A new take on 1942 with the Bad Company mechanics is just what the doctor ordered.
That is the kind of thrills and fun that Battlefield: 1943 can deliver. Bad Company developer and engine DICE and Frostbite get added into the pacific landscape with great results. The game is purely multiplayer, and thanks to EA's servers this could present future problems, but an update a few days in seems to have resolved the majority of what has been ailing the players. Despite this however, one cannot deny that the game is a fantastic take on the classic game.
Tanks, cars, planes, boats, and air strikes accompany the foot soldier's arsenal. There are three classes; Rifleman, Infantry, and Sniper, each with their own self-explanatory assets. Unlike BC however, you cannot unlock any extra weapons. From my playtime however, I never felt a need or want for them either. Whenever I got tired of a certain weapon, I switched to another class. The rewards system is still in place however, with postage stamps taking the place of the dogtag awards and patches remaining in place for the more robust deeds done on the battlefield. The achievements aren't so much challenging as they seem rather designed to make sure you try out every facet of the game.
So far, there are three maps, including the classic Wake Island map accompanied by Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal. There is one game type, the classic Battlefield flag-snatching gameplay intact, EA does seem to be throwing support behind it already, however. When the gaming community reaches 43,000,000 kills, they are adding a full-on dog-fighting map, planes only. Hopefully this will mean further "community challenges" or even map packs, but seeing as how there is only three maps, I could only hope that they have low price points.
Overall, if you only have 15 dollars worth of MS points to spend, buy this game. The graphics are the best you can ask for in a downloadable game, the gameplay is excellent, and if you have a few friends that will buy the game as well you'll be set for the greatest gaming that can be found without a disc.