As far as games go, the Battlefield series has provided me with a great shooting game. However, Battlefield 4 itself is merely an increment over Battlefield 3 and although it started out with good intentions, people will always remember it as the second biggest failed launch in EA's history (after Sim City). I played the beta and I preordered the Deluxe before getting a refund on it and finally got the regular PC version at a discount later on.
I gave the launch-day Deluxe edition a 2 over all the issues it had which rendered it rather unplayable. Now I come back to give the fixed game another look.
The Good:
- destructible environment is great: a lot of stuff can be destroyed and this makes it a fun game where the endgame map doesn't look the same as when the game started. This is a huge plus as it changes tactics and provides a real battle feeling.
- improved load: each class has had it's loadout improved
- good maps: now maps have something to offer to any class - there are sniping locations (but not impenetrable), there are retreats and open areas to freely clash in. There's still work to be done, but each map has something to offer.
- it plays on the strengths of BF3 quite well overall, enhancing the battle feeling
- it still has the best multiplayer setting with 32 vs 32 battles although I was hoping for 64 vs 64.
- Levolution, while not being as great as marketing plays it, it's a nice addition that can add something to tactical gameplay
The Bad:
- it's just an increment, not worth the preorder pricing
- long wait times between games
- the ability to play with your loadout during wait time was removed for some reason so all you can do is stare at the screen (huge minus here for BF fans)
- although destruction is great, there are illogical situations so as not being able to shoot between two bars half a foot apart or to tear a poster. Yeah, a building can be broken down with explosives but not a dent to be done on a wall poster. Turnoff here
- objects get in a way when they shouldn't: you can be behind a rock, perch your gun to shoot over it only to have the bullet somehow hit the rock even though the rock appears to be way under the gun barrel. Happens quite a lot and doesn't always go both ways as you can be shot at while being under cover but you can't shoot back through the same space.
- the inaptly named Levolution isn't really a revolution/evolution in terms of gameplay but rather adding stuff that was enabled in campaign into multiplayer.
- speaking of campaign ... the campaign is HORRIBLE. The story is awful, it's too short anyway, it's more like a turnoff rather than a mood setter. Last time there was a ridiculous reason to fight Russians now there's an even more ridiculous reason to fight Chinese. Insert some cheap american patriotism here and there and you have something that's too silly even for a three-year-old.
All in all, multiplayer is fun but still the game isn't worth the launch price. If you can get it at a discount around $30, it packs a load of fun ... for a while at least.