Battlefield 4 is the anticipated return of EA’s premier shooting franchise that’s been teased in one form or another for the past year.
It’s the debut title for the visually impressive Frostbite 3 engine, which powers a more open single-player campaign and a story that aims to be more emotional and personal with its cast of soldiers.
Running on high-end PCs and previously confirmed for next-generation systems, the good news is that Frostbite 3’s scalable nature will also see the title launch on Xbox 360 and PS3 late this year.
Watch the 17 minutes of the game below – the opening mission called ‘Fishing in Baku’ – which sees a tight-knit group of soldiers escape from behind enemy lines with vital information that could have far-reaching ramifications in a world that’s on the brink of global war.
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8HVQXkeU8U%5D
A more open, sandbox single player campaign
After a linear, Call of Duty-style campaign, single-player will become more of an open, sandbox experience with the franchise’s trademark “Battlefield moments” that we’ve come to expect from multiplayer.
While the demonstration was book-ended with corridor-shooting and scripted cutscenes familiar to those who played Battlefield 3‘s campaign, the middle section sees your squad stumble across a vast, open construction site that players can freely roam.
Using a vehicle, for example, you’re able to drive around and engage enemies however you want to.
Destructibility is also key to this more open experience. Pinned down by an enemy gunner, the demonstrator used a shotgun to blast apart a nearby wall, followed by a well-placed grenade round on a solidly constructed building to forge their own path around the enemy position to flank them.
Even outside of these sandbox moments there are more options thanks to being able to spot targets, directing the attention of the squad for offensive and defensive options.
One particular moment saw you target around a dozen enemies dotted in a half-finished structure, calling in a helicopter strike that lit up the battlefield with a colossal fireball, causing a nearby wireframe structure to collapse.
We weren’t sure whether this particularly impressive moment had some element of scripting to it – or whether such a prime opportunity like this would naturally emerge during play – but it certainly teases what’s possible from directing team mates and sandbox gameplay.
What can we expect from multiplayer?
Battlefield 4 will obviously feature multiplayer, but with the reveal focused on the single-player campaign, details are currently thin on the ground.
What is clear is that sea combat will feature – as recent teaser videos had suggested – with attack boats and jet skis confirmed to feature in the game.
DICE is also planning for the long haul and has confirmed that Battlefield Premium – the online subscription service that provided players with early DLC maps and exclusive content – will return.
Battlefield 4 will be available on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in late 2013.
