Battlefield 6 (PS5) Review: EA’s Shooter Is Total Package

It’s finally here. Following 2021’s initially underwhelming Battlefield 2042, Electronic Arts and Battlefield Studios are back with the sixth numbered entry in their signature shooter series. Battlefield 6 fully earns that distinction as it’s a fully-featured package with a captivating and replayable campaign and some of the most fun multiplayer shootouts that you can get into on PlayStation 5.

Since I’ve written plenty about its multiplayer, and recent betas gave fans plenty of hands-on time with it, I’ll start with Battlefield 6’s campaign. While it’s not going to go down in the history books as one of the all-time great single-player modes (it’s no Titanfall 2), I still walked away impressed with the overall effort. Not only is it a relatively grounded mode with some interesting ideas about the future of PMCs, but each of its nine missions winds up having memorable moments.

While the relatively brief length of the campaign — you can certainly beat it in a solid session or two of gaming — is going to be a complaint for some, I was impressed with just how replayable it wound up being. There are collectibles in each level, giving trophy hunters and completionists a reason to jump back into the campaign and explore levels more thoroughly, and several difficulty options. If you want an ultra-challenging experience where you go down in a few hits, that is here, and so is a more relaxed alternative — although you never go full super soldier, thankfully.

But more importantly, the levels are just fun to approach with different tactics. While there are linear sections, which allow the setpieces to really shine, there are also more open-ended sections that allow you to come up with your own plan of attack and strike how you best see fit. It’s a great way to get prepared for the type of decision-making you’ll have to make in multiplayer (squad commands are even implemented that will have you constantly thinking about communication), and the campaign takes full advantage of Battlefield’s mix of vehicles throughout.

While I had a great time with the Battlefield 6 campaign, the main attraction is, of course, the multiplayer. My opinions haven’t changed much, as I still find it a total blast to play. The drag and revive ability remains one of my favorite additions to the franchise, as it leads to some truly epic moments and encourages you to try to save your teammates rather than just leaving them for dead. The four traditional roles are all well-balanced, although I found myself mostly gravitating toward recon and support due to my play style, since sniping in BF6 is a joy, and I loved playing as a combat medic.

There’s also just nothing like Battlefield 6’s bigger modes. While there are plenty of smaller-scale and simpler modes (Domination, Team Deathmatch, etc.), it’s the mainstays like Conquest and Breakthrough that are my favorite. Feeling like you’re serving a larger purpose and trying to work together, not just as a squad but as a full battalion, is as satisfying as it gets. The new Escalation mode is also a joy, as two teams go back and forth over objectives until it all reaches a bloody and desperate conclusion. Plenty of destruction and wild emergent moments are a near-guarantee in every match, and that’s what makes the series so special.

Sadly, the mode I was most excited to check out, Battlefield 6’s Portal, wasn’t available for reviewers. It is still arriving on launch, and the video the devs put together showing off its functionality looks amazing, but since I didn’t get a chance to go hands-on, it won’t have any impact on this review. The creation suite could really be the game’s defining feature. I can’t wait to see how creative the community will be with it, but it’s a shame we couldn’t get a taste of it.

Battlefield 6 Review: Final Verdict

Battlefield 6 is one of the PlayStation 5’s best shooters. Featuring a replayable and rewarding campaign, plus some of the most satisfying multiplayer that players have come to expect, this is the full package. This is a game I can’t wait to continue playing for years, and I can’t wait to see how it evolves and how the Portal helps mold the future of the series.

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