Battlefield 1943

Battlefield 1943 brought the series back to World War II, but in a much more modest package than players were used to from the big boxed entries - it was a purely digital game available only for download via PlayStation Network, without a single single-player mission or voiced story. Instead of a story, it offers a trio of maps from the battles for the Pacific, including the legendary Wake Island, on which forty players face off in the classic Conquest mode for key control points between the American and Japanese armies, similar to the series' oldest entries from the turn of the millennium.

Despite its small scope, it was a full-blooded Battlefield with destructible environments, planes, tanks, and landing craft, which benefited from the then still relatively new Frostbite engine, and was at the time a demonstration of how far you could go with a lightweight, quickly downloaded title instead of a traditional full-price release. Thanks to its low price and pure multiplayer focus, the game quickly found its own community of players who appreciated not having to slog through a campaign or extensive gear unlocking, and could jump straight into large battles on a limited but carefully tuned set of maps that were still played for years even after later entries in the series were released. A simple system of gradually unlocking weapons and upgrades based on accumulated experience also motivated players to keep returning to the same three maps without it ever feeling repetitive.

Why play: Ideal for players who want quick Battlefield fun without unnecessary baggage around it - no campaign, no lengthy gear unlocking, just three excellently designed maps and pure multiplayer chaos with planes and tanks. Also a great choice as a first introduction to the series for those put off by the scope and complexity of later entries.