technology and graphics. Including the 7 from 2042, they also remastered 6 iconic maps from those games.
Portal is unique as you can customize and create your own match rules with a plethora of options. You can have matches with just rocket launchers, or knives, or any type of combination you can think of. It feels like Mario Maker with all the options and customizations available.
If hosting and playing customized matches is not your thing, you can play the same modes in All-Out Warefare with the remaster Battlefield games. They also include VIP Fiesta, where you play as any specialist from the remastered games with random load-outs.
Final Thoughts on Portal
Portal will be one of the main draws that will keep Battlefield 2042 going for a while. The remastered maps and specialist adds a bit of a nostalgia factor that resonates with players who remember those small details. Going back and playing 1942 with updated graphics allowed me to relive my first experience, thinking that was the pinnacle of realistic gameplay.
Customizing a level is not as easy as they make it seem, as you have to go through so many options to get it to your liking. You can make your rockets reload by jumping 5 times, or one side has knives while the other defibrillators. Either way, it’s always a fun time checking out other players’ creations.
Portal Score 8
Final Thoughts on Battlefield 2042
EA and Dice blended different experiences under one umbrella. They give players a chance to pick their flavor and enjoy Battlefield 2042 in their way. The balance between the 3 experiences offered helps set them apart from previous installments. Unfortunately, there are some noticeable issues with the game.
During the early access period, the servers were already struggling to keep up and do not seem ready for the influx of players when the game releases worldwide on November 19th. One of the issues I experienced with the server was connecting and disconnecting for no reason during loading or before matches started.
As well designed and constructed as they were, the maps were too big even with 128 players. In games of Hazard Zone, we missed the extraction point because we were too far away, forcing us to try and sneak by AI and other players. The all-out chaos battle and skirmishes would quickly be culled by a tank or hoover boat blasting in with their guns blazing.
Battlefield 2042 is an enjoyable game with enough content to keep you occupied for hours. Despite all the issues with the server, dislike for Hazard Zone, and map size, DICE brought unique features and experiences that new and old fans of the franchise can enjoy.