Is this the new standard we should expect from future XBLA titles?
by GrathiusXR:
©2009 Arthur Kotsopoulos
Many in today’s gaming scene complain about spending their money on games which just don’t deliver, especially in the Xbox Live Arcade category.
Spending 1200 MSP (Microsoft Points) on a downloadable game which offers only a few hours of gameplay and no replayability or 1600 MSP on a game which offers less just seems like a waste when you could use it on a full release AAA title.
The problem with Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA) games is that they are a real hit & miss proposition and it really is a shame that many don’t get the recognition they deserve. However, here is one title that should receive recognition and much more.
• Battlefield 1943: Guadalcanal
Battlefield: 1943 released for only 1200 MSP and is worth every single point. Not only is it a fully functional 3D game but it could easily be passed off as a full retail game if a few more options were added in.
Based on DICE‘s Frostbite Engine which is seen in Battlefield: Bad Company and also the upcoming Battlefield: Bad Company 2 and featuring Conquest Mode which was also in Bad Company, the game sees two factions go head to head in 3 different maps for control of the 5 flags situated across each map.
It’s so familiar
It’s a familiar gametype but even though it’s the only one it’s still a hoot to play.
Three classes await you with the likes of Infantry (good for short range and against vehicles), Scout (good for long range pretty much) and Riflemen (is the in between good at almost every range). Strangely enough there is no Medic class which has been replaced by regenerating health.
The reason for this having happened is that even though the game boasts an awesome 24 total players online, having regenerative health means you can last longer in battle. Those who aren’t the best at FPS will therefore get as much out of the game as possible without constant frustration.
If you don’t like the on-foot approach there’s always the option to go by vehicle, either in a jeep or tank or take the aerial approach by flying a fighter plane over the map dropping bombs on unsuspecting enemies.
Yumm – dedicated servers
If that still doesn’t wet your whistle the game features Dedicated Servers meaning little to no latency issues!
It’s a benchmark at the moment for the Xbox Live Arcade range as many other games don’t really feature this kind of content but then again there is no Single Player in BF:1943, so this alone may put some people off.
The downside of that means this game is solely based around online multiplayer and not the offline. If you wish to play multi online with a group of Aussie gamers you will have to have a full room before being able to start a match. So be ready for online randoms with no mics or who don’t speak English.
No Single Player – bugger
Lack of single player and playing with randoms on Live will put some people off.
That being said, there’s no harm in playing with randoms because sometimes you could be the best of the pack and most times many on your team, regardless of communication, know exactly what to do.
If you jump in a jeep, others do as well. If you try to take a flag others will follow and try to as well. It’s a very straight forward game with a clear message of what you have to do in each map to win and survive.
Apart from lack of a single player and needing a full room to enjoy multiplayer with fellow friends, BF:1943 excels in raising the bar for future XBLA titles wishing to have enough cred to be worth the MSP.
EA/DICE have done a wonderful job in creating a title this worthy of purchase for the Xbox Live Marketplace and it’s almost worth a retail version.
At the moment BF:1943 is lacking in certain departments but if DICE continue to support this little gem in the long run it could easily be contender for XBLA GOTY. Let’s hope that more content is made available later down the track.
©2009 Arthur Kotsopoulos
”8/10
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Filed under: 3rd Party Games, Console gaming, New Game Information, New Xbox 360 Games, XBLA News-Reviews, Xbox 360, Xbox 360 3rd Party Games, Xbox 360 Game Reviews, Xbox 360 News, XboxLive Marketplace Tagged: | 360, Battlefield, Battlefield Bad Company, Battlefield: 1943, DICE, EA, Frostbite engine, Infantry, Live, marketplace, Microsoft points, MSP, Rifleman, Scout, XBLA, Xbox, Xbox Live Arcade, Xbox Live Arcade Review
Yeah I bought this game. It takes me back to the days of playing on the computer. But what happend to have a gunner in back of the plane? This could be super super great if they make more maps out of the OLD map packs from the 90′s. My fav mod was interstate 82. that was sooo fun
Oh, shut the fuck up Smokey. Quit trying to start shit.
That has nothing to do with this article. Battlefield: 1943 is one of the gretest games to ever grace PSN/XBL. They did a great job with the game. I have respect for DICE.
At least Microsoft Arcade give you free demos for EVERY game unlike psn.