REVIEW: Battlefield 1943

Yes, another arcade title. This is pretty awesome though.

Battlefield 1943 is an Xbox Live Arcade title developed by powerhouse developer DICE and publisher EA. It is priced at 1200 Microsoft Points, and is a standard title with 200 Gamerscore to grab and a bunch of other in game exclusives. It is the first arcade title in the long running Battlefield franchise. Battlefield 1943 is a multiplayer only first-person shooter.

STORY: As a multiplayer only title set in World War II, there really is no story. You take control of either a member of the United States Marine Corps or the Imperial Japanese Navy in the Pacific theatre of WWII. The game takes place in 4 major battles of WWII which include the Battle of Iwo Jima and the Battle of the Coral Sea.

GAMEPLAY: In true Battlefield fashion, the gameplay of 1943 is a straight first-person shooter. There really is no innovation in the way you play the game, but in a game like this that is not really neccessary. The game does a great job at presenting a basic FPS layout, and it fits very well. The gameplay on all the maps consists of one gameplay variant called Conquest. This game mode can be said as a combination of capture the flag and deathmatch. Each side is given "tickets", represented by a bar at the top of the screen, which indicated how many reinforcements and support they have. There are 5 flags on each map, and through various ways such as capturing a majority of flags and killing men, the tickets on the opposing side deplete. The game ends when a team has no more tickets. This gameplay type is great and a lot of fun. It is engaging and it encourages teamwork, as running and gunning is not the best strategy. This gameplay gives benefits for the shooter and the strategist, and the reward for both is equal. There are 4 main vehicles in the game (tank, jeep, plane, and boat). The tank and the plane are very rewarding, although the plane has quite a learning curve if one wants to fly well. Unfortunately, the jeep and boat are mostly used for fast transportation or just an alternative to sprinting. There is also an ability to send an air raid. Players control the flight direction of bombers and control bombs to land at a certain place on the map. This is a shining part of the game and it shows how DICE really wanted variety in a title like this. Gameplay in 1943 fits well with its size, and it never stops getting exciting.

GRAPHICS AND DESIGN: Battlefield 1943 is one of the best looking arcade titles ever. Due to its heavy use of the Frostbite Engine (previously used in Battlefield: Bad Company), it look and feels like a full retail title. Everything on the map is destructible, and the maps are very vibrant and realistic. The map layouts themselves are very close to their real world counterparts also. The weapons all look very realistic, and overall it is a great looking game. There are some problems with the physics however. When going full speed with a jeep or a tank at an enemy, you will not run them over. This is unfortunately a very obvious design flaw.

MULTIPLAYER: Being a multiplayer-only title, this area is great. Matches are always easy to find, and the map is populated very well. Squads can be formed in the game, and there is even a reward in game for having the highest scoring squad. The game feels like a polished version of Battlefield: Bad Company multiplayer in a WWII setting. There are no lagging issues that I encountered, although an occassional 1 second glitch may appear when you respawn. This is no issue, however.

REPLAYABILITY: 1943 thrives in replayability. It is just non-stop inexpicable fun. The size and the graphics all fit together very well, and there is variety in gameplay to make one want to stay. The great thing is that the three outfits (rifleman, infantry, and scout) all are easy to pick up, but they all have great levels of depth. If sniping is your forte, the scout is great. Infantry is great for up close combat, but they also load out with a bazooka, which makes them great for heavy artillery too. Rifleman are great all around outfits, and there depth serves in their ability to shoot up close and far away. There is something for everyone here to sink their teeth in. And with DICE's promise to update and reward the community (they released a new map when the community reached 45 million kills), the replayability is very high.

PROS: Great FPS, looks and sounds like a full retail title, amazing depth and replayability.
CONS: Physics engine is a bit weird, only offers one real gametype, not for everyone.

This game was surprisingly good. It took me about half an hour to get the game, and I fell right into place. This is a great game for anyone looking to waste a bit of time, or for anyone who has time to spare. Conquest fits perfect in a game of this size, and the depth and gameplay make it shine not as a WWII shooter, but a great online shooter overall. It isn't for everyone though. The 1200 point price may turn off some, while the lack of gameplay options may turn away others. But if you like a good classic shooter and great multiplayer depth, this is a game to try out.

VERDICT: Try before you buy, but if you like multiplayer shooters, you won't have to try for very long.