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        new features like the much-touted   smaller numbers of players. Maps
        Levolution send the intensity level   are also once again destructible on a
        soaring to impressive new heights.  less significant scale, many of them
          Having maps that evolve as you    littered with smaller buildings and
        wage war on them has been a         foliage that can be torn to pieces.
        Battlefield staple since Bad Company,   As usual, theres a wide variety of
        but the scale of the destructibility has   vehicles with which to toy around on
        never been quite so imposing as it is   both land and sea, as well as in the air.
        here. Siege of Shanghai s crumbling   Theres a definite focus on improving
        skyscraper that was so heavily      water-borne vehicular combat, with
        featured in BF4s marketing push is   all-new heavily armed boats to use to
        obviously a particularly memorable   pummel the enemy along with small,
        exercise in Levolution, but other maps   nippy craft useful for zipping around
        feature everything from a collapsing   more water-centric maps. And while
        dam wall to an aircraft carrier that   we re on the subject, for the first time
        ploughs into an island. It s not only the   players are now able to draw their
        physical destruction that s pertinent   secondary weapon while swimming
        either  environmental effects       so that they re not completely
        dramatically alter the nature of maps   defenseless in the water. You re also
        as well. Flood Zones waters rise as   able to dive below the surface of the
        the map progresses, forcing the use   water to hide from enemies.
        of boats, while Paracel Storms calm   There are a couple of new
        seas become violent when a powerful   game modes to enjoy in BF4, and
        storm rolls in.                     Obliteration is the standout mode.
          Even without the spectacle of     Obliteration sees a single bomb spawn
        Levolution, most of the maps are    between the two opposing teams,
        masterfully designed (with a few    and each team must vie for control of
        painful exceptions, as with any     it in order to deliver the bomb to key
        game), offering up a pleasing mix   enemy points to destroy them. It s a
        of opportunity for everything from   heavily mobile mode and the frontline
        the large-scale warfare of the      is constantly shifting, keeping the
        64-player matches that have become   fighting strongly concentrated around
        synonymous with Battlefield, to more   the bomb. The intensity of it suits
        intimate skirmishes between much    Battlefield perfectly.



                                                                                                                                                                     Previous games in the series      really empower the visuals, bringing
                                                                                                                                                                   have always had a strong focus on   this digital battleground to life in a
                                                                                                                                                                   teamwork, encouraging players       highly effective way. Unfortunately,
                                                                                                                                                                   to work together to overcome the    it s got its problems as well. By now
                                                                                                                                                                   enemy rather than facing the enemy   you ve probably heard that, at launch,
                                                                                                                                                                   solo. That s still very much the same   Battlefield 4 is a bit of a mess. It s
                                                                                                                                                                   case here, but that doesn t mean you   pretty shocking really. Audio randomly
                                                                                                                                                                   can t play the game as a lone wolf.   cuts out. Battlelog is still no fun to
                                                                                                                                                                   For those whod rather work with     work with. Crashes to desktop are
                                                                                                                                                                   others, teams are again divided into   commonplace. Still, its teething
                                                                                                                                                                   smaller squads. This time around,   problems don t change the fact that
                                                                                                                                                                   squads gain small bonuses when they   this is a brilliant, utterly absorbing
                                                                                                                                                                   perform particularly well together.   multiplayer game.
                                                                                                                                                                   Commander Mode returns from                            [Dane Remendes]
                                                                                                                                                                   Battlefield 2, putting certain players
                                                                                                                                                                   in charge of directing their teams
                                                                                                                                                                   efforts from an RTS-style aerial view.   Would you buy it?
                                                                                                                                                                   Commanders can call in support
                                                                                                                                                                   powers like supply drops and gunships     Yes. There s nothing
                                                                                                                                                                   that circle the sky and rain down fire    else out there that can
                                                                                                                                                                   on enemies. It s a worthwhile addition    match the large-scale
                                                                                                                                                                   to the game and a nice change of pace     multiplayer devastation
                                                                                                                                                                   for when the fighting on the ground       of Battlefield 4.
                                                                                                                                                                   gets too stressful.
                                                                                                                                                                     As we ve come to expect from DICE,     The Score
                                                                                                                                                                   the games an absolute technological
                                                                                                                                                                   powerhouse throughout. Not only
                                                                                                                                                                   are its Frostbite 3-powered visuals       8.5/10
                                                                                                                                                                   absolutely breathtaking, but the
                                                                                                                                                                   audio deserves a mention as well.
                                                                                                                                                                   The immersive sounds of the battle
        38   The OverClocker   Issue 27 | 2013                                                                                                                                                                Issue 27 | 2013  The OverClocker  39
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