The battlefield in Israel has, in recent years, become a pair of words more traumatic than ever. However, there is some positive escapism in venting steam, anger, and frustration on a virtual battlefield—against "soldiers" from foreign countries, no less—welcome back to Battlefield.
For those unfamiliar, Battlefield is a long-standing and respected series in the first-person shooter world, which over the years has received numerous accolades and reviews. This time, there are plenty of praises and very few, if any, criticisms.
The foundation of Battlefield 6, developed by Battlefield Studios, is of course the extensive multiplayer online game, which features a wide variety of modes with maps of different sizes. You can jump into a street fight against a small squad of enemies, or play on a massive map with vehicles, tanks, helicopters, fighter jets, and more. For those who dislike the idea of respawning—essentially reappearing after each "death"—the developers solved the issue with a team-based counter, which counts down with each soldier lost. When it reaches zero, you lose, even if the other team has completed all its objectives. So now, more than ever, it’s important to protect yourself in battle as well as your teammates, who can revive you twice from severe injuries.
The online modes in Battlefield this year are more extensive than ever. There is Conquest—featuring 32 vs. 32 player battles, with expansive maps including military vehicles, helicopters, fighter jets, artillery, and more. The objective is to capture and hold control points. Another medium-to-large sized mode is Breakthrough, where there are attackers and defenders, with attackers needing to capture areas sequentially across the map while defenders try to stop them.
A new mode is Escalation—in this mode, two teams face each other, starting with a large number of control points (Objectives) scattered across the map. As the game progresses, one control point disappears, forcing combat into a smaller area.
There are also smaller game modes that take less time to complete, such as Breakthrough and Team Deathmatch, where there is less reliance on vehicles and more focus on the equipment you bring to the field.
The most interesting addition, in my opinion, to the online mode—time will tell if it’s a success—is the Portal.
It is a huge sandbox where creators and players can push the game to its limits. You can modify the environment, including moving, scaling, and duplicating objects. This way, you can design an original game mode using NPC scripts and a flexible, customizable user interface. If you stand out, your creation could even become an official Battlefield game mode.
There’s also a story
So far, we’ve covered the online aspects. This year’s release also includes a story mode—not just any story mode—with an interesting plot and visuals that truly impressed me. The game takes place between 2027 and 2028, with a storyline revolving around a conflict between a fractured NATO and an international military corporation called FAX—making its move for global domination. You will play several types of soldiers, from espionage to frontal assault, using almost every military vehicle and weapon available on air, sea, and land, and primarily enjoy an action-packed narrative experience that is engaging at times. What struck me most was the graphics and the breathtaking locations that the maps reveal—ranging from tanks charging across the Sahara, aerial assaults on the beaches of Gibraltar, street fights in Cairo, and even full-scale war in New York City.
In conclusion, Battlefield 6 is a significant return to the beloved and sought-after format: Large-scale battles with a sense of total war, environmental destruction, and a wide variety of game modes to choose from. The addition of the story campaign is welcome and definitely worth playing several times on increasing difficulty levels. Overall, movement, weapon aiming, and vehicle operation feel smoother and much cleaner than before.
The game copy was provided by Adli United, the official importer of the game in Israel.