- PC ››
- Action ››
- Battlefield 2142
Battlefield 2142
- October 23, 2006 16:03 PM PST
- Email this!
- GamePro Score
- User Score
- Write your review!
Tribal Warfare
PROTIP: If you respawn on a Titan, just jump off the base and tap Jump (spacebar) to deploy your parachute.
Visuals aside, 2142's gameplay is still fundamentally the same. Its Conquest mode is the same variation of capture the flag that we've been playing for years. Its new Titan mode, however, gently pushes the formula to new heights, literally. These giant hovering warships act as respawn and resupply posts; it's up to each team to sabotage the other's Titan using ground-based rocket attacks or infiltrating the craft and detonating its central core. When you're stubbornly defending a Titan core against enemy invaders, it's hard not to reminisce about the early days of Starsiege: Tribes. In fact, you'll find parallels between Tribes and 2142 everywhere: fleets of powerful vehicles, vulnerable high-tech bases, and multiple player classes. That alone might be enough to convince veterans to give 2142 a shot.
You should also forget about the so-called "single-player" mode, as it's rubbish. The bot A.I. has seen only a slight boost from previous games, and it's still routine to see enemy soldiers running in mindless circles or guiding Battle Walkers straight into barriers. But that hardly matters anyway, as the game is laser-focused on its online experience. And what an experience it is.
PROTIP: You can guide the Engineer's rocket toward a target by zooming in and holding the fire key while guiding the mouse toward your target.
The new unlockable equipment (anti-tank rifles, optical camouflage, and anti-vehicle mines, to name just a few) keeps interest high and play sessions long as you try to earn your way to a better arsenal. And with some 40 pieces of unlockable equipment across four character classes, plus assorted medals, badges, and honorifics, you'll be kept plenty busy. Generally, online performance is good for a game that boasts a massive 64-player game limit (only 48 are supported in the new Titan mode, though). Needless to say, a high-speed internet connection is mandatory.
Fighting the (Pretty) Good Fight
It won't blow your mind, but Battlefield 2142 is a solid online shooter with an enormous fan base and plenty of servers. So what's not to like? The lack of major gameplay evolution, for one. Jittery vehicle controls (why can't Battle Walkers strafe?) and an awkward, slow-loading menu interface are others gripes that spring to mind. We're also hoping that EA and DICE will release more maps soon to boost the ones already available.
But these imperfections won't stop most online warriors from logging on. That's because Battlefield, in its best moments, is one of the most perfect and pure online experiences around. It's too bad 2142 isn't a major evolution over the titles that came before it but it's entertaining enough, and as the old saying goes, you shouldn't look a gift hovertank in the mouth.
The most advanced vehicles are the mighty Battle Walker and the Hovertank. Overall, 2142's vehicle controls feel smooth but still snag frequently on surrounding objects.
The class roster drops from seven to four. Assault troops can heal themselves and other players; Engineers can target machines and fix vehicles; Support troops can plant turrets and share lots of ammo; and Recon can terrorize infantry with long-range rifles and explosives.
