Battlefield 2042 has a plethora of problems that the dedicated fanbase would like addressed, and they are overshadowing one of the game’s most detailed features – its explosions. 128 players in the new lobby size has lead to issues with unadulterated chaos in Battlefield 2042 with no shortage of explosions, but the ones that are noticeably captivating are few and far between. 2042 is a good looking game, but it’s overall atmosphere and art style isn’t as engrossing as some of its predecessors, especially Battlefield 1, and players aren’t often able to appreciate this one specific instance where 2042 shines immensely.
The explosions in Battlefield 2042 are best on display when the rocket on the Orbital map is destroyed. This scripted sequence is the closest 2042 gets to the Levolution of games past, but even its occurrence is not guaranteed. The explosion is incredible to see from a distance, complete with towering flames, glowing debris being ejected from the detonation site, and a shockwave that spreads across the map with the resounding explosion. Unfortunately, this is only a rare occurrence which happens on one of Battlefield 2042‘s seven multiplayer maps, and players are often too distracted to fully appreciate the impressive visuals.
The rocket only blows up roughly halfway through a Conquest game if players have done enough damage to the rocket. In Breakthrough, it seems to be even more rare, since a game has to get to the final objective for the launch sequence to even begin. Even with the launch sequence starting, enough players need to stop what they’re doing and deal enough damage to it for the explosion to even occur. Luckily, if examined closely, every explosion in the game is similarly detailed, but these often get ignored in the face of 2042‘s lackluster art direction.
Aspects Of Battlefield 2042’s Design Overshadow Its Explosions
The violent beauty of Battlefield 2042‘s explosions was captured in a montage by FlyingAlpha on YouTube. Especially in slow motion, it’s easy to see how even the smaller explosions (like from a Battlefield 2042 robot dog) mimic the grand one of Orbital’s rocket. The particle effects are especially impressive, cascading to the ground amidst the larger plume of smoke. It may not be entirely realistic (what is in Battlefield 2042?), but the components of each vehicle scattering in the debris field is incredibly satisfying every time one is destroyed, especially from a proximity close enough to be the product of C5 Explosives.
In the grand scheme of 2042‘s design, though, this is quite a disappointing high point. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with the way the game looks, but has a sort of sterility to it that seems to lack inspiration. The aforementioned Battlefield 1, for instance, had an incredibly consistent and atmospheric art direction. Even Battlefield V, for all of its faults, had maps that felt lived in, and were believable staging grounds for conflict. 2042‘s explosions being its highlight exemplify how uninspired the rest of its atmosphere is, and continued regression will kill Battlefield just like Medal of Honor under the guidance of EA. Battlefield 2042‘s most under-appreciated achievement, its gorgeous explosion graphics, is more or less a reminder of what the game could have looked like if more care had been put into its details across the board.
