Battlefield 4: Meant for two or more

SINGAPORE — The Battlefield series has always been well loved for its multi-player mode, with fans spending hours shooting down enemy combatants. With Battlefield 4 (BF4), the fourth in the series (not including related titles), do we have a bigger game after a two-year wait since the previous iteration?

Quite simply, yes, and it is thanks to the multi-player mode. Most fans will pick the game up purely for this reason, and it is easy to see why — 32-versus-32 action gives the game such scope that each battle is never the same, especially when you get to pilot jets and tanks. While newbies like me are not likely to survive for very long, given the number of experts out there, playing it still left a smile on my face.

Sadly, the packaged campaign mode isn’t quite as amazing. Set in 2020, six years after the events of Battlefield 3, the campaign is filled with explosive set pieces that show how powerful the BF4 engine is, from large, snowy landscapes to collapsing dams. But this does little to elevate a poor plot that is filled with all the cliches seen in military games and movies. Double-crosses? Check. Not-very-surprising twists? Also check.

BF4 trades a compelling plot for explosive bombast, with many missions ending with the collapse of a ship or building, often with you in it. It is a good thing then that it all looks so amazing — the times when the sun gets into my eyes as I try to take down a sniper never fail to make me realise how beautiful the whole game is.

There is also an added bonus for Singaporeans — the nation’s skyline makes an appearance in the later half of the game. But that is all you are going to recognise. In the game, which is set in the future, the beach landing features the CBD skyline in the background. But it is also a walk away from an airfield controlled by Chinese soldiers, named Changi Airport.

Voice acting is commendable, with Taiwanese American Jessika Van doing a great job as Hannah. Her Mandarin isn’t quite as fluent, but players will be able to recognise the enemy soldiers shouting to each other in Mandarin that is not mangled by non-native speakers of the language.

Despite the flawed campaign, the sheer size of the massive battles and the amazing graphics make BF4 a winner — a pity then that the campaign mode does not really shine.

Multi-player fans will want to get the game on PC or wait for next-gen console versions, like that on the coming PlayStation 4. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions will support only 24 players a map, instead of 64.