DontCamp.com

[MTLMortis]

The new link mode is interesting if a bit too fast. While their intent may have been quick games, I was in rounds that were over literally before 5 minutes had passed. The tick rate for consecutive links seems to be much too high. You will never see a comeback victory in link mode. This can, and will, lead to frustration. Everyone was still adjusting to how the mode works so you're going to see a lot of traditional capping everything in a line up to the enemy like you would on conquest domination then trying to hold a static line. The real way to win is to go and break the enemies links. Links are what really up the countdown for the enemies tickets. If they have 3 caps you want to take the middle one, not grab the back one and work up which is what I saw a lot of. Capping is fast. Onve you're in range, even solo, you'll cap it in under five seconds, exactly like domination. I found that working around the edges I was able to consistently get to the enemies back caps unopposed. Do be warned that the main bases are pretty much right on top of the first cap so holding it can be frustrating, as well as unsportsmanlike if you end up firing into their main.


Rush on the new maps is a mix of 1 part awesome graphics, 1 part dumb boundaries with a half measure of where the hell am I. Shake and pour over ice with a twist of orange. I don't have an inherent dislike of rush so I'm not really being biased, but from what I played through, the maps just are not well suited to rush, other than perhaps Propaganda.


The highlight of the new DLC, for the players at least, seems to be the return of Capture the Flag. Everyone I talked to praised the rounds they played. The games weren't static or boring, involving real mixes of both offense and defense with the odd get your flag back chase to spice things up. Even the rounds that one side got completely obliterated in minutes was fun for both sides.

Dragon's Teeth is aimed at being very infantry focused. Vehicles, while available to some extent, don't seem like they would be very effective, nor are they populous in the new expansion. There are no really large open areas for them to operate in and getting c4'd, or taken down by engineers without being able to defend yourself is an all too realistic situation. The transport vehicles are of the more speedy type, intended to get you from place to place without hopefully eating a javelin.


THE MAPS
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Complete and utter sniper festival. You'll be swatting at your head from all the high speed rounds whizzing around you constantly like mosquitos on a sunday evening out in the backyard.

Sunken Dragon is a big doughnut map if you fill in the middle with water. The water level of the artificial lake can be raised or lowered from a control panel in one of a series of walkway connected engineering rooms elevated off on the upper part of the map overlooking a bridge connecting one side of the lake to the other. The major highlight of the map is the partially submerged hotel in the lake. Traditionally multi-levelled chinese architecure with the flaring corners, and I do mean multi, it will take a while to get accustomed to the twists and turns inside. Parts of it are very dark, bring your flashlights. Other than the aforementioned engineering rooms the other three sides are populated by modern glass and steel highrises and polished urban planters in the spaces between. Any time you don't spend peeking around from cover you'd be safest holding down your sprint key.



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This is more of a traditional Battlefield multiplayer map, and arguably my favorite of the four, if only for it's familiarity. It's a few urban blocks of a traditionally scaped russian city. Very much what you always see portayed in movies. Lots of straight poured concrete with utilitarian apartment buildings which you can't enter for the most part. One side of the map is dominated by a train, of course there's a train, and track and is the only really wide open area. All of this is set in a frosty winter setting. Thankfully they left out the blowing snow to obscure vision. This is a straight up linear map with no real up or down. Lots of sharp corners and corridor like pathways between buildings will make for very sudden start and stop combat. The one thing that made it seem so real to me, surprisingly, was the narrow alleyway between two tall apartment buildings. It was like looking at something I'd see, and have seen, in my own city in the middle of winter. The proportion of wall to wall versus player was exactly right.



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This map may end up being the largest of all the expansion maps merely from the amount of vertical play involved. There is going to be a lot of running around learning all the ways up as well as how to run across the roofs. Don't miss your jumps or you'll be forced to backtrack to a ladder or four flights of stairs. Controlling the upper levels will be key to any gamemode played on this map. It allows rapid and clear movement between strategic point all while providing cover against ground forces that will be essentially helpless versus any sort of explosives you may choose to drop, throw or fire in their direction. Unfortunately I didn't really have enough time to run around this map to discover all it's nooks and crannies. There are literally no proper ways to defend a point without having people covering all compass points on the street as well as the roof. Think about the street to street fighting in the movie Blackhawk Down and you have a good idea of what this map is plays out like. The marines in the HUMVEE's...that's you. Don't forget to pick up your pecker and put it in your pocket when it gets shot off.



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What can I say about this map, other than, it's unique. It's sort of like a shrunked down Caspian Border 2014 with petunias. Instead of a solid wall you have an partially completed elevated railway that divides the asian botanical garden from the more sedate and modern maintenance area. Instead of having clearly defined areas of land, structure, and water you have a rather organic mix. The water meanders throughout the map as if someone doodled a finger painting and then engineers came along and constructed arched walkways over them in as feng shui a manner as possible. Overall I like this map. It has a good mix of areas for all classes. Sniper nests, close quarter assault, good defensive overwatch for support, and destructibles for engineer. PWCs in particular provide a nice touch allowing rapid transport to all areas of the map.


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I'm going to give this DLC a grade of 80% initially.

It's good, not great but good. Some steps being made in the right direction for the franchise, but still a lot of spit and polish that can and needs to be applied overall.
_________________
[MTL]Mortis - "No one says you have to fight a war with your pants on..."

http://www.cultofzal.com
http://www.twitch.tv/cultofzal
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[JoeSwindell]

I agree with the Mortis review. The link HAS potential. But for casual play, if you can't break a full link fast, I don't believe you could EVER recover and win.

Sunken Dragon is good on rush.

Propaganda I liked on all modes.

Pearl necklace Market I liked on all modes.

Lumphini Garden I liked on Rush...sort of, and CTF. (Get your 5 kills while swimming on here)

[MTLMortis]

I forgot to mention the best part of Dragon's Teeth.


Not one !@$&ing RBC attack boat in sight.
_________________
[MTL]Mortis - "No one says you have to fight a war with your pants on..."

http://www.cultofzal.com
http://www.twitch.tv/cultofzal
http://www.youtube.com/cultofzal

[Khaghabal]