Battlefield Heroes Review – The Browser Arsenal

By Remko Molenaar (Proxzor), OnRPG Journalist

 

 

Battlefield Heroes is a somewhat different game than what most would expect from the Battlefield Franchise. It might wear the name of the Battlefield franchise that most of you know about but this game is totally different. This cartoony styled MMOFPS targets a different audience instead of the hardcore realistic shooter they are known for. Though the most notably different part is this game is Free-to-Play!

 

 

The free-to-play model that Battlefield Heroes uses, or as they call it “Play 4 Free” model, makes this game available to the gamers that can’t afford upping their PC’s specs to handle their Buy to Play titles. Instead this title is funded through advertisements (on their site and in-game) as well as a microtransaction store. Just like in many other MMOs there is a cash shop where you will be able to buy your virtual character some nice clothes sets and other accessories that will make your character look good. These items can be bought with Play4Free funds. These ‘funds’ can be used for Battlefield Play4Free, Battlefield Heroes and Lord of Ultima, and thus makes it more convenient for players that play multiple of these titles.

 

 

Battlefield Heroes is a game that doesn’t ask too much out of your gaming system, except that you install a plugin for the browser that you are using. Yes that’s right; Battlefield Heroes is fully playable in your browser making it one of the first in the genre to be capable of no download play.  All you have to do is install the Battlefield Heroes plugin and you’re good to go!

 

 

When you start the game for the first time you will have to make an important choice for your first character. Will you fight for the Royal Army that is based on the English or the National Army that is based on the Germans? When you have made your decision you will also have to choose a class; the differences in classes are fairly simple. Most of them have a different main weapon resulting in different tactics and play-styles.

 

 

There are only three classes you can choose. The Commando specializes himself in fast attacks from a distance with a sniper rifle. The Soldier is able to heal others and uses machine guns, pistols and grenades. The Gunner uses almost the same weapons but has a rocket launcher added to its arsenal of weapons. These are all fairly basic classes but thankfully they implemented unique skill-sets to further differentiate each class.

 

 

Game Modes

It wouldn’t be a Battlefield game without tons of game modes to keep things interesting. Here’s what Battlefield Heroes offers:

 

Capture the Flag

This game mode doesn’t really need an introduction at all. In this era of FPS games Capture the Flag is the one Game Mode that always returns due to its constant popularity in every game that adopts it. Of course if you really need an explanation it’s all about capturing flags from the enemy’s base to accumulate points.

 

Team Deathmatch

Just like Capture the Flag, Team Deathmatch is something that cannot miss in a First Person Shooter game. Just like the name says, Team Deathmatch is the common teaming up mode to kill the other team with no particular reason at all, except for winning of course.

 

Hero of the Hill

In Hero of the Hill both teams have to fight for control of a rocket, having control of this rocket is really essential of winning this game because if you are not in control you are losing time. And if the timer reaches zero, well guess what, you are going to have a bad time and lose the game.

 

 

Graphics

Because Battlefield: Heroes can be played in your browser it doesn’t really ask anything out of your computer at all. In fact all you need to have is a special plugin for your browser, a computer hooked up with the internet and you’re set. Now you might think that because of this, the game might not look really appealing. Well you are absolutely wrong as this game looks absolutely amazing. Because this game is cartoony they’re able to add much more detail within their limitations. The following computer requirements are asked out of your system:

 

Operating System: Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7

CPU: Intel Pentium 4/AMD Athlon 1.0 GHz

RAM: 512 MB (1Gb recommended)

64MB DirectX videocard, Pixel shader 2.0 and higher. (AGP and PCIe only)

Soundcard: DirectX 9.0

Hard Drive space: 1Gb minimum

256kbit kabel/DSL connection

 

 

As you can see, even a computer made out of twigs and stones can easily run this game just fine as long as your Internet connection isn’t acting up.

 

Conclusion

Battlefield Heroes is a game that can proudly wear the Battlefield name. Even though it is completely different than any other game of its franchise, this game is absolutely fun to play. The game is a lot of fun as it perfectly captures the pick up and play mentality of old school FPS titles with just enough modes and classes to keep things mixed up. Unfortunately the game is not flawless as the limitations of a browser title are still apparent. If you are a big fan of the Battlefield franchise and don’t really mind the cartoony style, this can be a great time killer while waiting for something better to do. However dedicated gamers with decent PCs can find better titles in the genre.