Earthquakes, Crossbows, and Rhinos in Battlefield 3: Aftermath
Battlefield 3: Aftermath is the next piece of premium downloadable content for fans of the year-old shooter to experience, and we got to play it early.
Battlefield 3: Aftermath is the next piece of premium downloadable content for Dice's incredibly popular shooter. However, working out when you can actually play the thing isn't all that simple. Here's how it breaks down:
November 27 on PlayStation 3 Premium members December 4 Xbox 360 and PC Premium members December 11 for non-premium PlayStation 3 owners December 18 for non-premium Xbox 360 and PC owners
Got all that!? Good! We were lucky enough to play the expansion ahead of its launch, and we can happily report we had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Here's what you need to know.
There are earthquakes!
Remember that bit early on in Battlefield 3's campaign in Iran, where an earthquake brings down a building right in front of you? Well, Aftermath's four new maps take place right after that earthquake--so everything is a wreck, the character models are bruised and bloodied, but you'll feel aftershocks during your matches as well.
New maps
The two maps we got to play were named Epicenter and Markaz Monolith, which demonstrated how red propane tanks open doors to tunnels that can be used to sneak around, creating new routes through the map as you progress.
Of course there's a crossbow
Not to be outdone by fellow EA shooter Crysis 3 and its crossbow, Battlefield 3 now has one too thanks to Aftermath. There are four different tips--standard, scan bolt (proximity), explosive (C4) and balanced bolt, the latter of which is a sniper-like dart that can travel on a straight line farther than the standard bolt.
Three new vehicles
Aftermath's earthquake-stricken maps can be navigated in three new vehicles--the Barsuk, Rhino and Phoenix. These vehicles have been modded in a Road Warrior-esque fashion by the survivors of the ‘quake, so they have a more rough-and-ready appearance than the rather pristine vehicles seen in other maps.
New game mode
Scavenger is a new game mode just for Aftermath. Everyone has lost their guns, so you start the match searching around for weapons. When you find one, you only get the ammo that's in it, so you need to keep moving around to find new sidearms. This also means that BF3's class system is redundant, so everyone’s on the same level, making Scavenger perhaps BF3's purest deathmatch experience yet.
Are you looking forward to Battlefield 3's penultimate piece of DLC? What are you looking forward to the most? Let us know in the comments!
Guy Cocker is the Editor of GameSpot UK, a handheld gaming fan, and someone who actually managed to use video games to lose weight. He recently took up the position of games expert on BBC 5 live and is a BAFTA games judge.
Paid DLC and Premium = CONSUMERISM
that first mission is set in iraqi kkurdistan not iran
"Remember that bit early on in Battlefield 3's campaign in Iran, where an earthquake brings down a building right in front of you? "
No. Never played the campaign.
There are only two new maps?
nvm, he said the two he got to play.
-ArchAngeL-777- Actually is four new maps, they only got to play two.
It would be great if every server on the P.C didn't have 9 million tickets.
The only new weapon is the PSE TAC 15?
I bought Battlefield 3 on launch day for my Xbox, and this month my Xbox live gold membership expired. I was thinking of renewing my membership to play BF3 but at the end decided to save some money and get BF3 Premium Edition for my PS3 and the best thing about it is I get to play the new maps 2 weeks earlier than PC and Xbox.
Correction 1 week earlier, I didn't know they keep changing release dates.
luis4800 From a technical standpoint as you've played both, is there much difference between the XBOX and PS3 version?
Peazo luis4800 Nope!!
Peazo None. I am just happy that I saved over $100 dollars. Premium itself cost $50 and one year of Xbox live cost $60. I only spent $60 for BF3 Premium Edition.
I saw the earthquakes and was thinking of buying the premium edition. Now I saw the Scavenger mode and I was like yup I'm getting this now.
ANYchance on making Battlefield 3 add on so us solo guys can play the entire game.
scooterdude@sc.rr.com
Damn, this looks fun!
Scavenger seems pretty awesome dude ;)
that van technical looked cool it looks almost like something one of my Friends and employee done with a ford transit and M2 browning
scavenger mode seems like it will be pretty fun!
Premium is the best and worth the $50. Better than any season pass. Nothing like BF3, so I don't see any other shooter that will default it in my play time. One of my all time favorites, fa show. I will be buying Halo4, so we'll see how that goes
Scavenger actually sounds pretty sweet, I'd love to see it combined with some of the other game modes. Scavenger conquest could be sweet.
Too fast for me. I prefer ARMA style gameplay.
Taffelost games not highspeed like that all the time, sometimes it gets very tense in firefights when it comes down to a good stand-off between two equally skilled teams
scavenger could be good if the guns are put in random places , but if the spots are static that would be like any old school shooter where there are "gun spots"
meh
cant wait to play scavenger mode sounds fun
More co op missions would be nice.
JJB03 I would like for once to be able to play with someone in my own household, it's so hard to play with people online when you don't have a mic.
i will now get premium, and the scavenger mode will probably be all i play
This was misleading, where are the rhinos?
kazumashadow Yeah you are right, False advertising, I hate them
kazumashadow
The rhino the van looking vehicle.
stlouiscardinal kazumashadow I think he was joking...
pcty stlouiscardinal i am ashamed to admit i wasn't joking
kazumashadow pcty stlouiscardinal ok
kazumashadow Yeah :(
There was actually a rumor a while back that they would be introducing a Dinosaur Mode.
Harrydapro kazumashadow That was based on the trailer that showed the single player portion of the game where you are a tank driver holding a toy dinosaur.
im ready for crossbow only matches and scavenger on hardcore.
Since the initial DLC package B2K, there has been a steady drop in the quality and quantity of content that they put in these packages. Good thing I held onto my money and didn't buy premium when the first two packs were released and everything looked so good.
scarletsnake I didn't get the premium either but AK is a really nice addition IMO, those three new maps along with the new vehicles have been worth the $15. What's more fun than loading up an ATV with C4 and ghost riding it into an enemy?!
Psmitty456 that would be 4 new maps, not 3.
Still debating whether to get the premium edition on PC or just wait for BF4.
Battlefield 3 FTW!!!
I wish they had put more guns in it, I like to have a large variety and to see 2 packs in a row adding just 1 weapon is disappointing
WWIAB ENDGAME
PortalJumper93 WWIAB Did I hear right that ENDGAME will have motorcycles?!
PortalJumper93 yes apparently end game will bring motorcycles to the arsenal.
WWIAB i want a hell of a lot more guns in BF3 for example since there is already a good amount of chinese weapons in the engineer, recon and support class woulodnt it be cool to complete the set and have QBZ 95 and QCW 05 and what about other weapons such as FN FAL, FN FNC, TAR 21, berreta AR70, for assault and for support MG4, MG3,IMI negev, for recon they should VSS vintorez,MK14 and they should add anti material rifles such as KSVK, M107 and AS50s and for all kits they should add Vector sub machine guns , UZIs, and for shotguns why not have spas 15, H&K; FP6 also BF3 could have done with more AT weapons such AT4, RPG18 , carl gustav, Metis AT 13 and panzerfaust 3's and also mre vehicles as well such as Mi24 hind, sea knight or chinook, Mi8, M2 bradley and BMP3 also as a feature for endgame they should add a map making tool similar to far cry games and you get to use pieces from both the main game and the DLCs if u have them
Venatorcruiser WWIAB This guy has definitely studied up on his deathmachines!!!("Venatorcruiser")
ME21597 WWIAB well i served in the british army for a few years and i currently work as private military contractor so basically it is my job to know about these things and i have used most of the weapons mentioned above and i have been in some of the vehicles mentioned above and evn larned how to fly both Mi8 and Mi24
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Battlefield 3: Aftermath
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- Publisher(s): Electronic Arts
- Developer(s): EA DICE
- Genre: Action
- Release: TBA 2012 (US)
- ESRB: M
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