Prior to Bad Company 2 I had always been a Call of Duty fanboy.  I have never played either of the previous Battlefield titles, so the fact that the Back to Karkand map pack would feature four classic maps rebuilt using the Frostbite 2 engine didn’t really mean anything to me.  I was just after some new maps to explore, destroy and kill people on.

But Back to Karkand delivered more than just new battlefields, it also came with the new Conquest Assault game mode – a jacked up version of Conquest where one team begins controlling all the bases and the opposing team has to attack.  It’s a great concept that mixes gameplay up a bit, forcing teams to adapt.

The four maps are varied, and fortunately one comes with no air support for those timid players or teams that have no flight experience!  But it was Gulf of Oman that I learnt to fear the snipers, especially on hardcore mode, especially with the high buildings and long lines of sight.  I did initially wonder how some of the snipers were finding their perches, as there was no stairwells to be found.  It didn’t take me long to figure it out though, as one of Battlefield’s biggest strengths, the team work inspired by squad based combat, took center stage and I released that it was teams of helicopter pilots and snipers, the pilots dropping the snipers off on their perches, and then defending them from other aircraft.

Whilst the destruction seems less than what was allowed in Bad Company 2, Battlefield 3’s new maps come with battlefields already wearing the scars of battle, and just enough destruction to keep you on your toes.  Visually as stunning as Battlefield 3’s standard maps, Back to Karkand delivers gamers with a few more maps that are bound to become favourites.

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Prior to Bad Company 2 I had always been a Call of Duty fanboy.  I have never played either of the previous Battlefield titles, so the fact that the Back to Karkand map pack would feature four classic maps rebuilt using the Frostbite 2 engine didn’t really mean anything to me.  I was just after some new maps to explore, destroy and kill people on.

But Back to Karkand delivered more than just new battlefields, it also came with the new Conquest Assault game mode – a jacked up version of Conquest where one team begins controlling all the bases and the opposing team has to attack.  It’s a great concept that mixes gameplay up a bit, forcing teams to adapt.

The four maps are varied, and fortunately one comes with no air support for those timid players or teams that have no flight experience!  But it was Gulf of Oman that I learnt to fear the snipers, especially on hardcore mode, especially with the high buildings and long lines of sight.  I did initially wonder how some of the snipers were finding their perches, as there was no stairwells to be found.  It didn’t take me long to figure it out though, as one of Battlefield’s biggest strengths, the team work inspired by squad based combat, took center stage and I released that it was teams of helicopter pilots and snipers, the pilots dropping the snipers off on their perches, and then defending them from other aircraft.

Whilst the destruction seems less than what was allowed in Bad Company 2, Battlefield 3’s new maps come with battlefields already wearing the scars of battle, and just enough destruction to keep you on your toes.  Visually as stunning as Battlefield 3’s standard maps, Back to Karkand delivers gamers with a few more maps that are bound to become favourites.