Firestorm. Strong name isn’t it?
Well, yeah, and it makes literal sense because the classic “moving circle” in your usual battle royale game is usually a little non-descript, with only Fortnite trying to give it purpose/sense.
Battlefield V has a ring of fire that slowly encircles areas of the map, and it brings destruction with it. Tearing down buildings, and wreaking firey havoc as it closes in.
It’s a fire coloured circle, with added destruction as it comes in. Nice touch, and well “Firestorm” has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?
Is it a decent crack at the genre, though?
The basics
I think of all the things documented on this website, my love for a battle royale game is pretty prominent.
No matter the game, there’s something about the genre that just works for me. I’m not particularly good at them, but I have so much fun, especially when learning a new map and getting to grips with a new game.
Being a big fan of the Battlefield series since the Bad Company days, it was a no-brainer that I’d end up here at some point. Tied-in with a hell of a deal on cdkeys.com I snagged a bargain, just in time for the release of Firestorm.
So, is Firestorm “just another battle royale”? I think it might be a little early to declare it exceptional or terrible…….but it is fun and there are some nice touches to it.
First-off, this is a Battlefield game, so you have the classic Battlefield controls and physics (a massive plus point!). Then you have a reduced number of combatants (64 as opposed to the usual 100).
The World War 2 setting gives it a unique twist, too. Weapons are clunky and deliberate. Armour, is literally plates that you manually swap out of your vests.
Pacing is much more akin to that of PUBG in Firestorm. With slower movement and more hefty weapons and gear. You’re not in Blackout now!
We have tanks, tractors, supply-point objectives to secure. It’s all very Battlefield. But with that edge of never knowing where your enemies are hiding, a la battle royale.
Building destructibility is a core component, too. Being able to blow-up walls and roofing, means you don’t necessarily have to enter a building to kill a foe.
Hot take
I’ve played a few rounds, both solo and in match-made squads and so far it’s been great.
Slow is a key word I’d use. Slow dropping from the planes. Slowly trudging around the map. This isn’t a bad thing. Battlefield isn’t your standard twitch-shooter. Deliberation is more important here.
That isn’t to say that you won’t be killed quickly, because you absolutely will be if you’re an idiot like me, laying on a rooftop with only a knife, hoping someone won’t see you…..
Everything looks great here. The map looks lovely, and the literal Firestorm that’s heading your way is far more prominent than the standard battle royale.
Gun play is classic Battlefield, and the variety in weapons and gadgets (get those mines for those tanks!) is pretty cool.
I really like the manual task of switching-out armour plates and picking up grenade launchers.
Whilst everything is slower, you have more means to blow stuff up. Tied-in with stuff to actually blow up, that works for me.
As it stands, it feels a little buggy. Particularly when in the starting hangar getting ready. Connection warnings appearing in the top of the screen are quite persistent.
With a bit of time, and some feedback from the community, I can see this being another solid addition to a crowded genre.
Firestorm isn’t perfect and not 100% unique, but there’s some nice stuff here. Mixing together Battlefield and battle royale is a great idea. It might look like bandwagon jumping (I guess it is?), but it does enough to set itself apart from the competition.
Hopefully there will be ongoing support and map changes, weapon changes etc. If Firestorm sees the required after-care and we get new modes and content over time, it will stand a chance.
If this is it, then it might be a flash in the pan.
I hope it isn’t.
Moving on….
Having only played a couple of hours, it isn’t fair to properly judge or critique any game.
I’m on a bit of a battle royale kick at the minute, so being able to switch to this for a change of pace is a great option. Between taking a look at the overall Battlefield V game, and tackling Firestorm. I have a lot to do, but I’ll make sure I’m as comprehensive as possible when I come back to write about it.
Three EA games in a month (Anthem, Battlefront 2 and Battlefield V), all with a spotty launch (being polite). Here’s hoping post-game support is as solid as it was for Battlefront 2.
Review of Battlefront is incoming, as well as piece on Anthem after playing daily for the first month post-release.
Loads to go at, just not enough time!