While it's core game play doesn't add anything new to the Battlefield series, it's still great fun.
There IS character customization in this game!
You don't have to pay for it. The in-game currency clothes are limited, but they are there. You won't see that many at the start, but you unlock more as you level up. And you don't have to pay money every month to keep your customization, there is a option to purchase it forever.
Regardless, don't let this get you down. As customization is a big part of the game, you don't need any fancy clothes to have fun.
Okay, let's start:
Before you jump into the game for the first time, you must first create a character on their pretty website.
You can pick from 2 factions: The Nationals and The Royals. Their WW2 counterparts are easy enough to figuire out. From there you will choose your class, name, and a few things like skin and hair color. The classes are: Soldier, Gunner, and Commando. Each class has their own distinctive characteristics, weapons, and abilitys.
The soldier combines the medic and assualt classes from the original Battlefield series. He has an average running speed and health. The soldier primarly uses Smgs like the Royal's Tommy the Typwriter. He is a good assualt class and is best for people new to this type of game.
The gunner combines the engineer and heavy assualt classes. He has a slow running speed yet has a hudge amount of health to make up for it, and uses big machine guns. The gunner is an excellant defence class. Other classes cry when they run into him at close range. He has lots of health so he can take a few hits from a tank, and can blow up vehicles with his bazooka.
The commando combines the sniper and special ops classes. He has a fast running speed and low health. A commando can choose from sniper rifles, knifes, and pistols. Commandos can be found sniping and knifing most of the time. If they get caught, it's an easy kill for the enemy, so he must use his stealth as much as possible.
Regarding weapons, you must buy them in the store for a limited amount of time, and you can only carry 2 at one time . But with unlimited ammo though :). For all the classes theres 3 types of each weapon base. Fast-close range, Slow-long range, and In the middle. Soldiers can buy smgs, shotguns and pistols. Gunners buy machine guns, shotguns and rockets. Commandos buy sniper rifles, pistols, and have their knife.
Each class shines in their own way. As a commando in Seaside Skirmish, you may want to go sniping. But if your on the close quarters Victory Village, you may want to go on a knifing spree instead. The maps are beautifully detailed for a free game thats supposed to run on low spec computers. They are all greatly layed out, well balanced and fun.
So far the current maps are: Seaside Skirmish, Victory Village, and Bucaneer Bay. Recently added was Coastal Clash, a name chosen in a contest within the beta forums. While there aren't that many maps, don't complain, there will be more.
When you finally create your character and get into the game your goal is the same like all Battlefield games: To capture all the enemy flags until thier tickets reach 0. The single greatest thing about this, is that you can go throughout the whole game, not killing a single person, and still be able to level up and buy things just like everyone else. Shooting someone displays 'plus numbers'.
It works as the damage system and for each hit that totals how much exp you get in real time. So if you're not that good at killing people, that doesn't mean you won't succeed!
Battlefield-Heroes' currency is Valor Points, Hero Points, and Battlefunds. You get Valor Points for taking down your enemy's tickets to a certain number, doing well in rounds and completing little acheivmentlike missions.
Missions include from killing a few people with a pistol or blowing up 10 tanks in 1 round. Valor Points is used to buy weapons and appearence items for 7 days or 1 month.
Hero points are aquired each time you level up to a even number (ie: 2,4,6,8,10,12,14) and is used to get new abilitys and to upgrade current ones. Battlefunds is the real-world money you trade in to buy special things. So far, that hasn't worked out so good.
The Good:
> There are some awesome maps with great detail.
> It helps along new players with tips at the loading screen and tutorials.
> Great leveling system so you don't have to make your goal to kill everybody.
> Has enough diversity in gameplay.
The Bad:
> There is a long list of annoying bugs (I have them all listed here too)
> Hackers are an issue.
> Classes need some more balancing.
The Ugly:
> Its driven on content delivery and updates. If it lacks an update for awhile, it gets boring.
>The battlefunds system will defiantly ruin lots of people's hopes for unlimited customization of your characters.