Battlefield 2142 is an interesting take on the relatively simplistic nature of FPS games. DICE and EA have created a game that aims to blend the successful and fun elements of the previous Battlefield franchise games (Battlefield 1942, Battlefield 2) with the careful strategic planning required in any RTS game. While at the most basic level 2142 is simply an advanced Battlefield 2 remake, it can also be seen as a successful attempt to bring a new importance to team play and game play planning. The background story of the 2142 world is that Earth has plunged into another Ice Age and two powerful forces; the Pan-Asian Coalition and the European Union must battle it out to decide who claims the last remaining parts of the Earth not covered in ice.
Multiplayer is the core of 2142, as it has been in other games of the franchise. Bots in single player mode only allow limited excitement as you play against them in the classic Battlefield Conquest mode (where you must capture strategic points on the map in order to reduce your enemy’s score to 0). Titan mode is available for multiplayer only, but the game play mechanics are vastly different to the staple defensive and offensive play in Conquest. While in Conquest mode the only way to reduce your opponent’s score is to capture strategic outposts and kill enemies, in Titan, your objective is to destroy the enemy’s Titan (a large flying fortress).
Missile silos replace strategic outposts on Titan maps and must be captured in order to destroy the enemy Titan’s shield. Once it is down, missiles continue to pound the enemy Titan hull until it is destroyed, or the silo is neutralized. A quicker victory can be achieved by storming the Titan with troops and blowing up the reactor at its core. This is obviously a far more difficult option as the Titan is well defended both internally and externally: huge cannons on the bottom of the Titan which can be controlled by players pound the ground below, anti-aircraft guns mounted on the Titan roof guard the skies, and players guard the halls of the Titan from the inside.
Weapons and vehicles obviously play an integral role in 2142 game play. The standard Battlefield 2 vehicle conversions exist, such as a small, 3-man jeep, APCs, tanks, and aircraft (a gunship and a transport). The only problem with some of these vehicles is that each has its own learning curve – aircraft are naturally harder to fly than a tank is to drive, and each vehicle has a different number of men it can carry and guns to mount. You can also hop into one of the many field emplacements on the map such as anti-tank guns and anti-aircraft guns. The maps are huge in typical Battlefield style with bunkers and hiding places everywhere for the skilled sniper or support gunner to utilize.
The weapons in 2142 are varied and each is suited to a particular play style. You can choose fro the Engineer kit (anti-vehicle guns, mines, explosives), Assault kit (assault rifles, grenades, medic kits), Support kit (machine guns, shields, ammo kits) or Recon kit (sniper rifles, sabotage devices, infiltration devices). Generally speaking, you cannot be jack-of-all trades because each weapon is unlocked progressively. You earn experience points with which you unlock the next item in a specific kit, and then begin to amass experience for the next unlock. This encourages more strategic play (specifically, more take-and-hold oriented play rather than mad, free-for-all rushes at important locations) but can be daunting for the newbie who gets gunned down by an experienced player with a much more powerful gun. However, you can pick up enemy kits that are dropped when a player dies, so you can try an item out before you actually use your own unlocks on it.
Players can choose to be squad leaders and command players in group of up to six soldiers, giving them orders to defend, attack, and basic directional commands. For those looking for a little more responsibility, you can take command of the squads on the team in the position of Commander. Commanders can play the game in an RTS-style overhead map where they can choose to drop supplies, deploy EMP and orbital strikes, and order squads around. Not for the faint of heart, a poor commander can lead a team to a quick demise while a skilled one can counter enemy movements effectively and make victory come swiftly.
The graphics and sounds are superb, but Battlefield 2 fans might be a little disappointed that there hasn’t been a complete graphics overhaul.
Graphics are similar to those of Battlefield 2 but a lot of improvements have been made here and there. The vehicles in particular look great, but are lacking damage modeling which could make blowing up a tank with an anti-tank rocket much more satisfying. Sounds are well done, and weapon sounds in particular contribute a lot to the game’s atmosphere. Support guns emit a low, rumbling sound as they fire and pistols make a short, high pitched sound as they shoot. The voice commands you can issue (Yes, No, I need ammo, etc.) may lack a little variety but these play only a small part in the overall 2142 experience.
Overall, 2142 is a solid progression from the Battlefield 2 modern combat setting to a new, futuristic, exciting battleground filled with all manner of vehicles to throttle and weapons to experiment with. A must buy for Battlefield fans and a good investment for those looking for a more strategic-oriented FPS game.