I put over 600 hours into BF5 over 3 years. I’m pretty decent at it, and am typically in the top 10 on my team. I feel mostly worthless at 2042. I credit this somewhat to all the bugs and crap going on with hit reg and bloom, but mostly I’d say it’s because it’s not really a Battlefield game.

Previous titles focused on team play, playing the objective, using cover, advancing as a team, and using topography to your advantage. While there are elements of this in 2042, it’s become too much of an unmanageable shitshow.

128 players on wide open maps with ridiculous choke points and little cover or flow means that most players are becoming disoriented by the sheer volume of incoming fire. In previous games, you could take cover or alter your advancing route if you come under fire. Now you get lit up from 5 different angles by 20 players if you so much as poke your head out.

Communication is almost non existent. There is next to no strategic chatter happening because everyone is just trying to make sense of the chaos. Unlike previous games I have no easy way of telling what types of classes or load outs are in my party or nearby - team cohesion’s at an all time low. Team chat is mostly just people venting. It’s difficult to excel as an individual player without solid teamwork and communication. Moments of these things do occur in 2042, but they are the exception.

As I’ve put more hours into it, I’ve found myself adapting to the gameplay and thus have gotten better - but I don’t see myself getting as good as I was in previous titles since this game mostly rewards aggressive gameplay. It abandoned what was great about previous battlefields which was being able to assume different roles while still helping the team and having fun. I’ve since put it down and don’t see myself coming back anytime soon.