Gameplay *Editor's Note: This review is strictly multi-player, not single player.
While I won’t compare BFV to any other title, I do have to inform you that it is ultimately just a mod to the popular Battlefield 1942 franchise. It is however, a very well done mod. Those familiar with the 1942 gameplay will find BFV an easy game to pick up. Not much has changed. Those who have never played 1942 will have little trouble learning BFV. The single most fun gameplay element I found was the addition of the helicopter. While difficult to learn how to fly at first, you find yourself spawning next to them as often as possible. Good luck getting into the pilot’s seat though, as everyone else has the same idea. When you do get in one (and learn to actually fly!) the game becomes something special. If you’re looking for the feeling of actually being in Vietnam, the helicopter is the way to go. If you can’t manage to get into the pilot’s seat, there are door gunner seats on the transport choppers, and co-pilot/gunner seats in the Cobras, Hinds, and Attack choppers. Helicopters can also airlift other land vehicles to remote locations.

Another interesting element is the addition of mobile spawners. The Viet Kong can dig tunnels, which allows them to move a spawn point anywhere on the map. U.S. Forces can airlift a mobile spawn point as well. This is an excellent tactic for taking out an enemy base. Place a mobile spawn point very near it, while keeping it hidden, to allow your troops to attack en masse. The Viet Kong are also able to construct boobie-traps on vehicles and such. Though I have rarely ever seen anyone actually do this in the times I’ve played. There are River Patrol Boats (PBRs) in river maps, but again I have rarely seen them used effectively if at all. The most popular vehicle is the helicopter, with jets a close second. Even tanks aren’t all that great, as they tend to be easy to kill. This is a big complaint from a lot of people online and some of the guys I have played with at LAN parties. The gameplay is fairly balanced between the teams, though (until a recent patch was release) the M60 was far overpowered and people who used it were met with jeers of “newbie” from other players. The sniper rifles seem vastly under-powered as well. Expect many man months of fun with BFV.

Art
The graphic quality of BFV isn’t cutting edge. You won’t find any DirectX 9 pixel shader effects (except maybe on the surface of the water) or rag-doll physics in BFV, but the art is still good. The dev art team did a great job simulating the jungle environment, with tons of foliage and rolling hills. Some of the maps aren’t very inspiring design-wise and there is very little interactivity. But this is the way hardcore FPS fans like it. It is what it is. Simple and designed for fast-paced action. The lighting is a little flat in my opinion and there could have been more ambient weather effects to help simulate the harsh jungle environments. The character models were typical of current generation models. Bear in mind though, that the dev team may have had system constraints in mind that spec out a lot lower than those of you with mad power house machines.

Music!
The music was, simply put, Great! BFV licensed and utilizes actual music from the Vietnam era that helps punctuate the volatile emotions of the time. When you hop in a vehicle (if you’re in the driver’s/pilot’s seat) you can switch to one of several different Vietnam era songs. It really helps you feel like you’re there. The game and music industries are beginning to merge more and more like this. The sound effects were average in my opinion. I got a real kick though out of hearing Hanoi Hannah blaring over a loud speaker in the urban settings in an attempt to demoralize the U.S. troops. And I quote, “They will give you a medal G.I., but only after you are dead.”

Tech
The user interface hasn’t changed much at all from BF1942. In fact, it’s pretty much the same with the addition of what is called a 3-D map. This is really only a way that you can see the spawn points and where “friendlies” are on your screen when moving about the world. It’s a tried and true interface with easy to use controls. Avoid playing in games with more than 30 people, unless you want to see some serious frame rate slow downs. The game seems pretty stable. I kept having crashes at first on my office computer, but when I played it again the next day (and the days following) I never once had a crash in 8 hours straight gameplay. Yes! I played it that long! I’m a junkie. You may find yourself in the same sad situation too!

Concluding Thoughts
If you’re a FPS fan who likes to hop in a vehicle from time to time and you love Vietnam War movies, this is your game. The man-to-man combat is solid, but the helicopters steal the show. If you could care less that it’s in Vietnam, there are better FPSs out there with vehicles.

War! Hu! Good God! What is it good for! Absolutely nothing! Say it again!