Battlefield 3: Aftermath Hands-On Preview – Quaking in Our Boots

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Richard Walker

Cast your mind back to playing Battlefield 3's single-player campaign, if you can. Remember the bit with the earthquake? That's the starting point for Battlefield 3's latest downloadable multiplayer expansion, which adds a whole array of new stuff including a variety of maps set among the rubble and debris in the wake of Battlefield 3's shattering earthquake. “This is our way of bringing the single-player fiction into Battlefield 3 multiplayer,” says EA's rep as he sets up the first multiplayer session. “You'll notice that the characters are bloodied, injured and so on.”

Kicking off on the Epicenter map, we engage in some Conquest action, battling to raise our flags as we weave through the fissures carved through the streets and the huge lumps of concrete. There are three new vehicles coming with the Aftermath DLC, all of which have a 'Road Warrior' vibe to them, with modifications for the rough terrain and ragtag bands of soldiers fighting through the ruined urban cityscape in Tehran. On this map, we find little evidence of the “vertical urban combat” promised in the Aftermath press release, with the fight instead unfolding primarily at ground level. It's at ground level where we get run over by a Rhino – a modified civilian van that's been transformed into a troop transport with a big-ass machine gun turret.

Conquest is all well and good, but the main event for this hands-on demo is the new Scavenger mode, which takes us to the Markaz Market map that revolves around the central landmark Markaz Monolith tower block. In Scavenger mode you start with only a pistol, and have to pick through the map for the best guns that are divided into three different levels. A level one gun might be something a bit weedy, whereas level two and three weapons will be something far meatier like a DAO-12 shotgun or a SCAR rifle. You can see the weapon's level on your HUD, but the frugal approach is to snap up whatever gun you can, swapping for something better should the opportunity arise. You only have the ammunition in the weapon you pick up, so picking your targets and economising your shots to save bullets is vital.

Scavenger is a classless game mode, which doesn't mean it's uncouth and unrefined. It simply means that choosing to be recon, assault, medic or support is essentially meaningless, as you'll always begin with a pistol and have to make do with whatever weapons you can find. It's a game mode that suits the post-disaster situation and environments perfectly, as well as the new character skins with bandaged heads and torn dusty clothing. The mode centres around a faster-paced version of Conquest with quicker capture times, which means the objective still involves taking control of and defending each flag point as usual, amid a chaotic scramble for the best guns. A beefy shotgun is always great at close-quarters, but is all the sweeter when you manage to find one and nab a kill in Scavenger mode.

In total, Battlefield 3: Aftermath will include four maps, three new vehicles including the aforementioned Rhino, Phoenix and Barsuk, which is a modified GAZ-3937 Vodnik with a grenade launcher and an open top machine gun turret. The Phoenix is very similar, with the same weapon attachments as the Barsuk. As far as new weapons go, Aftermath has only one, but it's a doozy: the humble crossbow. Upsettingly however, we're not given the chance to give it a go, but we're not sure how DICE could possibly get a crossbow wrong. We expect it'll be great fun to use, especially when you take into account its four different tips. A standard crossbow bolt tip does what it says on the tin, while the balanced bolt will travel much further with greater accuracy. A scan bolt detects targets within your proximity and an explosive bolt is again, self-explanatory. It goes boom.

The Aftermath DLC is rounded off with ten new assignments and ten new dog tags to earn, which ought to keep you embroiled in Battlefield 3's multiplayer wonders for a while longer. Each map is pretty damn expansive too, though not nearly as vast as some of Battlefield 3's bigger maps. Blowing up doors grants access to networks of hidden tunnels, and on the Markaz Market map we found that the vertical urban combat really comes into play, with exposed rooftop areas ideal for snipers. You might need to adjust your aim when the tremors and aftershocks hit though. Battlefield 3: Aftermath is more of the BF multiplayer action you know and love then, with some great new stuff to discover and get swept up in. The maps are characteristically sandy, war torn and destructible, the vehicles have a neat post-apocalyptic look, Scavenger mode is a riotous blast and the crossbow is bound to rock. What more could you possibly ask for?

Battlefield 3: Aftermath is coming to BF 3: Premium subscribers on December 4th, before heading to non-subscribers on December 18th for 1200 Microsoft Points.

Comments
39
  • Sounds like a really fresh idea, can't wait to play it.
  • @2 - All the MW3 DLC consisted of 80% maps and 20% spec ops missions. That was it. Nothing exciting.
  • scavenger, more game modes trying to copy CoD.....i seriously hope bad company 3 doesn't make the fatal mistake BF3 has made, it should never have competed with CoD because it will lose and it makes BF as a franchise look desperate, i aint hating on it either as i love BF and bad company but the amount BF3 has gone toe go toe with CoD is ridiculously embarrassing and it just doesn't get close, stick to medium to large maps with epic destruction, vehicles and unpredicatbility
  • @2 why are you here?
  • @5 some men just want to watch the world burn...
  • @4 I'm sorry but every company is copying off of someone else. There's isn't any more original games anymore. @2 All call of duty the dlcs were nothing but maps that was re image from the last map.
  • Plus if you don't like the game, DON"T BUY IT. Nobody forcing you to buy the f*cking game. Quit complaining and just enjoy the games you like. it's getting real old. Oh this game is better or this game is better than that game or that game is copy off of this game. Quit f*cking complaining and buy the games you like. Plain and simple.
  • LOL, I keep coming up with new idea right after I complete my ideas. Here another one, this generation is lucky with the internet and all the reviews website. Back in my day you have to take a gamble on games. The only way you can tell if the game is any good is by magazine and most of us kids can't afford magazines. So we have to take a shot in the dark to buy a game, and if the game was horrible we were stuck with it. With this generation they can do research off of the internet.
  • MW3 had MUCH more impressive maps I agree @2
  • @4 I never heard of a CoD game mode that starts you off with a handgun, lets you pick up weapons, and capture flags in order to win. I'm not saying this is an original game mode(because it's not) but CoD hasn't done it.
  • Mr. Walker, can you give us a little more insight on Scavenger mode, "It simply means that choosing to be recon, assault, medic or support is essentially meaningless". I get that weapons are preset, sort of like Gun Master, but are you not able to use your equipment like in Gun Master? I am excited for the new maps, they look like they will cater to more the 24 man server that consoles are limited to. I am not too sure about Scavenger mode but only time will tell.
  • if it wasn't for me having the season pass and the new achievements I think id have probably given this a miss. Don't get me wrong I LOVE Battlefield but with all the new releases coming out finding the time to play will be difficult and after a year... I'm pretty much Battlefield 3'd out.
  • How about an SP/Co-op DLC?
  • @13 I share the same opinion. I love the fact that DICE keeps updating this game with new features, new maps, new modes, new waepons, etc. But I keep notice that alot of this new game modes doesn't encourages the players to play in a teamwork style, like what Battlefield really should be. Instead, they are keep giving us modes in order to please players from other games, instead the real Battlefield veterans (the ones that start to play Battlefield before the first Bad Company come out)
  • I wish they'd make more achievements for the dlc or at more original ones, as it'll end up being something like this. Win/Play a round of Scavenger - 20G Get X Kills with new vehicle - 30G Get X Kills with Crossbow - 30G Something to do with the Earthquake? -20G Maybe if one of the vehicles suck a kill with that. -20G I mean I love achievements as much as the next person, but I thought of those in 1 minute?
  • @13 - I'm almost certain that you can't use your equipment, otherwise a support class player (for example) could drop ammo, which would be counter intuitive to the idea of Scavenger mode. @15 - We were only showed Conquest. EA hasn't confirmed anything.
  • @18 I bet that achievement related to the earthquake, should be something like "Score a headshot during an earthquake".
  • @19 Thanks for replying, your example definitely makes sense. It looks like Conquest will still be my go-to game mode, still excited to see what the new maps will look like. Good thing Dec. 4th is right around the corner! (when Xbox 360 Premium members gets Aftermath)
  • Reading the comment section on any FPS on this site is always a good laugh.
  • @24 You have no job or life do you? Everytime I go into the comments section you are always there spewing your shit. Don't you get bored of doing the same thing over and over again?
  • @24 Something we didn't already know?
  • T0mn00k is awesome. Thumbs up if you can see the sarcasm.
  • Scavenger - A game mode the majority of people will play once for the achievement or just to try it out than never touch it again.
  • @24= Ass wipe.
  • @19 actually they did confirm that there would be rush and there is a rumour that it would maybe support gunmaster but i highly doubt it.
  • Two words... GAY!
  • @12 Old-school mode from CoD4? Although, frankly, that is reaching, considering that game mode was basically completely ignored by the community. Scavenger sounds really interesting in my opinion, if only I was in a position to have XBL :/
  • I'm excited to hear that the map has "hidden tunnels" and such. I want to know if these skins are just for these maps?
  • Can I ask the staff a serious question? Why in all that is holy is T0mn00k not banned yet?
  • it would be really sick if they added earthquakes in the middle of a round. From the end of the trailer that is what it seemed like. Or near the end of the game or something. I just think it would be unique and totally fuckin sick. Player 1: I'm going to grab that M1, cover me! Player 2: Got it!...shit whats that noise? Player 1: dont worry just keep shoo....ahhhhhhh *falls into the earth*
  • HA...you have to laugh at the Call of Doodie fangirls. Does anyone remember what the first real Modern Combat game was...you guessed it, Battlefield. Cod has copied BF from the the start. Cod has NO mode like scavenger. The fact is, Battlefield is the best modern combat game priod. Call of Duty does the same nonsense year in and year out. That being said, I am interested in the new Black Ops becuase they finally realized the kill streak nonsense was so outdated and so many players left Cod to play Battlefield. CoD multiplayer was ALWAYS the same small map, no strategy, best perks usually win. Battlefield forces you to work as a team, huge maps and vehicles that set up for strategic games. Battlefield you need skills for kills...CoD, eh, not so much. I hope Black Black Ops two is better than the last 4 Cod crap games.
  • The multiplayer is great and all but why do we have to add extra money for a proper campaign?
  • I like this game, that is all.
  • Hey guys! If you could follow me on Twitter @Evil_XmasTree I have the latest xbox news and updates on everything. Much love Peace
  • Looking forward to this DLC sounds good.
  • @10 I remember those days and I agree with you except for one thing. If you could afford to buy games then you could afford to buy a 5 dollar magazine. just sayin
  • @10 If I wasn't sure about a game I rented it.
  • A co-op DLC would be greatly welcomed. Still come back to this game everytime between pruchases
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