If you’re a Battlefield veteran (or played Battlefield 4), chances are you’re familiar with the many new innovations and gimmicks developer DICE rolls out for the franchise in every new entry (save for Battlefield 5). In past Battlefield games, DICE touted the power of Frostbite 2 (and subsequent versions), but for Battlefield 4, the studio went a step further and introduced what they call “Levolution.”
Basically, Levolution was a feature wherein the actual level players were fighting in changed drastically. There were buildings that collapsed, levels that were submerged in water and so on. For those not who haven’t played Battlefield 4, or just want a refresher on what kind of change Levolution bought to each level it’s featured in, check out the trailer below putting it into the spotlight:
If you played Battlefield 4, you’ll know that Levolution was more than just a marketing gimmick; it changed the areas of capture points in Conquest, made some parts hard to reach without vehicles and more. It gave each match a “halftime,” or at the very least, gave the losing side another chance to try and win back the match.
Compared to other new features from past Battlefield titles (say, Battlefield 1’s Behemoths), “Levolution” is possibly one of the least annoying ones that, even if it affects gameplay, doesn’t give one side an unfair advantage. So the big question here is: should Levolution be featured again in the next Battlefield game? For me, the answer is an easy yes! By implementing Levolution or something similar to the next Battlefield game, not only will DICE have another marketing tool and gameplay feature that should be familiar to franchise vets, but it will also be able to di it now the way it should be since it won’t be hampered by old tech — something Battlefield 4 trudged through with the PS4 and Xbox One.
Remember Siege of Shanghai? Remember how the frame rate dropped drastically whenever the building in the middle toppled over? Yeah, that part wasn’t fun. Now though, with the power of the new consoles, this shouldn’t be an issue anymore.
Of course, Levolution wasn’t just big setpieces, but there were other ways this featured changed matches. In Paracel Storm, a storm came in that not only obscured the view of players, but the weather change also meant that the waves rose higher and made naval combat a wee bit harder. With what DICE has learned from the older Battlefield games, imagine what kind of Levolution effects we can expect now, which, when coupled with new-gen console horsepower, shold significantly be better than before.
While one can or might argue that Levolution was present in other Battlefield titles post BF4, it just didn’t feel the same — at least for Battlefield 5. Battlefield 1 featured more Levolution-like moments in matches, and here’s a sampling of it:
Of course, saying that the next Battlefield game should get Levolution back in a major way doesn’t mean it will happen. Then again, letting the devs know what features we want and don’t want is a good idea, too. Comparing features, how does Battlefield 5’s Attrition system stack up against Levolution? It’s not even close; as BF5’s Attrition gameplay mechanic proved to be more infuriating and felt like an annoyance rather than an actual gameplay feature and I know I’m not the only one who felt this way.
Would you want Levolution to return in Battlefield 2021? No? Let us know your thoughts on down in the comments below.
It’s really simple. Sequel to BF2142. Levolution?? No, Titans, yes.
Would love a sequel to 2142. With todays graphics and physics capabilities? Hells to the yeah!
Yes I loved Levolution
Same! I loved how it was implemented in BF4! Siege, the Dam, etc. Man! At the same time though, I’d love to see dynamic stages like Damavand Peak make a return. So hyped for BF 2021! Hopefully, we don’t get disappointed. 😀
Yes, but maybe instead of making it one event per map, make few of smaller events on every map, changing only portion of it. Also give us more interactions with the map on small scale too not only through destruction system but things like movable train carts, digging trenches etc. And less invicible obstacles please…
i didn’t like levolution because it was static, while most of the level was invulnerable to any kind of damage. it also distracted players from the objective, while a whole team moves in to drop a building the opposing team takes all the objectives, by the time the building goes down half your tickets were gone.
seeing this occur match after match was exhausting and boring.
i would much rather see dynamic destruction from earlier titles return vs levolution and fewer game types and smaller maps etc
i would also like to see them encourage player to mic up with exclusive or shared perk for everyone on mic, i have around a thousand hours of the last three entries, less than the 1200 in bf3, never heard a single person mic up. i do not see the point playing online games solo anymore.
i only got bf1 and bf5 as they were included with the gold rush xbox one x, honestly regardless of destruction, the community just sucks. if dice bans party chat, that would peak my interest.
Smaller events and more destruction
I think a combination of the older games smaller destruction, blow out walls and, demolish smaller buildings, as well as an evolution on the “Behemoths” of BF1, could work. I rather enjoyed that one of these Behemoths, depending on where it crashes on the map, could have a very different outcome for the teams. Areas previously accessible, no longer work, or new pathways opened up. A more dynamic playing field is a good thing.
A large set-piece in the style of Siege of Shanghai, is NOT something I want to see return. As stated by Kain below, teams were more focused on bringing down the high-rise, and let the rest of the capture points go untouched / captured by the opposing team. This is not good teamplay. Such a large scale event could be fun, if it serves as a half-time event that both teams are prepared for, such as rising tides on Paracel Storm.
I want to be able to demolish a small 2-story building, leveling it to the ground. I also want the option to be able to run through the door, empty my rifle in the ceiling above, killing a few unsuspecting campers in the process. Being able to build cover, sandbags etc in BF5 was kinda nice, but people ultimately blew them up far too quick to have much if any meaning. More options for players to build or rebuild destroyed structures, yes please. We can rebuild bridges, allow us to rebuild buildings.