Battlefield 4 starts off right in the middle of the action, with a flash-forward to a certain event that shouldn't be spoiled. It does create interest in what happened leading up to it, but the event and what happened aren't important in the grand scheme of things, which is disappointing.

Business as usual with a mediocre single-player campaign and one of the best multiplayer experiences in all gaming – and at last one that works just as well on consoles as on PC.

A genre-defining multiplayer experience with some excellent new maps; Commander Mode is an interesting re-addition and the new vehicles (especially the boats) and game modes work well

Campaign mode still feels like a waste of time and resources; Few genuinely new ideas and even those there are make arguably little difference; Uneven frame rate in multiplayer

I've been playing this game since launch and keep coming back to it. Never get tired of it. So many maps that no 2 rounds are the same. Totally recommended.

After a lacklustre Call of Duty release this year, is " Battlefield 4 " also a cynical phone-in on the current gen consoles, or are DICE doing their best to deliver a next-gen experience on the aging home consoles?

- The Battlefield series has come a long way from a niche FPS shooter on the PC platform, to a bonified system seller that can stand toe-to-toe with any other FPS on the market. Not looking to rest on its laurels, EA and developer D.I.C.E.

When I reviewed Battlefield 4 on the 360 back in the beginning of November I couldn't help but notice just how far the console was being pushed to deliver gamers their first person shooter fix.

Finally, it's almost how it should be

We are quick to visualize vehicular combat and destruction at its finest on large-scale maps when we think of the Battlefield franchise. DICE's success is not only due to providing enjoyable content, but to also be continually striving towards improving every aspect of gameplay.

+ Destruction on a perfected scale; + Large; open warfare; + Gorgeous visuals; + Endless amount of content; + Improved online squad features

- Single-player squad commands fall flat; - AI is predictable and doesn't offer much difficulty

A bombastic start to the next generation of shooters, especially in multiplayer.

An incredible next-gen game engine; Stellar map design; One of the best team shooters ever

Single-player campaign is short and narratively nonsensical; Some irksome respawn points

Awesome game. Excellent graphics. Hardly lags. (Recommended)