For the first time in nearly a decade, this year's "Battlefield" game is returning to World War II.
The game's name: "Battlefield 5".
That's right — despite the last game in the series being named "Battlefield 1"— the series is returning to a standard numbering convention.
Semantics aside, "Battlefield 5" promises to be the largest "Battlefield" game yet. Here's everything we learned about it in a recent briefing from the folks behind the "Battlefield" series, EA's DICE studios.
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The first major change from previous "Battlefield" games is character customization: It's a core component of "Battlefield 5," both in terms of looks and gameplay.
"Battlefield 5" is set in World War II, but isn't intended as homage — it's a setting for large-scale multiplayer combat. To that end, there's a level of character customization in "Battlefield 5" that's unprecedented in the series.
The game's debut trailer showcases British forces taking on German forces in what looks like Western Europe. It also showcases the British woman you see above with the metal hand.
Though it's possible that there was a female soldier with a metal hand fighting for England, the intention here is to demonstrate the game's fictionalized approach to the era. Simply put: The metal hand is a nod to player customization.
Yes, you will be able to purchase items for your characters. No, it won't impact gameplay.
The same company behind "Battlefield 5" was behind "Star Wars Battlefront 2": Electronic Arts (EA).
When that game arrived late last year — a multiplayer-focused shooter set in the "Star Wars" universe — it was derided by fans and critics for its microtransactions. In short, players felt ripped off by the in-game store, which charged real money for loot boxes that could provide gameplay advantages.
"Battlefield 5" isn't making the same mistake. The long and short of it is that there will be cosmetic items available to purchase for "Battlefield 5," but they won't convey any gameplay advantages. That's a crucial difference.
Of note: Customizations can also be unlocked through simply playing the game.
As usual for the "Battlefield" series, "Battlefield 5" is class-based.
The standard four classes are back, as seen above: Scout, Assault, Medic, and Support.
But there's one major change right off the bat to that lineup: Any member of a squad can revive other members. The medic is still the only member of the squad who can revive other members to full health, and the only member who can provide health pick-ups, but the change otherwise points to a shift toward squads in "Battlefield 5."
The series was already geared toward playing with squads — groups of four players — but, with this move, "Battlefield 5" is adding more incentive to play as a team.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider