If you're a fan of shooters, this year's giant games show, E3's been pretty good to you. No matter which way you turn, you couldn't last long before someone pointed a (virtual) gun in your face, or saw someone getting shot with something. But it's not without reason. Shooters are, and have always been big money - and they don't come much bigger than Battlefield 4. Much like the previous games in the series, the emphasis here is on creating an authentic, yet enjoyable near-future war experience - and Battlefield 4 certainly left audiences impressed.
Shown twice over the course of the E3 conferences alone, EA demoed two separate sections of the game - one, set amongst the streets and skyscrapers of Shanghai was a multiplayer demo, and the other, aboard a sinking aircraft carrier, was single player. Both were equally impressive stages, but it was perhaps the aircraft carrier level, known as "Angry Sea", that took it for us. Beginning in a moody, neon lit control room on board the ship, perhaps the most impressive thing was the sense of scale. Crowded, packed with monitors, and claustrophobic, with wires hanging from the ceiling, and sparks flying and the whim of a stray bullet, the battles seemed much more impactful - although picking out enemies remained a challenge, as they're identifiable only by the torches on the end of their guns.
And then, things got even more impressive. As the ship had its own Titanic moment, the walls themselves were torn apart, and your team found themselves on the deck of the carrier - which by now, was sinking fast. With a sense of scale all that seems to go hand in hand with most "next-gen" games, still engaged in a firefight with the enemy forces, you soon had even more to think about, as the ship began to list even further, and the planes that were scattered across the deck started to break loose, rolling towards the sea, and taking anything in their path with them into the drink. Rather than just an obstacle, though, the planes are something that can be used to your advantage, too - by shooting the front wheel out on a plane that was sitting still, you can make it start to slide down towards the water below, taking any enemy soldiers it comes across with it.
Watch out for flying debris.
The demo ended with our soldiers plunging into the drink, too, before swimming to a nearby boat. Stepping into the cockpit and taking over the controls, the gameplay switched from a tense shoot out to a dramatic speedboat chase, as you skipped over the waves, while taking pot shots at the enemies that were circling. With some very pretty water effects, it was an impressive ending to a rather impressive demo - and one that'll no doubt put a shot across the bow of its close rival, Call of Duty.
Of course, a large part of any modern shooter is its online mode, and Battlefield 4 has plans to deliver here, too. when you think of Battlefield you immediately think of the multiplayer, this one is no different. To begin with the improvements include having up to six people in your squad therefore allowing you to attack one place as a bigger unit, with levels that will support up to 64 players at any time, in a huge 32 on 32 battle. With battles ranging from the top of skyscrapers to the streets below, there's a wide range of options to get your from A to B as well - from jet skis to helicopters, and even working lifts that whisk you up to the top floor of a skyscraper.
As Microsoft have been keen to cosy up with EA for their "next generation" console, the Xbox One, EA announced at the E3 that the first downloadable map pack, known as Second Assault, will be coming to the Xbox One before it hits any other platform. While it's always disconcerting to see a publisher planning a map pack before the game's even been released (why not include it in the game to begin with?), it's no doubt a coup for Microsoft. EA also announced that anyone who pre-orders Battlefield 4 will receive an expansion pack called China Rising which is a four map multiplayer pack based on mainland China. Along with this, people who pre order will also have the chance to play the beta of the title before its release later this year, along with anyone who owns a Limited Edition copy of Medal of Honour Warfighter, and all current Battlefield Premium owners. The beta is due to open this autumn however no specific date has been set as of yet.
Just when you thought everything was all said and done, the battle to become the next big shooter kicks off once again this November.
