Battlefield 6 review: Legendary FPS series is finally back on track

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As a long-time Battlefield fan, I can finally say they’ve really turned things around with the new game! After a few rough patches, it feels like they’ve gone back to what makes Battlefield great – solid, team-based multiplayer. The single-player campaign isn’t super long, but it’s a blast while it lasts. But honestly, the coolest part is ‘Portal’ – it’s a really clever tool that lets players create their own experiences, and I can already see people making amazing things with it. It feels like this game has a ton of potential and it’s really exciting!

Since its debut in 2002, the Battlefield series has had many memorable experiences, particularly with its modern military shooters from Bad Company through Battlefield 4. However, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for the franchise.

Man, Battlefield has been all over the place since 2015. Remember Hardline? It felt totally different, like a cops and robbers game instead of Battlefield. Then we jumped back to World War I with BF1, then WWII with BFV. But 2042… that one really threw me. It just ditched everything we knew about classes and tried to be a hero shooter with these ‘specialists’. Honestly, it felt like they didn’t even understand what made Battlefield, well, Battlefield.

After a difficult period, Battlefield is making a strong comeback. While the new game doesn’t reinvent the wheel or get everything perfect, it successfully recaptures what made the series so great: distinct player classes, satisfying shooting mechanics, a good balance between infantry and vehicles, and a lot of environmental destruction. Many players will find it’s the best Battlefield game in over a decade.

Battlefield 6 screenshots

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An exciting campaign that leaves you wanting more

From its spectacular action sequences – like dams collapsing and buildings falling apart – to the quieter moments of strategizing with your remaining teammates, the short but exciting campaign in Battlefield 6 proves that even big-budget military games can still be surprising.

While many recent games focus solely on multiplayer, the new Battlefield installment boasts a full-fledged campaign with high production quality. Set in the near future, you play as a member of Dagger 13, a US squad comprised of all four character classes – Assault, Recon, Engineer, and Support. The story unfolds mainly through flashbacks as you battle the Pax Armata, a well-funded private military group.

It’s surprising that this powerful enemy manages to outmaneuver the world’s strongest countries and gain influence. I point this out because the story rushes through important details like this, squeezing a potentially great narrative into just four hours. While many players will likely focus on the multiplayer action, a campaign with this much potential deserved more development time and a chance to fully unfold.

The game features squadmates with interesting backgrounds, but their stories are mostly revealed through quick text descriptions during loading screens. The missions move very quickly, and while the characters are well-acted and have compelling reasons for their actions, you don’t have enough time to really connect with them, which makes the emotional moments feel less impactful.

The game is really fun and action-packed! Each chapter introduces new ways to play, letting you experiment with different character classes, vehicles, and tools. You can then use what you’ve learned in online multiplayer battles. The only thing missing is the ability to fly, but that’s understandable since no one in your team is a pilot.

The return of a campaign in Battlefield 6 is a definite plus, and this one is genuinely exciting. The game offers good replayability with collectibles and difficult challenges, though it feels like it could have been even more impressive. This could be just the beginning, as EA works to revitalize the Battlefield series. Hopefully, the story will expand with future updates, letting us delve deeper into the war and the factions involved. However, as it stands, the narrative feels unfinished, and relying on a sequel years down the line isn’t ideal.

Battlefield 6 multiplayer returns to its roots

Battlefield 2042 didn’t quite hit the mark with its new approach to combat, and EA has acknowledged that. Now, under the leadership of Vince Zampella, who also heads up Apex Legends and Titanfall, the series is going back to what made it great. Get ready for exciting, large-scale multiplayer battles with plenty of vehicles and non-stop action, featuring the familiar classes and progression systems that fans have always enjoyed.

Battlefield 6’s multiplayer doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, but it’s a welcome return to what makes the series great, and fans are sure to enjoy it. The shooting feels fantastic – arguably the best it’s ever been. Whether you’re rushing in with a submachine gun as an Engineer, or carefully aiming from a snowy mountaintop, the gameplay is precise, quick, and consistently fun.

It’s great that the game launches with a good variety of maps and game types. We’ve become used to live-service games releasing with very little content, then slowly adding more over time. Things that used to be included from the start are now often released later. While future updates will add even more, there’s already enough content here to keep players entertained for months. It’s a really positive sign.

Aside from the still-very-strong shotguns, the biggest issue with the initial release of the game is the clunky and difficult-to-use interface and menus.

The game offers a lot to do – you can level up your character, unlock many vehicles and weapons, and choose from four different classes, each with unique goals and benefits. Unfortunately, the complicated menus make it really difficult to keep track of your progress.

The game’s challenges aren’t organized very well, and it’s difficult to track your progress towards leveling up – you only see it at the end of each match. Plus, the game doesn’t tell you what rewards you’re earning as you level up, so you have to keep track of it yourself.

It’s often difficult to know what new items you’ve unlocked. Unless you happen to see a quick notification right after a game, you have to check all your gear to find out. I was often surprised to discover a new weapon, which is frustrating in a game where finding the best weapons is so important. Hopefully, this issue will be fixed in future updates, but it’s a noticeable problem with the current version.

The single-player campaign is enjoyable, and the multiplayer is incredibly fun. Plus, the included Portal feature lets players create and share their own custom game modes and maps – though we didn’t have access to it in the version we reviewed. It has the potential to make an already great game even better. Ultimately, we can only review what we’ve played, and while the single-player experience and user interface could use some improvements, this is the best Battlefield game we’ve seen since Battlefield 4.

Verdict

Battlefield 6 feels like a return to what made the Battlefield series great. I find myself wanting to play every night just for the fun of it, not to chase rewards or progress. The game offers incredible freedom and opportunities for chaotic, unpredictable action – every match feels unique and exciting. It’s one of the best sandboxes in gaming.

It will be interesting to see how long EA continues to update this version of Battlefield. Because Battlefield 6 offers so much potential with its Portal feature, it could become a long-lasting platform, similar to a game that’s continually updated with new content and even single-player missions over many years.

It’s still early to say what the future holds, but we finally have a strong new Battlefield game, which is something fans have been waiting for.

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2025-10-09 18:31