Battlefield 1942 is proof that you can make a dynamic World War II first person shooter.
THE GOOD
-Excellent multiplayer
-Great sound effects
-Beautiful level design with nice historic reference
-Solid controls
-Wide variety of soldier classes and vehicles
THE BAD
-The online lag is terrible at times
OVERVIEW
Battlefield 1942 is an extraordinary World War II shooter. The game takes place during World War II in the European and Pacific theaters. Battlefield can be played with up to 64 total players each on two sides (Axis or Allies). There are four different types of game modes to play which are Conquest, Co-op, Team Death Match and Capture the Flag. The objective varies between each game type and the playable maps are taken straight from the history books with a few modifications. You'll get to participate in real life combat zones like the skirmish for Wake Island and the infamous Battle of the Bulge.
GAMEPLAY
There are many things to talk about in Battlefield so I'll first start with the different game types. Team Death Match is a very simple game where you have to kill your opponents more times than they kill you. Capture the Flag is pretty self-explanatory. Conquest (Co-op is Conquest but against the A.I.) is probably where you'll spend most of your time. In Conquest your team's objective is to reduce the other team's ticket count to zero. Now you're probably wondering what a ticket is so I'll tell you. Tickets are your teams combined respawn count. When you or your teammate dies and respawns, your team's ticket count decreases. You can also reduce the ticket count by capturing control points (respawn points) on the map. These control points are the only places where you can respawn so protect them. So, a good team strategy would be to work together to eliminate your opponent's forces and take over their respawn spots. With that said, Battlefield 1942 relies heavily on teamwork. With up to 32 players on each team it makes it very difficult to try and "Rambo" your way through the enemy lines. That is why this game is such a great team builder because if you're playing with other team players you'll most likely have an awesome gaming experience.
The controls will have you using many of the keys on the keyboard but don't worry because after a few times playing you'll become familiar quickly. There are many different control schemes based on what you are doing. For instance, in Battlefield you have many vehicles to pilot like Battleships, Fighter planes and Tanks. Each vehicle utilizes different control methods and yes you can use a joystick for flying. When you're not traveling or fighting by vehicle, you have five different character classes to choose from which are the Scout (Sniper), Assault, Medic, Anti-tank, and Engineer. Each class is different in regards to weapons and equipment. The Scout is used to take out enemies from a distance and spy on the opposition. The Assault class is your basic soldier build with above average fire power and explosives. The medic can heal himself and other wounded comrades on the battlefield. The Anit-tank guy is just that, a vehicle stopper. Lastly, the engineer can fix vehicles and plant land mines. Each class has its strengths and weaknesses and depending on what map and where you are on that map will determine which class you should pick. With a nice selection of vehicles and character classes, you have many different ways to play the game which keeps it from getting repetitive.
The level design is probably one of the best aspects of Battlefield 1942. Each level is built to resemble the actual battles taken place in World War II. You'll really get a good feel for what the soldiers went through during the War. However, there are a few maps that lend themselves to making it easy to spawn kill which can get frustrating at times, but for the most part the maps are top-notch.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
If you have a good video card then the graphics are awesome. If not then you will definitely want to pick one up because this game is beautiful. With the excellent detail in the terrain, vehicles, and buildings, Battlefield will leave you in awe on how exceptional the visuals are.
This game does a great job of making you feel like you're really in the trenches during World War II. From the gunshots to the explosions, the sound effects greatly enhance the gameplay.
CONCLUSION
Battlefield 1942 with its massive size and quality is an excellent PC game. You might experience some lag with the larger games but it's not enough to hurt the gameplay that much. If you're a fan of a more team related shooter game then Battlefield 1942 is a recommended purchase. World War II was an epic struggle between the Axis and Allied powers and Battlefield 1942 proves that you can make a dynamic game during this era.