Hey Everyone! Battlefield 1’s release of Apocalypse has been an extremely fun one. This DLC is only available to premium or season pass owners as of now. It will be released to all players at a later date that Ea has not mentioned yet.They feature five new maps along with some new weapons and vehicles. I’ll only be talking about the maps themselves. The name of this DLC really rings true, because the atmosphere on all of these maps gives off that feeling. I play these ones constantly as every match is always intense. I can’t help but think about the true brutality of World War 1 when I’m fighting on these new landscapes.
The first map I want to talk about it Passchendaele. This landscape reminds me of St. Quentin Scar but the part of the map filled with trenches. This map is completely blown to shreds, because there isn’t one gorgeous or solid piece of ground. On one side of the map is a background filled with fire and a gas cloud on the other. As of now, the gas cloud doesn’t move into the map, but it would be cool if they implemented it at some point. It would remind me of Fallout 4’s Glowing Sea. However, you are drenched in rain with plenty of fallen debris to find cover behind. The atmosphere reeks of death as this is a close quarters bloodbath that keeps you on your feet.
The complete opposite of Passchendaele, Caporetto, is an absolute breathtaking gem that I can’t get enough of. The terrain is next to some beautiful mountains, so you’re either constantly running up or down a hill. What I liked most about this map was the addition of some pretty serious artillery pieces near the bottom of the map. When someone was in range, they were guaranteed to get lit up. These guns cover a wide area while delivering punishing shells with each launch. Visually, I love the statues that you see throughout the map, because they have an angel like appearance and make the battle that much more saddening.
The River Somme, however, is a totally different beast. It’s a mixture of Neville nights and Soissons. The map packs the trenches in a lot more dense than usual. This little adjustment to the game made for some really heart pumping fights. This map displays a beautiful plain of wheat for one team’s starting point while the other begins just before the River Somme. Between these two points are trenches that run the length of the map to the River. The new Conquest Assault mode makes this map interesting because the defending team has the immediate advantage of starting on a hill above the river and artillery cannons to boot.
What I was excited for the most were the new dogfighting focused maps. I’ve been waiting since day one for a fight like this and it feels great! There are two maps for this new addition along with three modes. Razor’s Edge, a crazy fun shuffle high in the Alps, is solely a fighter based match called Air Assault. Only fighter planes can be flown in this map, and it brings out some of the best air combat I’ve seen since starting the game. It really brings skill into the fold, because you have to constantly outmaneuver your enemies while trying to notch another kill under your belt. From afar, this battle looks like an angry swarm of bees that never stops dancing.
The other map is London Calling, and you fight for control of London with the new modes Scourge and Raiders. In Scourge, the defending team fights to get enough ticket kills to win while the attacking team fights to bring down the behemoth. Once the behemoth is down, the match is automatically over. Raiders is similar but both teams have behemoths this time. Simply put, whoever brings down the opposing team’s behemoth wins. Both of these modes include all types of planes, and it makes for an even more intense air combat scenario than Razor’s Edge. This calls for some tactics between team members to use their bombers to their full potential while taking out pesky fighters.
I’ve had loads of fun playing these maps, and they create some of the best moments in the game. Get out there and enjoy this new content everyone!