Battlefield 6 Review: A Proper Battlefield Again (Mostly)

After spending a good amount of time with Battlefield 6, it’s fairly clear what DICE were trying to do here. This is an attempt to steady the ship after Battlefield 2042 and push the series back toward what long-time players actually wanted in the first place.

No gimmicks, no futuristic nonsense, no identity crisis — just modern combined-arms combat that feels recognisably like Battlefield again. It’s not revolutionary, and it’s not perfect, but it’s a noticeable improvement in almost every meaningful way.

A More Grounded Battlefield Experience

The biggest improvement over Battlefield 2042 is that Battlefield 6 feels grounded again. The near-future tech, robot dogs, and experimental mechanics have largely been scrapped in favour of something closer to Battlefield 3 and 4.

Gunfights are slower and more deliberate, vehicles feel like they belong on the battlefield rather than dominating it uncontested, and matches feel more like actual engagements rather than chaotic sandboxes held together with gimmicks.

It’s not trying to reinvent the wheel — it’s just trying to make the wheel work properly again.

Mechanics That Actually Improve Gameplay

Some of the new mechanics are genuinely useful rather than just being there for the sake of it.

One of the best additions is the ability to drag downed teammates before reviving them. It sounds small, but in practice it’s incredibly helpful. You can pull someone out of the firing line, get them behind cover, and revive them without immediately dying yourself. It encourages better squad play without forcing it.

Vehicle damage has also been improved significantly. Tanks, helicopters, and aircraft now behave more like they used to. Anti-tank weapons actually do damage, helicopters don’t feel invincible, and you’re no longer chasing vehicles around for five minutes just to mildly inconvenience them.

This alone makes Battlefield 6 feel far more satisfying than 2042 ever did.

Vehicles: Finally Fixed

Vehicle combat is one of Battlefield 6’s strongest areas.

Helicopters are once again effective against infantry without being absurdly overpowered, tanks behave as you’d expect them to, and aircraft actually feel useful rather than awkward to control.

In Battlefield 2042, vehicles often felt oddly disconnected from the rest of the game. Here, they’re properly integrated into the flow of combat. They work how they should, and no more than that — which is exactly what Battlefield needs.

Classes Make Sense Again (Mostly)

The return to clearer class roles is another welcome change.

Assault

The ladder, flashbangs, grenade launcher, and adrenaline pen all make sense together and give the Assault class a clear identity.

That said, some mechanics aren’t explained particularly well. For example, attaching the grenade launcher requires a specific rail attachment, but the game doesn’t make this obvious at all. It’s the kind of thing new players will miss entirely unless they stumble across it or look it up — something that really should be explained better in-game.

Engineer

The Engineer class largely does what you’d expect: anti-vehicle combat and repairs. RPGs, guided launchers, and repair tools all feel familiar.

The big improvement here is the EOD bot, which is now far more capable. It can lay mines, stun enemies, destroy gadgets, and even be used aggressively to clear areas. It’s flexible enough that you can adapt it to different playstyles rather than it being a one-trick gadget.

Support

Support is clearly built around ideas carried over from Battlefield 2042’s Irish specialist — shields, missile interception systems, and defensive tools.

These mechanics work much better when tied to a proper class system, although some players aren’t thrilled about the lack of C4 here. Whether that’s a balance decision or something that changes later remains to be seen.

One welcome addition is the return of the mortar launcher to the support class, as originally seen in Battlefield 1, the epic WW1 installment of the series. To see how the mortar support works in the new Battlefield 6, check out our video tutorial on Mortar Support in both BF6 and Enlisted.

Recon

Recon is fairly traditional Battlefield Recon. Spotting drones are extremely useful, and access to C4 makes Recon surprisingly effective against vehicles if played properly.

Used well, Recon can be one of the most impactful classes on the battlefield — though, again, the game doesn’t always explain this very clearly to newer players.

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Weapon Accuracy in Battlefield 6

Some players are struggling to hit targets consistently on BF6. Although this seems to be down to general unfamiliarity with the gameplay rather than anything being fundamentally broken.

It’s less a balance issue and more a learning curve problem — which is exactly the sort of thing that better tutorials and guides could solve.

In essence, Battlefield uses a slightly more realistic bullet physics where you need to lead the shot, aiming very slightly in front of the direction of movement - to account for the half second it takes for the bullet to get there.

This is never really explained to players, so those more familiar with COD style mechanics will be aiming at targets and wondering why they can never hit them. The game could certainly make more effort to explain some of these key differences to players. However, the Sprout Land YouTube channel will be covering all aspects of BF6 gameplay - from hitting shots at long range, blowing up tanks with ease, to flying choppers and planes effectively.

For more specific guides on any aspect of BF6 you are struggling with, check out our BF6 playlist on YouTube.

Map Design: Strong Foundations, Limited Variety

This is where Battlefield 6 becomes more divisive.

On the positive side, destruction is back and working properly. Buildings take damage, environments change as matches progress, and firefights feel more dynamic as a result.

However, a lot of the launch maps feel samey. There’s a heavy focus on dense urban environments — desert cities, city blocks, skyscrapers — and while some players enjoy that close-quarters chaos, it can get repetitive.

Roughly half the maps support traditional Battlefield gameplay with vehicles and space to manoeuvre. The rest lean heavily into run-and-gun infantry combat, often with limited opportunities to use vehicles effectively.

Snipers also tend to have an advantage across large sections of many maps. Older Battlefield games usually balanced this by including enclosed areas or terrain that encouraged close-quarters fighting. Battlefield 6 doesn’t always do that as well, which can make things frustrating for newer players.

New Modes and Custom Content

Battlefield 6 introduces several new modes that mostly work well.

Escalation mode is a highlight — a Conquest variant where objectives are gradually removed and the map closes in, creating a more tense endgame. Imagine a game of Conquest that gradually becomes more like an intense version of Breakthrough towards the end.

There’s also Strike Point, Ice Lock Conquest, and player-created custom maps. Some of the community creations are genuinely creative, while others are a bit rough around the edges, but it adds variety and longevity if you fancy something different.

Squad Play and Player Behaviour Has Changed

One subtle issue isn’t the game itself, but the player base.

Older Battlefield games naturally encouraged sticking with your squad — revives, positioning, and awareness mattered more. Battlefield 6 allows far more individual play, including spawning directly into vehicles, which tends to spread teams out.

With random players especially, squad cohesion can be pretty weak. Players often overextend, abandon objectives immediately after capturing them, and generally lack awareness of what’s happening around them.

The game also does a poor job of explaining key mechanics. Conquest mode, for example, never clearly tells new players that holding the majority of objectives is what actually wins games. As a result, teams often run around capturing everything, defending nothing, and wondering why they’re losing.

Even basic things like expanding the minimap range aren’t explained, despite being hugely important for awareness.

How Battlefield 6 Stacks Up Against Other Shooters

Compared to other modern shooters, Battlefield 6 is still a clear favourite in the genre.

It’s more accessible and action-oriented than games like Hell Let Loose, which can feel slow and overly serious. At the same time, it’s more grounded and tactical than pure arcade shooters.

Enlisted is arguably a more authentic depiction of warfare in terms of combined arms and unit roles, but Battlefield 6 easily outclasses it in production value, scale, and visuals.

If you want a modern combat shooter that feels realistic without turning into a walking simulator, Battlefield 6 does that job better than most.

Final Verdict

Battlefield 6 doesn’t do anything revolutionary — and that’s probably its biggest strength.

It fixes many of the mistakes of Battlefield 2042, brings back mechanics that actually work, and delivers a solid modern Battlefield experience that feels familiar without being stale.

There are issues: map variety could be better, tutorials are lacking, and squad play isn’t as naturally encouraged as it once was. But these are relatively minor problems, and many of them can be addressed with updates — or simply better player education.

Overall, Battlefield 6 is one of the best modern combat shooters currently available. Not perfect, not groundbreaking — just solid, enjoyable, and finally heading in the right direction again.

Battlefield 6 is available on Xbox, PS5 and PC.

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