While there is great curiosity about Battlefield Next, the next chapter in EA's long-running shooter series, post-launch support continues for Battlefield 2042which after a season characterized by a longer duration than those that preceded it is preparing to welcome many new contents with Turning PointSeason 7.
As is now tradition, we were invited by SHE SAYS to take part in a press event during which we were given the opportunity to preview the next build of the FPS. So let's find out what awaits us in the seventh season of the shooter.
Two new maps, or almost
The beating heart of Season 7 of Battlefield 2024 is, as in every update, the new map. This time the developers have decided to let us reach the Chilemore specifically the fictional mining town it is named after Alicante. It is precisely in this place that the Refuge, an arena that we would define as very classic in its structure. The map of the seventh season of BF2042 does not aim to amaze the player with elements that make it perfectly recognizable compared to all the others: in short, there are no huge cubic-shaped buildings or cargo ships that cut the scenario in two. The Refuge is nothing more than one small South American town made up of very small but numerous buildings, which are mainly concentrated in the central part of the arena. In this portion of the map the fighting is mainly on the ground, since the square with its stalls and the inhabited area do not facilitate the movement of vehicles.
The outermost part of what is, on balance, a very differentoasis in the desert, as there are very different checkpoints that adapt to various play styles. For example, we have a point of interest with huge silos on which it is possible to climb to hit targets with a sniper rifle or a crash site with carcass of a helicopterwhere it is easy to slip through the uneven terrain but it is not possible to escape the possible arrival of armored vehicles. Similar discussion can be made for the service station, which with its buildings allows you to find shelter, but even in these situations there is no way to completely avoid the fire of transport vehicles equipped with heavy weapons, whose ammunition can flush out those who are hiding under a roof. As you can easily imagine, we are faced with a very classic map which works without remaining imprinted in the player's mind due to some distinctive element. This is most likely due to the fact that, at this point in post-launch support, the best ideas are diverted to Battlefield Next.
For those who don't appreciate Sanctuary, a second map is also arriving during the season that Battlefield 2042 players know very well. The development team has noticed a certain enthusiasm towards the reworks of the first arenas arriving in the shooter, in particular towards Hourglass: this is why the portion containing the stadium will become a stand alone map to be played in non-vehicle modes. Purists of the series probably won't appreciate this approach, but it is a type of map that adds variety and allows users to try their hand at varied experiences.
What's new in the arsenal
Season 7 of Battlefield 2042 also does not expand the roster of operators, but still intervenes on the arsenal. In fact, the update introduces three new guns that we were able to test during the test and which did not all convince us in the same way. Let's start immediately fromAK 5C, assault rifle that we immediately fell in love with. This instrument of death does not have a stopping power comparable to that of its more illustrious colleagues, but it is equipped with unparalleled maneuverability that allows it to be fired with surgical precision. Thanks to this rifle we managed several times to take out more than one target in rapid succession, given that the almost non-existent recoil allowed us not to waste bullets and always hit the enemy. What has only half convinced us is theSCZ-3, a submachine gun that can be customized with a drum magazine that adds a handful of bullets and helps eliminate short-range targets, perhaps by shooting without aiming. It is a useful but situational weapon, as its effectiveness drops drastically when the opponent is more than a few meters away. Those who want to take up new toys to blow up hostile vehicles will be happy to add the Predator SRAW: we are talking about an anti-vehicle launcher with wire-guided missiles that allows you to destroy any vehicle with precision.
However, we were unable to try it DFR Strife, a sort of mix between light machine gun and assault rifle. This weapon will be added to the armory only at a later time and promises the handling of an AR without giving up the large magazine of an LMG. During Season 7, theXFAD-4 Draugran aircraft capable of launching guided missiles and bombing areas with EMP, so as to annoy all targets that use electronic instruments.
The free trial is back
As regards the innovations related to the gameplay, Turning Point does not revolutionize Battlefield 2042 but simply retouches two aspects of the experience. On the one hand we have an improvement in recoil animations of the guns, on the other one slight overhaul of the return screenwhich is more intuitive without however making major changes compared to its past version.The last important news to report is the free trial periodan event that will be held between 21 and 24 March 2024. For these days, in fact, all players will be able to download Battlefield 2042 at no additional cost on PC, PlayStation and Xbox. The peculiarity of the trial is that the downloaded version will include all the unlocked content, so that users can try weapons and operators without having to obtain them first. Anyone who appreciates the shooter will be able to decide whether to take advantage of a discount and purchase the full version, to which all previously accumulated progress will be transferred.
In essence, this is an excellent initiative that could repopulate the servers and perhaps convince new players to get on board in the days immediately following the debut of Season 7 of Battlefield 2042, which we remind you will begin on March 19, 2024.
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