Battlefield 6 impresses so far with its multiplayer offering, but the campaign is a bit of a let-down.
I can’t think of the last time an entry in any long-running first-person shooter series was as safe as Battlefield 6. It seems as though the lackluster reception to Battlefield 2042 has left developer Battlefield Studios terrified of taking any kind of creative risks, a move that’s shaping up to be a real double-edged sword.
Although I haven’t had quite enough time to come to a definitive verdict on this latest instalment, I can already see that it delivers almost everything you would expect from a Battlefield game — often to a fault.
While a decent enough campaign and strong multiplayer offering will undoubtedly be more than enough to satiate some fans, and I can’t say that I haven’t enjoyed much of my time with it so far, others will surely be disappointed that it’s not pushing the envelope in any way.Boots on the ground
This lack of risk-taking is most evident in the single player offering, which is easily one of the least memorable that I’ve played in years. It does a good job of preparing you for online multiplayer by introducing the controls and basic mechanics, but it’s not something you’ll be eager to dive back into once the credits roll.
Set in 2028, it takes us to a near-future world in which NATO is on the brink of collapse. A private military force, Pax Armata, has stepped up to replace it, funded by former NATO states. The opening mission takes place in Georgia, with US marine Dylan Murphy and his squad tasked with pulling out with the rest of NATO’s army as Pax moves in.
The supposedly peaceful handover quickly spirals into an all-out war when Pax attacks without warning, with Murphy’s squad cornered in a downed helicopter. As the sole survivor, Murphy is assigned a new team and then becomes the central part of NATO’s effort to take down this sinister force.
The nine missions are set in a range of global locations and have you alternating between different members of Murphy’s squad. Playing as the likes of Gecko, the team’s sniper, adds a decent amount of variety, but none of the activities are particularly original.
There are the obligatory nighttime stealth sections, a handful of tank driving segments, and a few more open areas that have you taking out enemy squads with long-range weaponry and a spotter.
The most interesting stages are the ones that take place in a war-torn New York, including a townhouse assault that echoes the iconic Clean House mission from 2019’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and an enjoyable section that has you chasing a train down abandoned subway tunnels in an armored vehicle.
