Battlefield 1 rolls out its multiplayer open beta tomorrow, and we got early access to the upcoming WWI-set take on squad combat. Here’s what you need to know to survive the upcoming digital war.
Newbies, Start With Rush Mode
Conquest Mode, the Battlefield franchise’s signature massive multiplayer test map, is a big part of the beta, taking place in the Sinai Desert. And, if you’re new to the franchise or multiplayer gaming in general, you’re probably going to get killed. Repeatedly. It’s just going to happen when you’re up against hardcore Battlefield fans, who are pretty much the majority of the beta, in a massive map with tons of places for snipers to hide and assault troops to lob grenades.
So, instead, try Rush Mode. This is a bit like Counter-Strike, where you push to some objectives, plant bombs, and then try to survive the enemy onslaught before pushing to the next objective. The map is smaller and while you’ll still die plenty of times, it’s a far more focused play mode that lets those new to the game get their sea legs and feel like they’re achieving something with their team.
Keep A Sharp Eye Out
No matter which mode you choose, you’ll need an eagle eye. While your allies will have little markers above their heads, the other team won’t, so your only way to pick them off is to spot them on the move or otherwise sticking out from the surroundings, which can be a bit tricky since everybody’s in khaki. Similarly, your only sign a sniper is aiming at you is the glare off their lens, so if you see that, duck!
Know Your Loadouts
Regardless of which mode you choose, as usual Battlefield 1 features five loadouts. Support is there to offer cover fire, Assault goes in first, the Scout is supposed to camp and pick off targets, and so on. Regardless, though, you should try each and experiment with how they work, and also get used to flipping over to your pistol and getting in a close range gun battle. Often that’ll be what saves your neck, as your long weapons are too unwieldy in tight spaces.
Get Behind The Wheel
Part of the fun of Battlefield is the vehicles, and the game will drop you at spawn points where you can get behind the wheel almost immediately. And you absolutely should. Leaving aside the fact that running over some guy sniping at you never gets old, it’s a good way to get around and it shakes up the feel of the game, letting you get around the map faster and try different strategies. And if all else fails, crashing your plane into an armored vehicle is as satisfying as it is silly.
Remember That It’s A Beta
While Battlefield 1 is exceptionally polished for an open beta, it’s still an open beta. Any hiccups we ran into were chuckle-inducing rather than game-wrecking, but they were still there. So keep a sense of humor about you as you play, and you’ll have a better time.