Battlefield 6 is the best the series has been in years. EA and its collective of Battlefield Studios are clearly keen to get this one right. And while this military outing isn't a slam dunk, it easily delivers on its promise of high-octane, cinematic, and explosive multiplayer action.

Battlefield 6 marks the return of the modern military setting, and it does so with its most comprehensive offering in some time. With a full campaign, the return of Portal, and of course, the multiplayer, there’s a little something there for everyone.

The campaign is easily the weakest of the bunch, though. Across roughly six hours, you’ll blast your way through the mountains of Tijikistan or sneak around the alleyways of Cairo. Its visual flair, combined with stellar gunplay, keeps things fresh enough.

Battlefield 6 Review - Screenshot 1 of 5

From a daft blockbuster perspective, we enjoyed working our way up the townhouses of Brooklyn or going hell for leather as we made the advance on an enemy base.

However, if you’re hoping for a searing military narrative, you won’t find it here. The Battlefield 6 campaign takes itself a little too seriously and tries its very best to come across as a grown-up military thriller.

Whenever the game cuts back to its cinematics with a political figure, interest dips. There are little pockets of narrative intrigue, but most of the time, when people started yapping, we just wanted to get back to shooting. Suffice it to say, you shouldn’t buy Battlefield 6 solely for the campaign. It’s an alright side dish, but nothing more.

Something you certainly should buy Battlefield 6 for is its multiplayer. After the simplicity of the Battlefield 1 and Battlefield V era, and the almost sterile feel of Battlefield 2042, Battlefield 6 just feels right.

Movement is slower but feels deliberate. Weapons are heavy and powerful. The visuals are packed with VFX for smoke, explosions, debris, and the new tactical destruction, which can tear the faces of buildings down. If you’re looking for those classic Battlefield moments, then Battlefield 6 has them in abundance.

Battlefield 6 Review - Screenshot 2 of 5

Whether it’s the roar of a jet as it tears through the sky above you, or the whizzing of scattered bullets as you dive for cover, there’s a magical sort of carnage that can be found in the multiplayer offering here. It has an electric energy that we haven’t felt in the series for quite some time.

The multiplayer offering is fairly substantial, too, with a variety of modes, from returning classics like Breakthrough and Conquest, to new ones like Escalation. They all work the same, more or less; go here, shoot that, capture or defend the point. But the toolbox of weaponry, class perks, and vehicles give each its own fresh, dynamic feel.

We suppose that some may feel the current roster of maps is somewhat lacking. There are our favourites like Siege of Cairo, Liberation Peak, and the remastered Operation Firestorm. But some are a little samey, like New Sobek City, or the one-two punch of Manhattan Bridge and Empire State. We’re certainly keen to see new maps as post-launch content kicks off.

Battlefield 6 Review - Screenshot 3 of 5

However, the inherent grind and gameplay loop are simply too good for a lacking map roster to spoil the fun. The levelling and weapons grind is slow yet steady, making time invested in each weapon and class feel purposeful and worthwhile. We loved slowly shaping our favourite carbine into the perfect killing machine, with numerous attachments that can vastly change the feel of a gun.

Whether it's weapons, gadgets, or even the plentiful amounts of weapon camos, there’s a grind to be found for all levels. We reckon some may bounce off this as it’s, dare we say, a bit more hardcore than Call of Duty’s levelling system. But we reckon this will give Battlefield 6 more longevity.

If you need a break from the main multiplayer, Battlefield 6 also sees the return of Portal, a custom level and map maker. Via a PC app, players can design their own maps and custom game modes, and this has been severely upgraded from its debut in Battlefield 2042.

Battlefield 6 Review - Screenshot 4 of 5

We’re still not entirely convinced it will end up being anything other than an XP farm, like it was in 2042, but there are some fun examples tucked away in this mode. Like a recreation of Call of Duty’s Shipment map, or wave-based zombies modes, or even silly stuff like hammers and knives only. There’s a noted lack of polish, which contrasts with the rest of the Battlefield package, but we’re excited to see if anything cool comes from the community down the line.

All of this is wrapped up in what is easily the most polished Battlefield launch in recent memory – potentially ever. Even after extended sessions with the multiplayer, the biggest issue we came across was the dropped frames when the game transitioned into gameplay at the start of a match. Otherwise, it runs flawlessly on both PS5 and PS5 Pro, with 60 frames per second as a baseline, and 120Hz modes available too.

The PS5 also goes a long way to amplify the experience, with stellar DualSense haptic and adaptive trigger support. The rumble of explosions on Sony’s pad is incredibly immersive, and you can feel the chunkiness of LMGs through the triggers.

Battlefield 6 Review - Screenshot 5 of 5

What we love even more, though, is the sound design. The default mix is impeccable as it dynamically shifts from bombastic and expansive soundscapes to echoey and tinny corridors. These play off excellently with the 3D audio available on PS5, especially with a decent pair of headphones. The War Tapes mix takes things even further – we highly recommend checking that one out.

Conclusion

Battlefield 6 is a phenomenal multiplayer experience that immerses and impresses with its chaotic mix of tight gunplay, best-in-class audio design, and the cinematic flair that made us love the series in the first place. The campaign isn’t anything to write home about, and Portal has yet to fully prove its worth, but they act as additions to what is easily the best Battlefield in over a decade.

Related Products

Please note that some external links on this page are affiliate links, which means if you click them and make a purchase we may receive a small percentage of the sale. Please read our FTC Disclosure for more information.