Battlefield 4 was was given a very impressive showing-off during the EA/DICE E3 presentation with a live, 64 player multilayer demonstration on a map called The Siege of Shanghai. Also demonstrated was the returning Commander mode, which was omitted from the previous few instalments in the Battlefield franchise.
The action took place in what looked like a financial district, soaring skyscrapers, well manicured gardens and was a mixture of wide, open spaces and close quarters fighting. The Frostbite 3 engine is still very impressive, and the action looked as good as you would expect from the Battlefield series and the destruction physics were even better than before. In what looked like an underground parking structure, the attacking team destroyed a supporting strut which collapsed the roof onto the opposing team, as well as providing a new route to the surface.
Throughout the action the commander, interacting with the battle via a tablet, was able to spot enemy troop movement, give orders to the squads and at one point was able to call in a missile strike to fend off some enemy tanks. Whilst the Commander is nothing new to the Battlefield series, the return of this feature and the emphasis on teamwork that follows really sets Battlefield aside from the competition.
The demonstration ended with a very impressive fire-fight up through a skyscraper, culminating in a base-jump and the demolition of the building which was, without wanting to sound jaded, what we’ve come to expect from the Battlefield series. Gorgeous graphics, a focus on teamplay, very destructible environments and some spectacular moments.
We’ll keep this page updated as we get more information.
