When it comes to a feast for the eyes, Battlefield 4 ticks every box there is. FPS games don't come any more visually glorious than this. But attractive graphics aren't enough to save a completely lacklustre campaign. If you asked the average gamer to writethe most cliched FPS plot they can come up with then nine out of 10 would write the Battlefield 4 storyline.
The campaign could almost be called Battlefield: Bad Company 3 as it borrows heavily from this sister series, from the witty banter which almost invites you to connect with your squadmates, to the destructible environments rendered beautifully by the Frostbite 3 engine. With the worst enemy AI I've seen this generation, and inconsistent cover destructibility - I can take someone out through a concrete slab with a couple of shots, but the flimsy wooden pallets next to him seem mysteriously impenetrable - it's a relief it's over in only six hours.
By comparison, there is the online multiplayer, which borders on FPS perfection. With seven game modes over 10 maps there is something to please everyone. It's in the multiplayer modes that the destructible environments really come to the fore. "Levolution", as Dice have coined it, allows you to bring down whole buildings that change the map completely. It's a wonderful thing.
Making a welcome return is Commander Mode, which allows one player to control squads and call in support strikes. Battlefield 4 is a multiplayer must-have with a totally forgettable single-player campaign tagged on. Ian Knott
