From buildable fortifications to towing heavy artillery, the shape of battles look to change in a big way in Battlefield V. Here are some of the big gameplay changes coming to this year’s game.
Fortifications
Let’s get the big one out of the way first: fortifications. Gone are the days of not being able to camp out in buildings that have been destroyed, or sitting on a flag in conquest with a ‘hope for the best’ attitude. You’ll now be able to craft a range of different fortifications — like sandbags, trenches, and fox holes — in the midst of battle, giving you a better angle for potential tactical play. Further, destroyed buildings will now be able to be rebuilt to a degree, meaning you’ll be able to set up camps across the place without too much of an issue.
This should add a fascinating dynamic to the traditional Battlefield experience, with players now given the ability to set up specific firing lines across the game’s maps. Combine this with another new addition, that being the towing mechanic, and we’ve got quite a different kind of game on our hands.
Towable heavy-duty guns
On that subject, stationary guns will now be dropped in your HQ as you initially spawn into a map, and you’ll be able to tow things like AA guns across the place with vehicles – setting them up anywhere you’d like. You can get as crazy as using a tiger tank to tow a AA gun across the map with someone firing off in the latter, quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with on both the ground and in the air.
The spotting mechanic
The game’s spotting mechanic has also changed in Battlefield V, now favouring a system that will mark the location rather than the player spotted. This means you can’t smash the spotting button multiple times like in previous entries to mark a handful of players anymore, which is good for the game’s realism and bad for those who have become so used to that system. It’s a good improvement, though, and something that I think a lot of players will welcome with open arms.
General animation changes
In terms of general gameplay interactivity, DICE also stressed that they’ve tried to make Battlefield V a more immersive game. What they showed to us was a small example of how player movement has significantly changed, with soldiers now moving in ways that depict the environment they’re moving through. If you’re running through a small lake, for example, your character will lift their legs up as they run so they can move at optimal speed. Similarly, you’ll slip and move as you come across rocks or something like that as well. And while I’m not entirely sure how this will have an effect on gameplay, I think it’ll give players around you a better sense of immersion during matches.
A new revive system
One final big change coming to the gameplay is the new revive system. Players can now drag downed soldiers out of the line of fire, and the revive animation is now a physical interaction. Medics revive players quickly, but all members of your squad can now revive you, too — it’s being called the ‘buddy revive’, and it takes a bit longer than what a medic can provide. Further, you’ll only get a bit of health if someone in your squad revives you, whereas a medic revive will give you a good boost of health. It’s also worth noting buddy revives can only happen in squads, so players can’t just go out and heal everyone they see who are downed.
I’m really happy to see some notable gameplay changes coming to the next Battlefield game, and they all seem to be quality improvements that will help establish a better sense of realism in the game. It’ll be interesting to see how they all work out, but for now I’m impressed to see the offerings here.
Battlefield V launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on October 19.
