The next iteration of the hugely successful Battlefield franchise is due to be released in mid-November. Moving away from the historical settings of the last two titles, Battlefield 2042 moves you into a climate-changed environment.
As with other Battlefield games, this first-person shooter game focuses heavily on tactical moves and working together as a squad within a larger team. As the name implies, it is set 21 years in the future and will feature cutting-edge weapons and gadgets. These will include deployable turrets, wingsuits, grappling hooks and drones. And, of course, you will have to contend with the various climate-change effects in the game as well.
If you missed the open beta in October, there are several titles that can tide you over until Battlefield 2042 is officially released on Nov. 19.
Before jumping into the latest Battlefield game, it’s a good idea to brush up on the mechanics from the series. The perfect game for that is Battlefield V, which takes place during WWII. It has a great single-player campaign, but the real charm is in the action-packed multiplayer portion. With up to 64 players battling together, things can get hairy very quickly, as it features devastating tanks, sniper rifles and assault weapons.
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Regarded as one of the best Battlefield games, Bad Company 2 features modern weapons and vehicles. It has single and multiplayer components and takes place in the near future. The main selling point of the game is that nearly anything can be fully destroyed, and the hilarious dialogue between the characters has always been memorable.
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The Battlefield games are all about squad tactics and working together, and Electronic Arts’ Titanfall 2 is an excellent example of how important that is. The futuristic shooter game features mechanized Titans that function as tanks, and players have to work together to beat the other team. It has a single-player campaign, but most players have flocked to the multiplayer section to upgrade and customize their Titan.
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The third Battlefield title shifted away from previous wars; instead, players fight in a modern setting. It features EA’s signature graphics, mechanics and gameplay modes. Battlefield 3 includes combat aircraft as well as tanks, and has the familiar infantry classes like sniper, assault, medic or engineer that you can choose from.
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Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War
There’s no harm in boosting your skills in other titles to get ready for Battlefield 2042 — and the Call of Duty franchise has famously been the main rival to the Battlefield games. Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is set in the early 1980s and features a story-driven single-player campaign as well as a multiplayer portion that includes zombies. Similar to the Battlefield titles, you can choose to specialize in a specific class that suits your play style.
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Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege
For an excellent lesson in working together as a team, Rainbow Six Siege is the best teacher. Using modern weapons, squads need to either infiltrate or defend an objective from the other team. Communication is key, as getting overrun or outflanked will spell disaster. It features a variety of gadgets, like being able to spy underneath doors with a small camera, drones and motion sensors.
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Battlefield 2042 includes modern aircraft, but if you can wait to scratch that itch, get into the cockpit of Ace Combat 7. Using real-world current and near-future weapons, you have to keep your head on a swivel if you want to survive. While Ace Combat 7 has a multiplayer aspect, it is a bit limited in scope. The single-player campaign is more engaging, and it also supports virtual reality headsets.
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World of Tanks Roll Out Collector’s Edition
A large portion of the Battlefield franchise focuses on mechanized divisions and armored vehicles like tanks. If you are into brute force, then jump into the free-to-play World of Tanks. Here you can battle it out in vehicles spanning several decades, and they can all be upgraded with special features and ammo.
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Taking place in modern times in the Middle East, Insurgency: Sandstorm focuses heavily on tactical decisions and teamwork. It is one of the hardest multiplayer games to master, as there is no respawning when you die, and the weapons are incredibly accurate.
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Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands
The Ghost Recon franchise has been much loved over the years, and 2017’s Wildlands once again proved why. The tactical and multiplayer-focused game takes place in Bolivia, and players have to work in a squad to complete missions and objectives. It has a strong plot-driven element and features a wide variety of vehicles and weapons.
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Charlie Fripp writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
