So, is this Battlefield 4 the most beautiful game in the world? If the question can always be debated from an artistic point of view, we are still tempted to answer in the affirmative from a technical point of view. On next-gen, and even more so on PC, the graphic promises are kept and we really take in the view! The various special effects used provide a more realistic image than ever before, while the technology also ensures the show when it comes to geometry. Understand by this that not only is the destructibility of the sets once again at the rendezvous, but that we are also entitled to precise management of the waves. Thus, the ocean is no longer a flat surface but, on the contrary, a space in relief that is constantly changing. Highly commendable, this attention to detail serves up a visually stunning, but quite disappointing single-player campaign in substance. Despite the welcome disappearance of Battlefield 3's sometimes ridiculous QTEs and infinite respawn points, the single-player mode has stagnated, if not regressed. More scripted than ever, the adventure multiplies the characteristic errors of poorly thought out FPS. We are, for example, entitled to a festival of doors which only become open when the game arbitrarily decides so, to companions who shout to us "it's this way" when we are already waiting for them at the point of arrival, and to various lengths due to poorly managed scripts. Typical example: those few times when we go back in search of the last enemy still alive, so that the next script can be triggered and the adventure continue. We can't escape the problem of opponents who are a little too focused on the player, and teammates who are not very effective. Recognize all the same some improvement on this last point, since the hero can now order his friends to target certain enemies in particular. The music is also rather pleasant, while the interface remains sober and discreet, a simple white circle signaling for example the presence of an interactive zone. But all this does not compensate for the impossibility of returning the grenades, the characters without charisma, the very flat scenario, or the successful but too generic artistic direction. Even the presence of three different endings falls completely flat since they only depend on one final choice, and the difference between each of them is roughly limited to the three lines of dialogue that follow the decision.
An epic multi
But if Battlefield 4 misses the boat a bit in solo, the license shines more than ever in multiplayer! Being able to compete with 64 players and in complete fluidity on huge, magnificent, partially destructible maps, and filled with vehicles, is really not given to all games. All the fundamentals of the Battlefield series are respected, and we are even witnessing the return of the "Commander" mode which made its first appearance in Battlefield 2. The player holding this position is not present directly on the map. He observes the battlefield from a distant view, can trigger different "powers" (scanning the terrain to detect infantry or vehicles, deployment of drones, dropping vehicles, firing missiles...), and gives orders to the various squad leaders, who relay them to their teammates. The point counting system clearly favors team play, which reinforces the impression of "total war" engendered by the presence of dozens, even hundreds, of weapons and vehicles. Apart from the commander who stays snugly stashed away, a player with poor aiming skills can focus on driving vehicles or capturing objectives, while the gunslinger rushes headlong into battle. There's something for everyone, and the physics engine further enhances the experience. What a pleasure to demolish a wall with a rocket launcher just to reach a given point more quickly! Or, conversely, to see the building in which we thought we were safe turn into a sieve under the fire of enemy tanks. Battlefield 4 even pushes the idea even further with the concept of Levolution, a contraction of Level and Evolution. The idea is simple: each of the game's ten maps can be more or less transformed when players perform certain actions. Thus, if they decide to pound a dike on the Flood Zone map, the latter becomes flooded. The water level then rises steadily, which has the effect of blocking certain paths and forcing players to use amphibious vehicles.
Being able to compete with 64 players and in complete fluidity on huge, beautiful, partially destructible maps, and filled with vehicles, is really not given to all games.
On Operation Locker, it is a central tower that can be brought down, thus moving the capture point that was there by one floor. The collapsing bridge in Dawnbreaker makes it more difficult for tanks to advance, while destroying the radio telescope in Rogue Transmission removes a vehicle spawn point. But in this little game, it is certainly the Paracel Storm map that comes out on top. Not only is it possible to ground a boat on an island (and thus take control of its anti-aircraft gun) but in addition, the weather changes drastically during the game. Over time, a storm rises, and players witness live the intensification of rain and wind. All of these moments energize games even more, making them feel more intense than ever. Especially in "Conquest" mode, which continues to take the lion's share. Three new ways to play are still emerging, and thus bring the total of modes to eight. Domination is a kind of Conquest mode reserved for infantry. Defuse pits attackers and defenders around a bomb plant, with no respawns on death. And Obliteration revolves around a bomb that can be picked up by both teams, and must be used to detonate three points on the opposing side. Knowing that all the maps are playable in all modes (the configuration of the places adapting automatically), you can play for many hours before going full circle in the multiplayer mode. In the end, it is very difficult to resist the charms of this Battlefield 4 when you are a fan of online games!
