Battlefield 1 – First Official Screenshots & Information on Story & Gameplay

After the reveal trailer, Electronic Arts and DICE started sharing the first information and screenshots of Battlefield 1.

The game’s title is a reference to the fact that World War I, the setting of Battlefield 1, represents the dawn of all-out war. First of all, the game features a campaign where players will explore the different war stories of multiple soldiers fighting on different fronts. Moreover, DICE developers spoke during the reveal live stream about injecting more sandbox elements into the campaign, something that the fans had been clamoring for a long time since recent Battlefield campaigns were too linear.

Confirmed locales so far are the Italian Alps, the Western Front and the Arabian desert. Character classes will come back as expected: Assault, Medic, Support and Scout will be there and their weapons will be customizable. But of course, being a Battlefield game you will want to know about the vehicles and Battlefield 1 doesn’t disappoint at all in that regard.

Light and armored tanks, biplanes,  bomber planes, boats and even huge battleships are all confirmed. But the most interesting addition in terms of “vehicles” might just be the cavalry, which you’ll be able to ride into battle as seen in the trailer. The single biggest change in Battlefield 1’s gameplay might be the stronger emphasis on melee combat, though, as necessary due to the World War I setting.

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DICE mentioned many times that melee combat will be brutal and very physical. There will be bayonets but also sabres, clubs and even shovels, each one coming with their pros and cons. Flamethrowers are also in the game alongside gas grenades, which add yet another mechanics of their own.

Characters will be able to use masks in order to avoid being poisoned, but then again masks will limit both hearing and visibility.

The game can be already pre-ordered on Amazon. The Standard Edition ($59.99) pre-order includes the Hellfighter Pack, as per the leak, and also gives 7 days of early access for a map released later in 2016 in a deal that resembles a lot Star Wars Battlefront’s Jakku DLC.

The Early Enlister Deluxe Edition at $79.99 includes the Red Baron Pack and the Lawrence of Arabia Pack – containing themed weapons, vehicles and items. Plus five Battlepacks containing combinations of items. Also exchanges the visual appearance on three of the largest vehicles in the game, and allows three days of early access to the game itself (October 18 instead of October 21).

Finally, the exclusive Collector’s Edition is priced at $220 and includes:

• Battlefield 1 Deluxe Edition Base Game
• Collector’s Edition Statue (14″ Tall)
• Exclusive Steel book
• Exclusive cloth poster
• Deck of playing cards
• Messenger pigeon tube with exclusive** DLC content
• Exclusive patch
• Premium packaging

A beta has also been confirmed, though with no further details. Naturally, a lot more will be revealed during E3 2016, but what’s your first impression of Battlefield 1 so far? Let us know in the comments.