Post by [xG]juddski on Apr 27, 2007 18:52:21 GMT
PC | 16/11/2006
[xG]juddski I take a look at Battlefield 2142 and decides if it really is the future of online warfare for the PC. Find out if much has changed or whether or not it's BF2 with a new coat of paint.
The year is 2142
And in 2142 most of the world is covered in ice, leaving only small amounts of fertile land. This scarceness is worth fighting for, so the people from the European Union or Pan Asian Coalition can be fed. Those are the two superpowers that battle each other on maps all over the world. And for that they brought a large new weapon.
Titan mode
Battlefield 2142 comes with a complete new game mode. Conquest is still in the game, but Titan mode brings new tactics on the battleground. Flags on the map have been replaced by missile silos. Capture such a silo and it will launch missiles at the enemy titan every three minutes. The goal is to destroy the enemy titan, before your opponents do so to yours. But that alone wouldn't be so much different.
The titan is a flying aircraft carrier, also housing anti-air defences and artillery turrets. It has a impenetrable shield which only these missile can impact. But once enough missiles have impacted on the shield, it will go down. Then another road towards destroying the titan opens up. With the shield down, you can board the back of enemy titan with aircraft. Or you use the pod launchers built in the new Armored Personnel Carriers. Inside the titan is the core, a weakspot where normal weapons can help damaging the enemy titan. But to get there you first have to destroy four consoles, to open doorways to the core. Of course the enemy will prevent you from doing so and will barricade the narrow hallways with all the firepower they have. But if the enemy defenses are too good, control over the missile silos is important to keep damaging the enemy titan.
Soldiers and their weaponry
There are only four classes in Battlefield 2142. Recon (sniper and demolition), Assault (also medic), Engineer (anti-tank) and Support. Soldiers become more versatile with special weapons and items they can unlocks by playing, but more on that later.
The biggest change in vehicles is the new Battlewalker. This biped can accomodate two soldiers. In the main position the soldier can control the walker and the 360 degrees rotatable upper body mounts dual Gatling guns and unguided missiles which are good against armoured vehicles in close to medium range. The secondary position controls the turret, protecting the walker from above with a gun and homing EMP missiles. This makes the Battlewalker a versatile and powerful weapon. But the controller should be careful to stay in the open, since he has limited visibility towards the ground, a weak spot the enemy can take advantage of.
I already mentioned the pod launchers from the APC that you can use to get out quickly. Or get to places you can't reach normally. The HUD shows whether the APC is close enough to a titan to have a decent change of reaching it in the parabolic flight you make. Your pod will be aimed towards the titan somewhat, but you will have to steer it yourself to reach a safe landing zone, or else be ready to respawn in the APC again.
The new transport aircraft also allows the passengers to jump out with pods when at higher altitude. This way multiple soldiers can quickly surround a silo and eliminate any threat. Near the ground the soldiers will simply step out. Some bad timing by the passengers will annoy the pilot though, since podding out while the pilot is landing the transport quickly, will often result in the aircraft landing on top of you, resulting in a team kill for the pilot.
Both the transport and the gunship, which remained quite similar to the Battlefield 2 attack chopper, use some form of vertical liftoff and landing system similar to the US navy aircraft from the carrier. The transport still acts like a helicopter, where no throttle simply makes it land. But the gunship behaves like the navy aircraft, so that it can fly but also hover. I am still trying to manage flying these aircraft decently, especially since you cannot strafe them sideways anymore.
The vehicles from both factions all differ somewhat, but they have very different tanks. The EU has the Tiger, a normal tracked tank with rotatable turret. Where the PAC has the Nekomata, a hovering vehicle where the turret is fixed. This is countered by the ability to strafe the whole tank. Combined with the default movement, this allows for fast tactical movement, where the strong front is always facing the enemy.
All but the buggy have a new futuristic Active Defence, replacing the flak or smokescreen from Battlefield 2. This countermeasure creates an energy bubble around the vehicle, shielding it from enemy fire for a short moment. Especially in tanks and walkers using this tactically means the difference between living long or dying quickly.
As I already mentioned about the walker, there are multiple weapons that deliver an Electro Magnetic Pulse, disabling almost all equipment for a moment. For the APC this is the only extra defense against the more powerful tanks and walkers, disable them and seek a safe place, since the offensive abilities of the APC are only good enough against soldiers or buggies.
The EMP rockets from anti air points can disable all functionality from aircraft, this includes their hovering. This is no problem if it is high or low enough. But at medium height this can result in a hard crash besides the damage the aircraft receives from the guns of the anti air point.
The basic weaponry for soldiers is more limited now. For example grenades aren't default any more. But that is all made up for with the new ranks and unlocks.
My rating........7/10....Could be better.!!!.......
The Good Side
Good Graphics... Good Fast GamePlay,
The Bad Side
Known Spyware issues..Demanding Graphics..Memory...Etc..
[xG]juddski I take a look at Battlefield 2142 and decides if it really is the future of online warfare for the PC. Find out if much has changed or whether or not it's BF2 with a new coat of paint.
The year is 2142
And in 2142 most of the world is covered in ice, leaving only small amounts of fertile land. This scarceness is worth fighting for, so the people from the European Union or Pan Asian Coalition can be fed. Those are the two superpowers that battle each other on maps all over the world. And for that they brought a large new weapon.
Titan mode
Battlefield 2142 comes with a complete new game mode. Conquest is still in the game, but Titan mode brings new tactics on the battleground. Flags on the map have been replaced by missile silos. Capture such a silo and it will launch missiles at the enemy titan every three minutes. The goal is to destroy the enemy titan, before your opponents do so to yours. But that alone wouldn't be so much different.
The titan is a flying aircraft carrier, also housing anti-air defences and artillery turrets. It has a impenetrable shield which only these missile can impact. But once enough missiles have impacted on the shield, it will go down. Then another road towards destroying the titan opens up. With the shield down, you can board the back of enemy titan with aircraft. Or you use the pod launchers built in the new Armored Personnel Carriers. Inside the titan is the core, a weakspot where normal weapons can help damaging the enemy titan. But to get there you first have to destroy four consoles, to open doorways to the core. Of course the enemy will prevent you from doing so and will barricade the narrow hallways with all the firepower they have. But if the enemy defenses are too good, control over the missile silos is important to keep damaging the enemy titan.
Soldiers and their weaponry
There are only four classes in Battlefield 2142. Recon (sniper and demolition), Assault (also medic), Engineer (anti-tank) and Support. Soldiers become more versatile with special weapons and items they can unlocks by playing, but more on that later.
The biggest change in vehicles is the new Battlewalker. This biped can accomodate two soldiers. In the main position the soldier can control the walker and the 360 degrees rotatable upper body mounts dual Gatling guns and unguided missiles which are good against armoured vehicles in close to medium range. The secondary position controls the turret, protecting the walker from above with a gun and homing EMP missiles. This makes the Battlewalker a versatile and powerful weapon. But the controller should be careful to stay in the open, since he has limited visibility towards the ground, a weak spot the enemy can take advantage of.
I already mentioned the pod launchers from the APC that you can use to get out quickly. Or get to places you can't reach normally. The HUD shows whether the APC is close enough to a titan to have a decent change of reaching it in the parabolic flight you make. Your pod will be aimed towards the titan somewhat, but you will have to steer it yourself to reach a safe landing zone, or else be ready to respawn in the APC again.
The new transport aircraft also allows the passengers to jump out with pods when at higher altitude. This way multiple soldiers can quickly surround a silo and eliminate any threat. Near the ground the soldiers will simply step out. Some bad timing by the passengers will annoy the pilot though, since podding out while the pilot is landing the transport quickly, will often result in the aircraft landing on top of you, resulting in a team kill for the pilot.
Both the transport and the gunship, which remained quite similar to the Battlefield 2 attack chopper, use some form of vertical liftoff and landing system similar to the US navy aircraft from the carrier. The transport still acts like a helicopter, where no throttle simply makes it land. But the gunship behaves like the navy aircraft, so that it can fly but also hover. I am still trying to manage flying these aircraft decently, especially since you cannot strafe them sideways anymore.
The vehicles from both factions all differ somewhat, but they have very different tanks. The EU has the Tiger, a normal tracked tank with rotatable turret. Where the PAC has the Nekomata, a hovering vehicle where the turret is fixed. This is countered by the ability to strafe the whole tank. Combined with the default movement, this allows for fast tactical movement, where the strong front is always facing the enemy.
All but the buggy have a new futuristic Active Defence, replacing the flak or smokescreen from Battlefield 2. This countermeasure creates an energy bubble around the vehicle, shielding it from enemy fire for a short moment. Especially in tanks and walkers using this tactically means the difference between living long or dying quickly.
As I already mentioned about the walker, there are multiple weapons that deliver an Electro Magnetic Pulse, disabling almost all equipment for a moment. For the APC this is the only extra defense against the more powerful tanks and walkers, disable them and seek a safe place, since the offensive abilities of the APC are only good enough against soldiers or buggies.
The EMP rockets from anti air points can disable all functionality from aircraft, this includes their hovering. This is no problem if it is high or low enough. But at medium height this can result in a hard crash besides the damage the aircraft receives from the guns of the anti air point.
The basic weaponry for soldiers is more limited now. For example grenades aren't default any more. But that is all made up for with the new ranks and unlocks.
My rating........7/10....Could be better.!!!.......
The Good Side
Good Graphics... Good Fast GamePlay,
The Bad Side
Known Spyware issues..Demanding Graphics..Memory...Etc..