In the FPS genre there are a few titles that stand above all the rest. In the sci-fi world, Halo is the undisputed king. But when it comes to realism shooters, there are two titles that have been battling it out for years. The Call of Duty franchise. And the Battlefield franchise.
Both of these series are staples of the genre. Whatever time zone you want to explore, be it the World Wars, or modern day conflicts, CoD and Battlefield have something for you. But because of their similarities it can be difficult to know which title to opt in for.
Today we are going to be looking at the two of the latest titles from both series. Battlefield 2042 and Warzone 2. We will be looking at the similarities and differences. As well as picking apart what makes each of these titles so brilliant.
Battlefield 2042
Battlefield made its name by being the premier historic shooter series. Where Call of Duty thrived in a modern setting with games such as Modern Warfare. Battlefield took players into the most brutal historical wars known to man.
But Battlefield 2042, as the name implies, takes players into the near future. This is the main draw of the game. Players have access to a host of future-tech such as AI powered turrets, combat drones, and a whole host of gadgets to give you an edge over the competition.
Something unique that Battlefield 2042 has done is do away with a single player campaign. Instead players are tasked with discovering the story throughout the various multiplayer formats. On each map there are data drives and newsreels being played. But most of the story can be gleaned from the environment. The switch towards environmental storytelling is something that the game has been praised for. Some say the developers might have taken inspiration for the Souls series.
Warzone 2
The first Warzone was a massive departure from the classic Call of Duty format. Trying to tap into the success of the Battle Royale style of games, Activision released Warzone to much acclaim. At this point the market was saturated with FPS battle royale games. Yet Warzone managed to keep things fresh and engaging by doing what CoD does best. Excellent gunplay. Fantastic graphics. And a competitive multiplayer environment.
Warzone 2 took everything that made the first iteration so successful and ramped it up. Some of the biggest changes included a complete overhaul of the Gulag system. For those that don’t know, when you die in Warzone you aren’t instantly removed from the game. Instead you are offered the chance to win back your life in a trial by combat. Warzone 2 added 1v1 duels to the Gulag while also making the map more intricate.
The Differences Between
Detractors of the FPS genre are always quick to assume that games like Warzone and Battlefield are going to be identical except for a few cosmetic changes. But this simply isn’t the case.
The primary difference between the two is that Warzone 2 is a battle royale game. Whereas Battlefield 2042 offers players a more typical FPS experience in terms of game modes. For those that don’t know, a battle royale is a game where a large number of players are placed into an arena and have to battle to the death until one remains.
Another difference between the two games is the inventory system. In Battlefield 2042, players unlock weapons, perks, and gadgets by leveling up or completing challenges. Once unlocked, players can create loadouts and enter into any match with these weapons. In Warzone 2, players have to build up their inventory through different rounds. But it is possible to lose any of your weapons if you die with them and don’t get revived back into the match. This gives Warzone 2 an almost roguelike feeling to it.
The Similarities
The differences between the two games are huge. But they also share a lot of the same genre DNA. Primarily in the basic gameplay fundamentals. Both games offer you a huge selection of weapons, with the ability to modify each of these weapons with a number of attachments and skins.
Both games also have competitive multiplayer environments. Ranked combat is one of the biggest draws for games like these. And there are plenty of ways you can get an edge over your competition with technology like precise battlefield aimbots or wallhacks for Warzone.
Another similarity is that both these games depart from their franchise predecessors in the fact that neither of them feature a single player campaign. Both are entirely multiplayer titles. This is becoming an increasingly common trend in the FPS genre especially. There has been much debate about how good this actually is for the future of gaming. But all of that aside, both of these titles are a fantastic choice for any FPS fan looking for something new to sink their teeth into.