The Game
Battlefield V, Electronic Arts, $59.99
The Rating
4.5 stars
The Basics
With Battlefield V, game developer EA’s most popular series returns to its World War II roots. This first-person shooter is set throughout the European and Mediterranean theaters over the span of the war. Players can choose between three modes, “War Stories,” “Grand Operations,” or standard online multiplayer, and can partake in events on the side of the Allies or Axis.
The Objective
Varies widely depending on the mode. “War Stories” is a single-player campaign that provides the player with a variety of wartime narratives. “Grand Operations” mixes the story campaign and multiplayer modes, where the outcome of each match impacts the course of the operation. In the multiplayer option, players confront a multitude of objectives—infiltrating an enemy base, fighting for air superiority, or simply hunting enemy players.
Historical Accuracy
Inaccuracies are abundant. Some weapons contain reflex sights, flashy camouflage skins, and other anachronistic attachments. And there are no American primary weapons other than the M1A1 carbine, modeled with a postwar flash suppressor on the muzzle. Players also have the option to play as female characters—an odd choice since women did not participate in typical frontline combat.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The graphics and atmosphere are the game’s best features. The destructible terrain, sounds, scenery, and interactive details—like mud accumulating on a tank—offer beautiful immersion. Large maps in the multiplayer and “War Stories” modes give players the ability to explore and engage on their own terms.
Playability
Controls are easy to learn and gameplay is smooth. The sway of recoiling firearms, shock of explosions, and characters’ movements offer a more-realistic feeling experience than most other shooters.
The Bottom Line
Mostly a fictionalized interpretation of the war in first-person shooter form, Battlefield V offers a mix of game modes that should keep players immersed and entertained. ✯
This story was originally published in the April 2018 issue of World War II magazine. Subscribe here.
