By the end of February, players could experience the last expansion, Apocalypse, on the official servers of Battlefield 1. Our author Dennis took a closer look at Apocalypse in a preview test.
Oh Battlefield, I have been playing almost every title since 2010, starting with the second part of the series. Back then, I spent countless nights in front of my home PC, playing the map “Strike at Karkand” over and over. And the best part: It never got boring.
Of course, I am also involved in the current installment and play it as my main game. Now the last expansion “Apocalypse” was released, which, according to the developers, aims to show us the horrific side of war. I took a closer look at the weapons and maps and must say upfront: I expected a bit more from DICE.
5 new maps – Pure destruction
Let’s first take a look at the maps. A total of 5 new maps are added. The different areas feel coherent and consist partly of pure destruction.
- Caporetto: On this front, the Italian army fights against Austria-Hungary. A key feature is the Livens projector, a new stationary weapon that can attack enemy areas with gas. In addition to infantry, there are also horses and light vehicles.
- Passchendaele: According to the developers, the so-called “Battle of Flanders” raged in the Belgian city of Ypres, where the British and the German Empire faced each other. Debris and downed trees are scattered everywhere. Additionally, the dense smoke makes it difficult to spot enemies. You should best seek cover in the ruins.
- Somme: Here, the British again fight against the German Empire. On this map, “Assault Mode” is played. The British army starts with a headquarters and must advance while the Germans hold all flags at the start. You can also find the Livens projector here.
The remaining two maps can only be played in the new mode “Air Assault“.
- On the Edge: Here, air battles take place over icy mountains. You have fighter planes to choose from.
- London Calls: Here, air battles take place over the British capital. You can choose any aircraft from the game, and airships are also involved. They either need to be defended or destroyed.
I particularly like the focus on infantry, which plays a significant role outside the two air maps. Unfortunately, I have a critique that I also mentioned in my last Battlefield 1 article: The maps are simply too open for my taste. One has to constantly expect to be shot from everywhere at any time. But that’s clearly a matter of taste. I’m more of a fan of tight maps like “Operation Metro” from Battlefield 3 or “Strike at Karkand” from the second part.
The new game mode – Start the planes
Two of the new maps can only be played in the new mode “Air Assault”. Ace pilots and daring aviators are at home here, as there is nothing but planes. In “On the Edge”, the team scores points through kills, similar to Team Deathmatch. The team that reaches the point limit first wins. In “London Calls”, the mode is a bit more complex. Here you must defend or destroy airships.
Air Assault is fast-paced. You can definitely have a few rounds of fun, but after a while, as an air combat fan, I prefer to switch to War Thunder or similar games.
The new weapons – Something for every class
In total, there are 6 new firearms in various versions.
- The Assault Soldier gets the RSC MP, a new submachine gun. It has only a few rounds in the magazine but deals significant damage.
- The Support gets the LMG 08/18, a heavy machine gun with a massive magazine. A few missed shots are tolerable.
- The Medic can include the Howell in his loadout. I highly recommend unlocking the sniper version. The standard variant has the dumbest sight I have ever seen in Battlefield 1. However, this is subjective.
- As a Sniper, you can try out two new weapons. One is the Ross MKE3, which resembles the SMLE, and the other is the 1917 Enfield in the infantry version.
- There’s also a new revolver for all classes that, when used correctly, deals massive damage.
Unlike in previous DLCs, the weapons are relatively quick to unlock. For some calibers, you only need to make a few kills.
Does anyone still remember my preview report on “In the Name of the Tsar”? For one LMG in this DLC, I had to take down two damn aircraft!
In addition to the new weapons, there are also various melee weapons and a new grenade. To defend against enemy aircraft, assault soldiers have access to the anti-aircraft gun. It looks like an anti-tank rifle and operates almost the same.
The new challenges – Who came up with this?
With the last DLC, several new specializations have been introduced, likely targeting professional players. With “Mortality”, you lose around 200 points after a respawn. “Paranoia” makes you wear the gas mask for the entire round.
I initially thought it was an April Fool’s joke, but it’s a bit too early for that. Some may enjoy these new challenges; however, I personally find them absolutely ridiculous. Quite honestly: The developers should have focused on other, more important features of the game instead of these specializations.
New expansion, old weaknesses
Now comes the less appetizing part of the article. I have been playing Battlefield 1 for about 600 hours and have witnessed many things. Unfortunately, some issues remain just as bad as before. For one, the server balance, which still isn’t functioning properly 1.5 years after release. How often do I join servers where there are up to five players missing on one team? In the large modes, this might not stand out, but in smaller modes, every soldier is worth their weight in gold.
I would also appreciate a sniper limit. There are simply too many snipers running around. Since sniping has been significantly simplified compared to previous installments, almost everyone plays this class. This can make some conquest rounds relatively dull and end in pure frustration. It’s annoying to constantly get picked off by camping snipers.
Conclusion: Is “Apocalypse” worth it?
Well, I personally expected more from the last expansion. The Russia DLC was the best expansion for me because there was a lot of content compared to other DLCs. I feel that Apocalypse could have included more weapons, but that’s just my opinion. Overall, it’s a solid expansion for 15 euros. A bit more content at the end wouldn’t have been a bad thing.
I will definitely continue playing until the next Battlefield installment, maybe we’ll meet on the battlefield.
