Returning to Battlefield 4 in 2021
How does the 2013 shooter hold up today?
The sound of grenades detonating permeated the hall. A hail of bullets to my left, another explosion to my right. As I made my way to the back of the enemy lines to capture a critical position, I looked out towards the snowstorm, just outside this storm of warfare. I could hear the faint whine of the wind as it crept into the complex. I couldn’t see anything out there, just a bright light beckoning me towards it. I cast aside my quest and made my way towards the light.
As I stepped into its warm embrace, I was blinded by the light around me. Slowly, blindness gave way to a view of the harsh, gorgeous landscape it had hidden. Snow fell all around me, the wind forcing it to move in harsh gales that obscured my vision. I stood there, simply taking it all in, enjoying each second. *BANG BANG*. Oh, I’m dead. This is Battlefield 4 after all, and this is no simple map: this is Operation Locker. The day you might ask? The day was Christmas Day of course! Christmas Day 2013 to be exact, the first day I played Battlefield 4 on my brand new PS4.
I spent many days entrenched in conflict across the various landscapes that the game had to offer. From the seas of Parcel Storm to the open sandbox that was Golmud Railway, I fought to secure my place as a great BF4 player. I was in awe over the graphics, especially compared to its PS3 counterpart. The 32 v 32 battles seemed nothing short of insane as I fought and was killed from a great many places.
I played BF4 for quite some time, yet it was Star Wars Battlefront in 2015 which truly took me away. Once Battlefield 1 released in late 2016, I played very little of my beloved BF4. It was not until quite recently, May of 2021 to be exact, that I decided it was time to return to BF4 and see how the game held up after nearly eight years.
The first map to greet me was Golmud Railway, a favorite of mine due to some of the incredible matches I have had there. In one notable case, I destroyed 17 enemy tanks with my tank, as well as two helicopters, AND A JET. I was simply ecstatic to dive into a map I loved so dearly. I expected more of those signature #onlyinBattlefield moments as well as a slight learning curve. What I did not expect, was just how washed out the color palette seemed. The graphics were not nearly as good as I initially remembered, not bad per se, but it is amazing how different BF1 and BF4 look despite being released a mere three years apart.
The game felt somewhat dated in many areas. Movement, ADS speed, traversal, and hit marker detection are not up to modern standards, and I found it quite difficult to land hits with the tank, much to my dismay. Yet, when I pulled out my old, reliable AK-5C, I felt as if it was 2013 again. Taking down hostiles with my old favorite gun was nothing short of delightful, a nostalgic trip into the battles of old. Our team lost by a significant margin, but it was an absolute joy to play such a great map once again.
My second match was Lancang Dam and let me just say that it was an absolute nightmare. Historically speaking, do not give me a jet in Battlefield. I will get maybe two hit markers and be shot down immediately. Yet, somehow I became a somewhat decent pilot since I last played BF4. I was able to shoot down a couple of jets and a multitude of helicopters that could not escape the fury of my missiles.
Yet, the moment I touched the ground I was absolutely decimated by a fury of gunfire wherever I was. The destruction mechanics were just as great as ever and I quickly found myself being hunted by enemy tanks. Thankfully, my friend came online and asked to switch to Call of Duty: Warzone, a respite from the bloodshed I was experiencing.
Battlefield 4 is showing its age, especially in its party system, but that does not change the fact that it is a stupendous game. Its map design allows for a multitude of options and engagements for many different play styles. The maps are open sandboxes that allow the player to take whatever role they want so no two matches are ever the same, a design philosophy that seemed to change with Star Wars Battlefront and the next two Battlefield entries. BF4 is chaotic at times, calm in other moments, but always a memorable experience that is best experienced with friends.
It is worth another visit, even if it is only to play one map for nostalgia’s sake. With the rumored release of Battlefield 6 in Fall 2021 (with a rumored 64 v 64 player count on next-gen consoles), I can only hope that DICE will build upon the foundations of Battlefield 4 and create a game that we will all love for years to come.
