Promising a true “next-gen” experience and a larger scope than previous entries, Battlefield 2042 looks like an even more hectic take on the chaotic warfare the franchise is known for. Now, fans are getting their own taste of the game with the Battlefield 2042 open beta, though whether or not it scratches the same itch as previous entries is up for debate.
The beta unleashes players into a match of Conquest, Battlefield’s most iconic mode, on the map Orbital. The map itself is the typical Battlefield fare, featuring a spaceship that will launch partway through the match, a large building with a rooftop to duke it out on, open areas of semi-wilderness, and a few scattered clusters of buildings filling out the rest of the gargantuan playable space.
There’s a slight twist to the Conquest formula this time around, with the map divided into sectors rather than singular flags for each team to capture. Sectors have their own flags, which makes each sector feel like a small map in its own right. That helps spread the combat out a bit more evenly, undoubtedly a change to help support Battlefield 2042’s 128-player matches.
Battlefield 2042’s 128-Player Leap
Coming from the 64-player matches that Battlefield players are accustomed to, 128 players seems like a considerable jump. However, the difference doesn’t feel all that noticeable, either due to the sheer size of Orbital or because of how much of the map is just open space. It isn’t necessarily worse than prior entries, but it doesn’t solve the seemingly evergreen issue of making minutes-long treks between locations engaging.
What’s more, matchmaking doesn’t always fill in the roster with real players, oftentimes bringing in AI enemies and allies to eliminate any empty spots. There’s a join-in-progress system that will let players in as they become available, but AI opponents still felt common - sometimes even more common than real players.
On one hand, the AI players make the matches feel alive, but on the other, it’s easily noticeable when a player isn’t a real person. Their movements can be erratic, they’re frequently oblivious to what’s going on around them, and their aim tends to fluctuate between extremes. Conceptually, 128 players is a great idea, or at least great marketing, but it’s coming at a cost if there aren't enough real players to fill a match.
Specialists, Gadgets, and Factions
One of the biggest changes to the core formula is the new Specialist system, which has effectively replaced the class system. In the beta, players are presented with four choices of Specialist, each one playing fundamentally the same way but packing a unique gadget. For instance, Webster has a grappling hook that allows him to zoom around the map, while Maria Falk has a syringe gun that allows her to heal allies at range.
Because the specialists are shared between the two teams, it’s difficult to distinguish who’s who when things get heated. At times, we even saw enemies wander through groups of enemies completely undetected, and vice versa. On a few occasions, players would mistakenly dump entire clips of ammo into allies only to get blasted by real enemies while reloading.
There are map markers and visual indicators to keep players privy to which specialists are friends and foes, but they don’t seem to be apparent enough. Sometimes, they even seemed to be missing entirely, though it’s hard to tell if that’s a design choice, user error, or a bug plaguing the beta.
Given that Battlefield 2042 doesn’t have a campaign, the Specialist system makes sense from a live update standpoint. The heroes will likely be featured in CGI trailers to tell an overarching narrative as Battlefield 2042 evolves, similar to what Warzone has done with its seasonal structure. Still, though, it’s difficult to see that as the right move.
It’s jarring to get gunned down only to see a clone of oneself be the perpetrator. It’s even more jarring to have the player character use a voice line and then have the enemy say it a moment later. Ideally, the other faction would just have their skins swapped to be generic soldiers, but that’s not the case here.
Tools of the Battlefield
While Battlefield 2042’s weapon selection is limited for the beta, there’s enough of a variety between the weapon types to get a gauge of how each class will generally feel. Across the categories, Assault Rifles were the most satisfying to shoot, and by far the most ubiquitous. SMGs were also satisfying, but they felt lackluster compared to their bigger brothers – an issue that has plagued them for several entries now. Meanwhile, Marksman Rifles and Sniper Rifles are satisfying, though they dip a bit more heavily into the “high risk, high reward” category than casual players may want to go.
LMGs, however, are an early problem child. While they’ve never been particularly accurate weapons, they feel borderline useless in the Battlefield 2042 beta. Even at medium range using burst fire, the bullet spread was all over the place, and the bullets that did land were almost never enough to eliminate an enemy. LMGs have a place in tight corridors at short range, but that’s not a very common use case on Orbital. There’s time for that to change between now and the full release, though, and it’s possible that’s just a problem with the LMG featured in the beta or this particular map.
Attachments can be changed on the fly, which is perhaps the best quality of life change the game is packing. This means that weapon attachments can be swapped around mid-fight, allowing players to adjust when enemies are at long ranges or a battle moves into close quarters. The beta does have some trouble making those changes from time to time, but that's a bug that should be squashed before launch.
The gunplay has a deeper, more concerning problem, however, as there’s a massive disparity between Battlefield 2042 on the PS5 and the Xbox Series X. It’s difficult to describe without going hands-on, but there’s next to no weapon feedback on the Xbox Series X version of the beta, and it throws the entire experience off. In fact, the difference is so severe that the Series X version doesn't feel worth booting up for those that have a choice between platforms.
Shot’s firing and landing just feel empty on the Xbox Series X, which is baffling considering how good the PS5 version feels even without the game using the adaptive triggers. It would be easy to chalk it up to the Xbox controller’s lack of DualSense style vibration, but shooters like Destiny 2 feel just fine without it, which makes the issue all the more puzzling. There's not a lot of aim assist, and the controls felt a bit touchy out of the box for both versions, but it was far easier to fix on the PS5 version than it was on the Xbox Series X.
Robots and Sci-Fi Helicopters
Of course, Battlefield 2042 is set in the near future, and with that comes some technological innovations that players can use to squash their enemies. The gadgets, like the aforementioned grappling hook and syringe gun, are a small slice of the pie, but there are others in the arsenal as well, including a selection of vehicles.
Fast ground vehicles feel a little bit sticky when moving at high speeds, a problem that make them more finnicky than they should be. Meanwhile, the flying vehicles feel like a return to form for the Battlefield franchise, after the last two outings put players in propeller planes. Of course, the UI for vehicles has been properly tuned up to the year 2042, as evidenced by an electric truck with a Tesla-style control screen in it.
Finally, there are the murder robots, a mixture of gadgets and dog-like death machines that stalk the battlefield. Battlefield 2042's robots are deadly, and seeing hostile ones on the field is best taken as a sign that it's time to clear out. However, having them help clear out an objective can turn the tides of a skirmish. And while they're powerful, they don't feel unfair when a group of players focuses on them first.
Battlefield 2042 is trying to be a hero shooter, and that could drag the entire experience down. The core of the franchise is still there, but it’s hard to feel like it isn’t ditching the top-tier art direction and gameplay feel in the name of trend-chasing. As it stands, Battlefield Portal could be its make-or-break feature.
Battlefield 2042 releases November 19, 2021, for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.