Battlefield 4

A triumph on a multitude of levels, Battlefield 4 is the series' most compelling package to date; a delightfully slick introduction to the next-generation of consoles. [Christmas 2013, p.60]

Battlefield 4 is an excellent multiplayer FPS with wildly varied vehicles and interesting maps. [Jan 2014]

In comparison with the current-gen of consoles, Battlefield 4 is the shooter for the next-gen consoles. The graphics are even more stunning than before and there’s an ability to play with more gamers on the console. Choose the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One-version above the current-gen versions.

It’s a shame DICE still treads the B-grade storytelling path with its single-player game, otherwise Battlefield 4 would be dangerously close to shooter perfection. [Christmas 2013, p67]

This new Battlefield has some of the best multiplayer maps we've seen on the franchise. There's still a single player campaign, sure, but it's clear that the online component is the vital part of the Battlefield formula.

Battlefield 4 is far from a revolution, but it is undoubtedly a peak for the series. It's everything you may have missed from the previous game, and on PS4 we finally get a console port that doesn't feel like a string of compromises. BF4 delivers multiplayer action of the grandest kind, and that should be your reason for getting the game. Single-player can safely be ignored.

Its single player campaign is again its main weakness, but Battlefield 4 offers maybe the best multiplayer experience out there.

Multiplayer shooters don't get better than Battlefield 4. Incredible destruction, smart map design, and solid tech combine to produce a true showcase for PS4 and PC. While solo play still lags behind, it's a big step up from BF3.

Multiplayer as its best, but the campaign is a total disappointment.

Its PS4 launch problems aren't easily forgiven, what with the unreliable stability DICE is striving to fix, but because the core game is so strong, Battlefield 4 is worth either sticking with or waiting for.

While featuring a mostly forgettable single player, the characteristics of multiplayer in Battlefield 4 works so well making the DICE title the reference in a competitive context, as well as a real game changer from a technical point of view.

Finally: 64 players with 60 frames per second. While the visuals are not yet at the level of high-end PCs, at least the size of the maps and subsequently the fun associated with it arrives on the next console generation.

Battlefield 4 feels like more of a ‘true’ Battlefield game when compared to its predecessor, aping that sandbox arena fun that made 1942 such a hit. Thanks to the power of PlayStation 4, we finally have a PC Battlefield experience on a home console, and it’s pretty darn good.

Next-gen visuals and 64-player online combat mean that if you don't want to sink money into a high-end PC, this is without a doubt the best way to play DICE's latest destructive hit.

Consider this the last gasp of the old multiplayer model then. It's a fine swansong, especially when played on the most powerful platforms, and in particular if you treat the campaign as a free bonus feature. It's hard not to wonder just what DICE will be able to do when it no longer has to hobble its designs to suit ageing hardware, though.