Battlefield 1943 Review

By Dan Whitehead Published 10 July, 2009

War is heck.

Version tested: Xbox 360

It's a testament to DICE's original multiplayer war game that even though there's been a spin-off or expansion every year since 2002, many people have been holding out for a proper World War 2 sequel for seven years. That this sequel arrives on consoles first, rather than PC, and as a bargain-priced digital download no less, reveals much about how gaming has changed since we first planted our boots in Battlefield's bloody, muddy soil.

This is undeniably Battlefield stripped down and pared back for a new generation of gamers. Those familiar with the PC original would be forgiven for being taken aback at just how slender the available options are, in almost every area. This ruthless focus is actually one of the game's strengths, at least in the short term, but it remains to be seen how such a skeletal starting point will sustain itself over the coming months.

It's war as Groundhog Day, a neverending series of skirmishes set in the Pacific theatre, but for many players it's getting started that has been the problem. Plagued by server problems and lag in its first 48 hours of public play, such technical sluggishness casts a pall over those all-important first impressions. Spending upwards of 30 minutes hitting the Quick Match button over and over really isn't something we should have to do for an online-only title with this sort of pedigree. Assuming these issues are resolved quickly, however, there's no reason to hold the teething troubles against the game itself. Once you do manage to get past the obstinate "No games found" message, you'll find a marvellously intuitive multiplayer shooter with a commendably balanced design.

'Battlefield 1943' Screenshot 1

Perfect fighter control is impressive, but not as cool as the "spiral hopelessly into the ocean" move so popular among newbies.

It's the US versus Japan, and each nation boasts just three classes of soldier: Rifleman, Infantry and Scout. These come with a standard load-out of weaponry. A primary weapon, from the Infantry's close-quarters machine gun to the Scout's long-distance sniper rifle; a secondary weapon, usually something explosive; and grenades or remote charges. There's also a variety of mounted machineguns and AA cannons to choose from, and an air raid accessible from radar stations that allows you to steer a trio of bombers over the map, pounding a target with clusters of bombs.

That's your lot, so anyone hoping to tweak and customise their kit in detail will be sorely disappointed. The same holds true of vehicles. Both sides have tanks, jeeps, gunboats and fighter planes. They look slightly different, but all have the same weaponry in the same positions. Neither side has the advantage in any area simply because of their default arsenal, but anyone finding themselves pummelled in one area can always earn some points by trying something else. Manning an anti-air battery and shooting down enemy fighters is always good for a few ranks, as is taking a cunning approach and sneaking around to claim undefended bases for an instant 30-point bonus.

'Battlefield 1943' Screenshot 2

With the outrageously powerful rifle, a veteran sniper can dominate any of these maps.

There's only one game mode though, a simple and mostly idiot-proof base-capture which keeps teams moving between five strategic points on the maps. Wresting control of these locations from the opposition is key to victory. The match doesn't simply end when you capture all of them, but instead your enemy's respawn tickets are depleted faster the more bases you hold. There's no health bar and ammo is infinite, with a small recharge time the only penalty for running dry, so the omnipresent respawn gauge is the only HUD detail you need to worry about.

There are also just three island maps on which to wreak havoc. Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima are fairly similar, offering a range of elevated hills, winding paths and trenches to scurry around. Wake Island is notable for its horseshoe shape, which has a distinct impact on the gameplay. There's also a fourth map-cum-mode, the mysterious dogfight-heavy Coral Sea, which will only be unlocked after a community event in which players have to rack up a cumulative 43 million kills (that's 43m each for PS3 and Xbox 360). All, however, are cleverly designed to keep the action moving around the map - the current conflict hotspot is always shown on-screen with a crossed-swords icon - without ever feeling like you're being herded for the sake of a cheap chokepoint. You instinctively learn the tricks and tactics that work best for each location, an evolving mental checklist that treats the terrain as a tangible place with consistent rules - always a good indication that the design is working.

So, two identical factions, three classes, three main maps and one game mode. For a download title it's an adequate start, but it does leave you in little doubt that the future of Battlefield 1943 lies in micropayments and DLC. Again, those reared on the mod community of the original game will no doubt bristle at having to pay for map packs and the like, and it's true that the prospect of paying to keep the game interesting rather negates the current bargain price.

As an initial investment, the game certainly impresses. It's an incredibly immersive dip into familiar waters, with the Bad Company's Frostbite engine offering up a satisfying destructible world, where buildings can crumble and walls collapse under the treads of a rampaging tank. Character models are a little basic, and the maps show their limitations when you take a plane high into the sky, but there's not much to complain about where production values are concerned. If anything dampens things on that front, it's the lag, which is most notable if you're trying to shoot down planes which teleport across the sky in distracting lurches. Hopefully the server fix will eradicate this problem.

Despite being pitched at console gamers, there are few concessions to the n00bs here. Anyone used to the subtle auto-aiming that makes most console shooters playable online will be flummoxed by the unforgiving accuracy demanded here, while the pace of the gameplay leaves little room for those trying to find their feet. There's a tutorial, but with no live foes it doesn't do much to prepare you for the mayhem ahead.

It comes with the territory, but it's no surprise to see the leaderboards for each match dominated by a handful of elite players who walk away from the round with over 500 points, while newcomers struggle to double figures. There's thankfully no friendly fire, but many of the other frustrations from Battlefields of old are still here, especially the prevalence of camping snipers. The sniper rifle in BF1943 is a ludicrously overpowered beast, capable of killing players in one shot from the other side of the map, so all it takes is for one team to have a proficient long-distance shooter and the precious balance so beautifully created by the weaponry and vehicles starts to fall apart.

'Battlefield 1943' Screenshot 3

Tanks are great for clearing fortified areas, but are easy prey for the Infantry bazookas.

Movement on foot is sometimes snagged by rogue scenery or a wayward incline, and vehicle control isn't all it could be. The planes are slippery customers, but mastering their peculiarities is one of the few ways to guarantee massive scores. You can also be sure to find queues of annoying players loitering around the plane respawn points, practically begging to be sniped. The land vehicles aren't quite as successful - with no reverse gear they're easy to jam into impossible spaces, and tanks are often more trouble than they're worth.

The slimline features also means that there's not much benefit in ranking up. Although there are awards for specific feats, these are just collectable stamps. There are no perks, no bonuses, no loftier purpose behind climbing the ranks than old-fashioned bragging rights. Nor are the lobby options much to get excited about. The front-end is functional but inflexible, clearly favouring those who just want to dive into the first available match. You can join up with friends as a squad, and carry your own private chat channel from one round to the next, but in terms of setting up custom games you're limited to basic options.

These minor irritations come and go as you battle through lengthy sessions, and while the gameplay benefits from the no-frills approach, rendering the action accessible to all in concept if not always in practice, there is a lingering danger that the game's undeniable appeal will dim pretty quickly with so few variables to play with. In the first flushes of infatuation it's an easy game to love, and one that will easily provide hours of ferocious enjoyment. In a few months' time the spell may well have worn off, but for this price that's really not something to worry about right now.

8 / 10

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Picture of Dan.

About Dan Whitehead

Dan has been writing for Eurogamer since 2006 and specialises in RPGs, shooters and games for children. His bestest game ever is Julian Gollop's Chaos.

Read more articles from Dan by visiting the Dan Whitehead archive page.

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Comments (128) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Gl3n #1 3 years ago

    First?

    Edit:

    Did i not follow forum ettiquette? :D
    Edited by 1 at 10/07/09 @ 12:27

  • mowgli #2 3 years ago

    Game is fucking awesome. It's just bloody hard to get a game!

  • r4z0rbl4d3 #3 3 years ago

    @Gl3n - No one cares

    Great review, I've had a blast with the game, when I get to play it... EA are doing some maintenance right now and no one can play, hopefully the get things running more smoothly soon!
    Edited by 1 at 10/07/09 @ 11:34

  • mikeck #4 3 years ago

    I love the fact that instead of playing a multiplayer shooter in dark, grim environments, I get to shoot people in the head under lovely blue skies, on gorgeous pacific islands, with a big ass bright sun shining away - awesome stuff ;)

  • butler` #5 3 years ago

    hmmmm ps3 or 360

    i suppose 360 for the pad

  • AphoticCosmos #6 3 years ago

    It's a really, really fun game, and the planes are extremely well done! I can't wait for Coral Sea to be unlocked.

    And whilst doing a bit of browsing I found out that EA has confirmed BF3 somewhat under the radar in a cryptic statement! Why did nobody tell me, because it's about time that BF2 got a proper sequel!

  • CableNut #7 3 years ago

    Great review, great game........... :p

  • jack_klugman #8 3 years ago

    The default controls aren't immediately intuitive for sure. Odd spread of weapon-swap controls on the infantry and confusing transitions between infantry and vehicles, with vehicles making next to no use of the left analogue stick. Why does nobody learn from Halo that third person vehicle control and consistent use of left stick movement and right stick aiming is the way to go? Bah!

  • DFawkes #9 3 years ago

    Could do with another map I felt, though I'll get my wish in a few million kills time so now I just have to play the waiting (and killing) game...

    Great game though, love the simplified classes.

  • Paulanator #10 3 years ago

    "The land vehicles aren't quite as successful - with no reverse gear they're easy to jam into impossible spaces"

    I'm 99% sure that there is a reverse gear, you just have to hold LB (on the 360), the same button used for braking.

  • DDevil #11 3 years ago

    "The land vehicles aren't quite as successful - with no reverse gear they're easy to jam into impossible spaces, and tanks are often more trouble than they're worth."

    Err... All the land vehicles I've been bombing around in have had reverse gears! Good job too especially when I slide tanks down hills and through trees!

  • CableNut #12 3 years ago

    paulanator ..... left trigger forward...... left button is reverse :p

  • El-Dev #13 3 years ago

    Hold L2 for reverse.

    8 is a fair score, but when you consider it's only £10 for the amount of hours that will get spent playing this it's well worth it.

    A few European City maps, such as Berlin and Operation Market Garden from BF1942 and a few more weapon classes would well be worth a few quid in DLC.

  • agparrot #14 3 years ago

    "The land vehicles aren't quite as successful - with no reverse gear they're easy to jam into impossible spaces,"

    +1 to all the people who have played the game and noticed that there is a reverse gear!

  • Dizzy #15 3 years ago

    I think it is great except for the uber deadly snipers :(

    /tries to find reverse for plane
    Edited by 1 at 10/07/09 @ 11:45

  • Agent_Orange #16 3 years ago

    Good review based on the game, fair enough the controls are maybe slightly niggly, and the destruction may cause some issues, but I think it deserves an extra 1 point for the price! Definately the best XBLA game i've played.

  • jack_klugman #17 3 years ago

    -1 to whoever thought holding the LB Button to reverse was a satisfactory button allocation. :p

  • rhinoxious #18 3 years ago

    Played it last night, briefly, it does seem to favour super serious players (with the powerful planes and snipers). I thought a more forgiving and accessible appoach would be better suited to a cheaply available, and inevitably popular, console shooter.

  • b00n #19 3 years ago

    Any BF42 veterans who have played the game? Wonder if it's worth it because it seems a lot of the depth, and sheer fun, has disappeared. Probably going to wait for BF3 instead of supporting this DLC fueled dumbing down of one of the most deep, engaging mp games ever.

  • MikeP #20 3 years ago

    I swapped the land vehicles onto stick drive, feels much more natural than splitting throttle control for forward / brake(and reverse, Dan) across two buttons.

    I think the plane controls are daft though. To pull off a tight turn you should be able to roll it so the wings are vertical and pull back on the stick (like you would with a real plane or a scale model). Instead, nearly all the directional control comes via the rudder. That is, unless I'm missing something...

  • Mkwone #21 3 years ago

    Great game for starters, but hopefully we'll see free DLC. A couple more classes and maps would be grand.

  • JammyPez #22 3 years ago

    "If anything dampens things on that front, it's the lag, which is most notable if you're trying to shoot down planes which teleport across the sky in distracting lurches. Hopefully the server fix will eradicate this problem."
    That's all that has been said on the crippling problems that have beset the 360 launch, meaning many people can't play the game they've paid for?

  • Fab4 #23 3 years ago

    You wonder with the preponderance of sniper wannabes in FPSers nowadays, that no developer ever came out with a successful sniper game...you'd think they'd be tripping over themselves to play such a game....the sneaky little runts.

  • Eraser #24 3 years ago

    How many MS points is it?

  • AphoticCosmos #25 3 years ago

    1200

    Well worth it IMHO

  • Waffleaber #26 3 years ago

    Exactly how overpowered are the sniper rifles? We in AWP territory here?

  • Hog-lumps #27 3 years ago

    To pull off a tight turn you should be able to roll it so the wings are vertical and pull back on the stick (like you would with a real plane or a scale model).

    You can do this - although I find it's much easier if you flip the sticks over (southpaw) and invert the axis.

    Edit, I still think they should have seperated the rotation and tail flaps to opposite sticks (like most arcade flights sims handle control) with the rudder assigned to the triggers - It feels wrong to rotate and pull back all on one single stick to me.....
    Edited by 2 at 10/07/09 @ 12:08

  • MikeN #28 3 years ago

    I think the server problems have definitely got to be taken into consideration as a strike against the game. No matter how great the game is and it is tons of fun once you eventually get into a match, that matters little if you cannot even play the game.

  • PearOfAnguish #29 3 years ago

    Any BF42 veterans who have played the game?

    I'd like to know this too. How does it compare? BF1942 is still the best in the series.

  • George-Roper #30 3 years ago

    Very good game for a tenner. Hugely entertaining.

  • DUFFKING #31 3 years ago

    I don't think 3 maps will be too much of an issue with this either, half the people who played BF2 were happy to only ever play Karkand, Sharqui Peninsula and Mashtuur City all day every day :p Twas even worse on BF2MC where you only ever had 2 maps come up :D

    Snipers are spot on btw. Bodyshots won't kill, headshots do. Simple.

  • j-bo #32 3 years ago

    Guessing this doesn't stand up much to BF2 or BF2142 for any of us PC & Console gamers?

    meh, well tbh any console shooter just feels like trying to control a stoned giraffe after using a mouse and keyboard:/
    Edited by 1 at 10/07/09 @ 12:12

  • Bloodhunter #33 3 years ago

    I enjoyed the 30 mins I was able to play in the demo, now I need to decide whether to buy it...

  • XdarXideX #34 3 years ago

    Been playing Battlefield from the start here... 1943 is obviously similar to 1942 but I prefered the aircraft in BF1942. I loved Bad Company though so overall I'm enjoying 1943 more. I just wish they would do a Battlefield Vietnam remake!

    @j-bo
    Have you been avoiding console FPS games or something? I got used to the stick controls years ago and I find it no harder than using a mouse and keyboard. It takes some getting used to just like anything and if you feel it doesn't work then that's just your inability, not the concept's fault. Millions of people are just fine with a controller in FPS games... your argument is old.

    However, BF2 was brilliant. Not sure about BF2142.
    Edited by 1 at 10/07/09 @ 12:18

  • Ryuken #35 3 years ago

    As long as the planes aren't overpowered, that totally ruined BF2 most of the time.

  • ThemisB #36 3 years ago

    Played this for hours last night on my PS3 and I love it. Surprisingly didn't have any lag issues whatsoever, and no trouble joining games. Got disconnected a couple of times, had some trouble with comms, and the "join match with friends" feature doesn't seem to work properly. Apart from that, very little bad to say about it.

    Oh, and the vehicles do have a reverse gear.

  • Apollo #37 3 years ago

    Marvelous value for a tenner\twelve euros, balance perfect, weapons and vehicles spot on. Maps gorgeous. No complaints here...

  • Fab4 #38 3 years ago

    I don't care whether they are overpowered or not, I merely stated that they are a very popular class in almost all FPSers nowadays. In the forces they are an elite...in games (yes, yes, I get that they arent real) you cant move for tripping over them. I just wondered how much fun they'd be if everyone decided to be a sniper.

  • Dizzy #39 3 years ago

    >I just wondered how much fun they'd be if everyone decided to be a sniper.

    This could easily be fixed by adding pop caps for certain classes and maybe a queue if you really want to be something specific.

  • AphoticCosmos #40 3 years ago

    "Guessing this doesn't stand up much to BF2 or BF2142 for any of us PC & Console gamers? "

    BF2 and 2142 are getting a proper sequel anyway - BF3 - but even as someone who has well over 2000 hours combined between the two, 1943 is absolutely great!

  • Fidjit #41 3 years ago

    @Fab4

    Snipers < Tanks

  • Hog-lumps #42 3 years ago

    If everyone was a sniper, wouldn't you simply jump in the nearest plane and drop bombs on their heads?:/

    I think that's whats great about this game, you have lot's of different tactics at you disposal if one thing isn't working.......

  • tinners #43 3 years ago

    Can't reverse with Land Vehicles? erm you can???

  • tinners #44 3 years ago

    Makes me wonder how long EG played this for based on that no reverse gear statement, the most obvious thing in the game tbh lol.......obviously if they were on the same servers as us they would get about 1 game per hour, damn you EA! :(

  • Eighthours #45 3 years ago

    I wonder if Dan's going to amend that line in that review...? :)

  • XdarXideX #46 3 years ago

    Mappman - Clearly they didn't anticipate such a large number of players

  • Anthony_UK #47 3 years ago

    I wouldn't say the Snipers are overpowered at all. It takes 2 shots to down someone, with you having to reload after each shot. Fair enough it's one hit with a headshot, but when someone is moving it is very hard to pull off.

    If anything I'd say the main issue if any is the player count, 12 v 12 worked fine with Bad Company and even Frontlines as both teams had a common goal/ojective to attack and defend. On these Conquest maps though, I'd say it can be a little barren at times. Out of your team of 12 You've got say 2 people in planes in the air, maybe another 1 or 2 goal hanging for the next plane to respawn on the carrier, you have only 8 people left to defend 5 objectives that are spread relatively far apart.

    It's still an awesome game, but the release trailer for example is very naughty trying to give potential buyers that it's non stop action, when it really isn't.

  • tinners #48 3 years ago

    30 mins free on the trial version!!!!! they should have foreseen this shit better, or only let you play the tutorial with the free demo.
    Edited by 1 at 10/07/09 @ 12:37

  • MightyMouse #49 3 years ago

    People complain about snipers but with the flag system that 1942 started they don't do much and rarely even get that many kills. The people at the top of scoreboards will be in tanks, in planes or assaulting different positions.

  • ComradePete #50 3 years ago

    Had the game since 5pm on Wednesday & haven't been able to get into a single game so far. Which is slightly frustrating.

  • PearOfAnguish #51 3 years ago

    As long as the planes aren't overpowered, that totally ruined BF2 most of the time.

    Eh? They fucked up the planes in BF2 with tiny maps and stupid heat-seeking missiles. Yet another reason BF1942 rules.

  • AphoticCosmos #52 3 years ago

    Hopefully the update that they're running at the moment will sort server availability out and hopefully improve on the lag.

    "Eh? They fucked up the planes in BF2 with tiny maps and stupid heat-seeking missiles. Yet another reason BF1942 rules."

    Agreed - IMHO the BF2 planes are a bit lacklustre. On some maps in the capacity of a good pilot they are far too overpowered [J-10s on Dalian? What a fucking joke. Most USMC teams can't even get off of the bloody Essex]. In other instances they're essentially great for pissing about in, but tactically useless in the hands of all but a few pilots.

    Helicopters are amazing though. Some of my best gaming moments ever from flying the Blackhawk around on Mashtuur.
    Edited by 1 at 10/07/09 @ 12:48

  • nickthegun #53 3 years ago

    Amazingly, the game is better on the PS3. The 360 version tears a bit and the online functions (currently) dont really work. The PS3 on the other hand seems smoother, is easier to get a game and is fairly lag free.

  • dudefella #54 3 years ago

    @ reviewer: Protip: Press LB to reverse.

  • jack_klugman #55 3 years ago

    I love the air strike minigame (if you can call it that). Much satisfaction to be had lining up the perfect bombing run.

  • nickthegun #56 3 years ago

    Haha. Comment getting voted down for telling the truth FLT.

  • metalangel #57 3 years ago

    As a huge BF1942 fan, I am crushed at how dumbed down this new version is. The best parts of these maps were the ships and the related hijinx that ensued, so to hack them out (along with a lot of other stuff) effectively cripples the game for me. A pity, as the production values are amazing (the sound especially). Dan is right - by cutting so much out, the longevity is seriously curtailed. Not getting this, will stick with Battlestations Pacific.

  • MikeP #58 3 years ago

    @jonarob - It was, so I plussed it.

  • SBfistfun #59 3 years ago

    Any BF42 veterans who have played the game?
    I've played them all, bf1942 still being my favourite out the bunch.

    1943 is good, well worth a tenner. It's certainly missing alot of the depth from 42, such as the engineer class (my fave, sniper with expacks isnt the same) being able to drop people over the flags in a plane (only 1 seaters now), no wing walking, dont think you can carry people on the front of the jeep anymore either.

    Gripes are:
    I thought ctf in 42 was the best implemntation of ctf ever, so much fun and chaos at times, real pity its missing.
    The three maps theyve chose are all very similiar. Some of the city maps thrown in would have been good.

    All in all its well worth the money though. Providing you can get into a game. They really need to sort this stuff out, I was put off bad company because the demo was such a laggy bag of crap, its only because I picked up bad company cheap i ended up getting it (which I'm glad of cause when it works its ace).

    I think the sniper is fine, only 1 shot kill if you get a headshot, which is as it should be, plus its a bolt action sniper so the reload between each shot is a couple of seconds.

    Hoping theres some decent DLC planned!

  • PearOfAnguish #60 3 years ago

    So no CTF, no ships, no engy class, no wing walking or jeep surfing silliness...hmm

  • TheRook21 #61 3 years ago

    As many have said - there is a reverse for land vehicles (definately not for planes @ Dizzy :p), not sure on boats only used it for 3 seconds after sniping out the enemy boat "captain"

    The sniper rifle isn't AWP territory... body hits dont kill in 1 hit (or certainly dont for me PS3)

    I've had no problems playing the game (online obviously over the PSN)


    Worth every penny and I'll gladly pay for maps £1 a map for future DLC...

    IF your going to dish out map packs/dlc make sure you charge a lower price as more people will get it and wont split the community as much... /glares at CoD map packs

    @bloodhunter - I was expecting this to be damn enjoyable so I made sure I had £10 to burn for when this came out :) Worth every penny!

  • Dizzy #62 3 years ago

    Haha. Comment getting voted down for telling the truth FLT.

    I think this is the reason. Versions are equal.

    Pulling stuff out of your ass gets negative karma.
    Edited by 3 at 10/07/09 @ 13:33

  • EvilZub #63 3 years ago

    Bah, who would use LB to reverse! Just change the vehicle and boat layout to use the left thumbstick to move forward and backwards! Honestly it should have been the default setting!

  • Collymilad #64 3 years ago

    BF was never about depth.

    It was about having a massive map to creap/run around on, the vehicles and the excellent combat.

    All of which are present here. Yes it only has 3 maps and 1 game mode, but I think the cutting down has been a bit over-emphasised here.

    I used to play BF 1942 on PC and I've found that all the things that made the game fun have been preserved. Some more maps would be nice though.

  • r4z0rbl4d3 #65 3 years ago

    Zero lag here as well, amazing really. Love it to bits, I heartedly recommend it for some online arcade MP mania!

  • AllenSpawn #66 3 years ago

    What version are all you people complaining about, when it comes to getting a game.
    I have it on ps3, and played for 3 hours last night and never had a single problem.
    And i was dippiing in and out of friends games no problem.
    Battlefield is frickin great........
    Only played 3 hours........but so many stories came out of it...even in this bare bones version

  • Artemus #67 3 years ago

    Got the PS3 version last night. Took 15 to download and I connected instantly with no lag issues for the rest of the time I played.

    It's great if watered down, but not as much as Heroes. Well worth a tenner.

  • TheLittlestHobo #68 3 years ago

    First day 360 stats:
    * On Day 1 there were 29.45 years of gameplay completed on Xbox 360
    * Over 5 millions kills in the first day!
    (from Gordon Van Dyke on the EA forums.)

  • coastal #69 3 years ago

    +1 innit.

  • inni786 #70 3 years ago

    I have to say this game is well worth the £10 fee
    instant gameplay and I had no issues getting into a game
    I have had 2 disconnects though even though my internet connection is showing active??? anyone else have this problem
    I'm playing on PS3
    I'm sure there will be dlc for this, maps etc and hopefully more weapons
    One gripe has to be the amount of players that are in both teams, surely they couldve made it 16v16?

  • nickthegun #71 3 years ago

    I think this is the reason. Versions are equal.

    Pulling stuff out of your ass gets negative karma.

    Because the best way to see tearing is on the tutorial level where nothing happens, rather than in game with 40 people tearing around in vehicles...

  • john_silence #72 3 years ago

    Snipers and vehicles domination. What an exciting prospect. Yaaawn. My hopes were up for the PC version, but right now I think I'll pass. The console-first launch had me worried anyway.

  • Yodzilla #73 3 years ago

    game has some problems but it's still a lot of fun

  • KayJay #74 3 years ago

    Does it do anything different to Warhawk?
    It does sound a little unbalanced to me. I bloody hate camping Snipers and it sounds like this lends itself to that.
    Might give the demo a bash.
    kj

  • SleepyDeathFred #75 3 years ago

    There is a reverse gear in vehicles, snipers don't kill in one shot and you can mute the music. It is possible to find out these things on your own, you know.

  • mungolikebeans #76 3 years ago



    This game definitely has potential to be as good as Warhawk.

  • collateral89 #77 3 years ago

    the trophys are really hard to get lol im joking the trophys are stupid no challenge at all dnt u ppl get sarcasm
    Edited by 1 at 11/07/09 @ 09:46

  • KrispyBacon #78 3 years ago

    Trying to join a friend on the 360 version is a real pain.

  • quantumsheep #79 3 years ago

    "the trophys are really hard to get lol"

    Heh - I've got 11 of the 12 achievements already. Best to try and get into a squad with people you know :)

  • chubster2010 #80 3 years ago

    re. 'Spending upwards of 30 minutes hitting the Quick Match button over and over really isn't something we should have to do for an online-only title with this sort of pedigree. '

    I didn't have any problems of this sort on PSN.... Perfect from day one.
    Edited by 1 at 10/07/09 @ 18:53

  • Matt_82 #81 3 years ago

    @BARIS.K

    No it says 'land' vehicles, then gives the example of a tank.

  • stepneg #82 3 years ago

    I've had enough of trying with BF1943, haven't been able to play at all since I bought the game and now I can get in I find it's crippled with lag. Loved the original and from what I can tell this should be a great console version but at the moment it's nothing but a waste of money. How can EA balls something this bad, fucking idiots.

  • chessboxer #83 3 years ago

    I've been playing this since 7pm yesterday on the PS3. It's fucking awesome, I can only imagine how great this will look when it comes out for the PC. I've had no disconnects and no lag. EA done a great job with the servers.

    It's a noticeable graphical improvement over Bad Company too. Looking close up, Bad Company was grainy, although it looks fine from 1.5m away. 1943 on the other hand is clean, even up close and extremely colourful. Wake Island looks phenomenal.

    It would be awesome if DICE allowed custom maps for this game (like Epic did with UT3).

  • SwedBear #84 3 years ago

    nicktegun: I'm playing it at 720p on my 360 and I certainly don't notice any tearing. Going to up to 1080p to see if that might where you get it.

    It's a brilliant game. I oved BF1942 and I love this. It brings back memories ... now get us some more maps like the European maps ... Battle of Britain was quite fun. And the one with the hill with tons of AT-guns ..

  • Chikken #85 3 years ago

    You CAN reverse, pretty sure it's L1/LB

  • busboy33 #86 3 years ago

    @Fab4:

    "You wonder with the preponderance of sniper wannabes in FPSers nowadays, that no developer ever came out with a successful sniper game...you'd think they'd be tripping over themselves to play such a game....the sneaky little runts."

    There have been sniper games -- they usually fail. Snipers don't want to play sniper games . . . they want to camp in a corner and take pot shots at the players actually running around playing.

  • Lukree #87 3 years ago

    Well.. Still a bit unsure about the future of this particular game, but indoubtedly this is really serious shit online!

  • SleepyDeathFred #88 3 years ago

    It's good fun and extremely addictive, and I'm pretty sure you can even reverse the landing craft as long as they're not grounded... Anyhow, as long as it works it's very good and certainly at this stage worth the money.

  • Tyronne #89 3 years ago

    The demo was okay but I am not paying 10 quid for a 3 level game (or 4 once the bonus level gets unlocked)

    Not going to be slowly fleeced with bonus dl packs on this one.

    Thanks but i`ll pass.

  • stodgypudding #90 3 years ago

    I am sick to the back teeth of being told 'game not available' when trying to join someone who defiantly has spaces in the room.

    They should have at least stopped the demo and stopped selling this game until they'd sorted out the problems. I can get a game on my own in a public lobby but that stopped being fun years ago. I want to play this game with my friends as it was advertised.

  • kingofbergamo #91 3 years ago

    The review read's sounds like a 6 to me. No reverse gear on the vehicles, 1 game mode, 3 classes, flimsy plane controls, lag and to top up a terrible launch day with players unable to download or connect.

    What a joke.

  • AphoticCosmos #92 3 years ago

    "The review read's sounds like a 6 to me. No reverse gear on the vehicles, 1 game mode, 3 classes, flimsy plane controls, lag and to top up a terrible launch day with players unable to download or connect.

    What a joke."

    1. There is reverse gear on land vehicles as has been stated many times in this thread.

    2. The one game mode is a classic and proven one. It was enough for BF2, it's enough for 1943.

    3. The three classes work very well together. There really wasn't a need for any more.

    4. Rubbish plane controls? Far from it, just people who don't understand how to go into settings and change the control scheme. In fact, the planes are far and away the best part of 1943. So fun to fly or watch, and their sound is incredible! Beefy roars as they strafe your position, ominous whines as they set themselves up for a divebomb, etc. Just perfect.

    5. Lag is dependent on individual connections. I have to say that I haven't really experienced any lag beyond what I would usually expect in any MP FPS.

    6. Clearly they underestimated demand, but connecting has become much easier over the course of the last day or so.

    And to top it all off, it is bloody fun.

  • Bazfrag #93 3 years ago

    Hello EG! Gonna get negative karma for my 1st post but how can a reviewer miss the reverse gear when the controls pop up when you enter a vehicle? Anyway lo to all, and well done for sorting the trolling and insults, the site is much better now. :) psn is Bazfrag. Add me!!

  • VandelayIndustries #94 3 years ago

    "Haha. Comment getting voted down for telling the truth FLT.

    @Dizzy "Versions are equal.

    Pulling stuff out of your ass gets negative karma."

    All that link shows is a similar level of aliasing and a slight difference in gamma. nickthegun was pointing out that the 360 version tears and the PS3 one doesn't. Playing both versions for few hours last night bears this out. I was only able to play on the 360 version by joining through a friends profile, since the quick play function didn't work.

    (Both my consoles are set to 720p and are run through a receiver into the same HDMI port on my TV).

  • zakrocz #95 3 years ago

    The original was a 10/10 and so is this, £10, what a no-brainer

  • SleepyDeathFred #96 3 years ago

    As I say, it's good when its works, but by this stage it's still not completely sorted - ranks disappearing or remaining unchanged or whatever.

  • BadBoyBonner #97 3 years ago

    4 Days on and still the servers are complete shite - WTF EA? Putting on a bit of jerky (can't believe the engine can't manage to scroll a bit of text across the screen smoothly - playing on 360 1360x768 VGA) text across the bottom of the screen can hardly make up for this pile of shit connectivity.

    LAAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagggggggggggggggggg is terrible - and guess what? There's fuck all way of checking the speed/latency of your connection - not even the primitive (but usable) 4 bar connector indicator in the COD games.

    So here is the DIY test - load up the game - go to the tutorial - get in the plane and fly about releasing bombs on the external view.

    Now you will notice in third person you can see them drop from your plane - every time.

    NOT ONCE in ANY game have I ever seen the bombs I have launched in this game drop from under wing. This is because the lag is so bad that the bombs are seemingly dropped from out of nowhere making bombing (which I can do with well over 90% accuracy in the tutorial) nigh on impossible in game. Not to mention trying to shoot a plane down in a dog fight where the plane is "teleporting" all over the place due to latency - planes even lag on the map screen lol.

    Jeeps that run you over have gone through you and out the other side (you perhaps thinking close one) only to die about half a second latter - without your character being moved at all.

    The sound is so out of sync and lagging that half the time in the plane you can not even hear a single bullet noise or anti-aircraft fire - and end up simply exploding in a ball of fire thinking WTF.

    Randomly your own gun firing noise completely goes silent for no apparent reason.

    I can remember stating how the network code prioritisation in COD:WAW didn't feel as sharp as as COD4 - it still doesn't (ping is king in COD4 with COD:WAW seemingly has some sort of compensation system implemented).

    BUT WAW compared to BF 1943 is like a thing of beauty.

    In the COD games skill will win many more times than not - in this game it feels very much like a game of chance in most of the 1-1 gun fights - there's a real "fuzziness" to the feel of it - no doubt from the lag.

    I get a 26 millisecond reported ( ping bbc.co.uk and ping Jolt.co.uk) - so not the fastest ever - but when I play Battelfield Heroes on the PC - the difference is night and day. BFH feels almost like local play where as BF1943 feels like playing it in the days of dial up. How can the same connection running on the same engine - produce such wildly differing results?

    Sure the PC is munching through BFH at about 200 frames per second - and the 360 is just about managing 30fps in BFH - but the difference is far too stark for that to be anything other than a mild contributor to the problem.

    Currently the online latency sucks a lot of the fun out of this game to the point of frustration after a while (once you get in that it is). I have racked up about 12 hours play on it - and only been on one server where lag was reasonable - which suddenly propelled me to to the top of the leader board in no time.

    I like everything about the game - except for it's online performance.

    Which for an online only game is something of a problem - with the network code running as efficiently as COD4 - I'd preffer to play this game (so many more options) - as it is - I spend half my time playing through gritted teeth - and uttering blasphemous comments roughly every 10-20 seconds.

    The novelty of it is wearing away - core gameplay seems great - the latency is draining it's life force.

    Starting to feel like a battle of wills with other gamers - who'll get pissed off enough to piss off and improve network performance first - but seems we are all entrenched and addicted at the moment - all praying for an improvement!
    Edited by 1 at 11/07/09 @ 16:54

  • chubster2010 #98 3 years ago

    @ BadBoy
    Is that on the 360 or Ps3? From my experience with the PS3 version, its still working wonderful. Had no problems at all.

  • BadBoyBonner #99 3 years ago

    360 Chubster

  • SleepyDeathFred #100 3 years ago

    Dice have reached server capacity yet again, 4 days after the launch. This is for 360, at least, I don't know about PS3.

  • El-Dev #101 3 years ago

    How many more people could be playing it on the 360 than on the PS3? It may be part of the problem but not the entire problem.

    Glad I got it on PS3, only lost connection once so far.

  • pinochet_cz #102 3 years ago

    doesn't work...spent my 1200 points to nothin :-/ I was able to connect twice in last two days. Go to hell, EA

  • Roarrr #103 3 years ago

    Loving this title immensely. In fact I can't stop playing it. Playing on PS3, I've had one disconnect today and 1 refusal to find a game but hours of without problems. This game is fun, simple as. Loving the colour scheme rather than the dreary environments of KZ2.

  • D_arkTrooper #104 3 years ago

    Demo disconnected once and had 2 freezes (needed to turn off) during full game (typically when I was doing well) on PS3 so far in about 9hrs total playtime.Absolutely no lag and got into a game every single time without fail so far.Well worth a tenner :D

  • MAX99 #105 3 years ago

    i can't connect to this game. why are EA allowed to deploy inadequate servers structure on an xbox live game?

    surely other people must be having same problems?

  • SleepyDeathFred #106 3 years ago

    Pretty much everyone seems to be. Perhaps it will sort itself out soon though - they've just launched UK servers apparently.

  • butler` #107 3 years ago

    think ill put up with the awful ps3 pad in favour of the free online and, well, a game that works!

  • Xerx3s #108 3 years ago

    Bought it yesterday. Very nice game at a decent price but ffs EA, fix your crap. So far encountered in 1 day: Multple hardlocks of the console, Not being able to connect (fixed by linking profile on EA.com), Being kicked out of games when other people join, not being able to join games even though there is enough space, massive lag, etc. etc.

    Also, teams of 4? What where you thinking? Good thing that there is a global party system but please fix that! 8 players is a bare minimum, 12 a wanted.

  • Xerx3s #109 3 years ago

    MAX99: Have you tried making an EA account on EA.com and then linking your XBL profile to it? I couldn't connect until I did that.

  • chubster2010 #110 3 years ago

    re. 'Most comments on here are saying the PS3 is handling it a lot better online.
    Is that because there is less people playing on PS3 than xbox online? What other reaons could it be?'

    Could it be that....PSN is as good/better than Live for online gaming?! No?! Surely not....

    Seriously though, it is odd that PSN seems to be performing better.

  • TRUTH #111 3 years ago

    Endwar is the best online game i've played - try it !...This much better then Battlefiled.

  • Alkeno #112 3 years ago

    In case nobody thought about it* maybe the author was given access to a non-so-final build in order to review the game (it happens all the time, they have to review games before games are out). Maybe on that version ground vehicles didn't have reverse. Maybe reverse was disabled due to a late bug discovered 10' before submitting the code... Maybe Dan just missed it and is now hiding in shame :-D

    * If someone said that already, sorry, haven't read the whole thread...

  • Mark1412 #113 3 years ago

    Fair enough but they should probably edit it out now, it's criticism of a missing feature that exists. Looks bad on both parties.

    Sucks for all the people having issues, I've played for eight hours in the passed few days, only issue I've had is infrequent freezing. Had one laggy game out of nearly thirty-five. Haven't noticed many of the issues BadBoy brought up either. Love the lack of auto-aim, vehicle controls are beautiful, and the skeletal structure only enhances what's already great cheap gaming.

  • HiredMan #114 3 years ago

    The 360 comunity is outpacing the PS3 guys in kills by almost 2 to 1 at this stage, which most likely explains why PS3 users have been having far fewer connection issues.

    360 is over half way to unlocking Coral Sea, last I heard Live had over 23,000,000 kills but I'm not sure what PSN is up to yet, I would guess around 13-14,000,000 kills. PSN was at about 5.5mil when Live hit 10mil a couple of days ago iirc.

    Anyway, I have the 360 version and haven't experienced any significant issues since saturday morning, which is great because I'm in Australia and the Aus 360 servers are not online yet afaik (PSN has had Aus servers since launch).

    P.S. The game is fucking brilliant.... probably my favorite game of the year so far.

  • Acornhead! #115 3 years ago

    This game is a tad overrated in my opinion, it's just Bad Company with WW2 guns...

  • chubster2010 #116 3 years ago

    @ Acornhead!
    Wasn't Battlefield: Bad Company just Battlefield 2 with a single player story mode?

  • Physically_Insane #117 3 years ago

    This review is weird. Reads like a 5/10

  • iago71 #118 3 years ago

    Great Fun ..... Have had some issues getting into a party but after a few mins have got in and stayed in. No freezing and no lag - Not sure why some people are having such grief. Hope they get it fixed. :)

    Im playing 360 vers BTW.

  • LiveForever #119 3 years ago

    All Dice games are betas when released. No suprise about the lag.

  • Gammerz #120 3 years ago

    Coral Sea Air Superiority game is a blast! Great dogfighting and adds what feels like a completely new game to the already great land-based maps. A good WW2 shooter covering both land and air warfare.

  • hobbesthetiger #121 3 years ago

    Was interested in getting this, but frankly difficulty getting games + lag + over-powerful sniping = more frustration than enjoyment. I'll pass for now.

  • SFG_Clan #122 3 years ago

    No reverse gear, emmm yeah its LB on the Xbox. I cant believe how many idiots havent figured this out, even you Eurogamer for shame

    Also the sniping isnt that bad, in fact most snipers suffer planes attacking them and being rushed by riflemen or tanks. The lag has been sorted. This is a good game so don't let this poorly timed review ruin it.
    Edited by 1 at 16/07/09 @ 18:35

  • Mashum #123 3 years ago

    For the past 4 or 5 days I've not seen any lag or had difficulties in getting a quickmatch game (may take a couple of tries though) - also spent some time using the ad-hoc squads yeasterday and that was seemless.

  • fluff_the_tiger #124 3 years ago

    Loving this!

  • carlitoswagon #125 3 years ago

    Been playing BF:1943 for the last couple of days (360 version) and no issues with connecting to games or lag. It's fucking great craic! The maps are perfect, the wepaons balance is fair and it's nice killing people while the sun shines ;)

    Sometimes I just want to strip off and run into the sea. The water looks beautiful....

    /Reminder to self. I will die and loose limbs for going swimming.


  • Gammerz #126 3 years ago

    The scenery is fantastic. Especially the water. Maybe they should have a "party" map. No weapons. Just sunbathing, swimming, messing about in boats & planes and some bikini clad (or not ;) women!
    Edited by 1 at 18/07/09 @ 00:37

  • SEVQA #127 3 years ago

    Very good game but has crashed my ps3 at least 4 times!

  • carlitoswagon #128 3 years ago

    Still no fix on an article saying there is no reverse gear on vehicles. Dan you are the n00b this time!!

    Also, whats that shite about getting loads of kills in planes. I can fly the bastards really well. I just can't kill anyone. One of my bombs scratched a tank yesterday and I almost cried with joy!!

    Still, love this game. Complete bargain.
    Edited by 1 at 20/07/09 @ 16:15