The 10 Best Battlefield Games

Ever since the original Battlefield 1942 released back in the summer of 2002, EA and DICE’s large-scale multiplayer warfare series has consistently been among the most critically acclaimed and popular first-person shooters ever made. Thanks to its constant reinvention, Battlefield has felt forever fresh, cycling through a number of different eras and locations, pushing the player count to support over 100+ players on the map at once, and bolstering its core multiplayer-first design with singleplayer narratives that cover some of the grittiest aspects of warfare. All this considered, it’s really no surprise that Battlefield is still holding strong after two decades, even if it’s had a couple of missteps along the way.

Whether you’re a fan of the series’ original WW2 setting, enjoy the modern warfare eras, or prefer to fight on the frontlines of Miami’s drug war, there’s something in this series for everyone. But which game is the best? That’s what we’re here to find out. With the heated firefights of Battlefield 6 on the horizon, let’s look back over the series and choose the top 10 Battlefield games.

10. Battlefield 2142

Let’s start with a cult classic. Battlefield 2142 was the first and only entry in the series to take Battlefield into a futuristic sci-fi setting. When it launched in 2006, it arguably felt like a really, really good mod for Battlefield 2, so closely did it emulate its predecessor’s formula. But look beyond those similarities and you’ll find something that has a distinct character, thanks to an improved progression system, refined class choices, and – here’s the big one – Titan mode, which saw teams breach the shields of the enemy’s looming spaceship from the ground, then board the vessel to eliminate its crew and destroy the central core. Such a unique mode makes this early entry of the now long-running series still worth checking out, although you’ll have to do it via unofficial servers these days.

9. Battlefield Hardline

If there was ever a black sheep of the Battlefield series, Hardline is it. Exchanging the globe-trotting modern warfare settings of Battlefields 3 and 4 for the sun-soaked, neon-drenched streets of Miami, Hardline pivots the series to the War on Drugs with its cops and robbers gameplay. Back in 2015 it was met with a ton of skepticism from long-time series fans, and a certain amount of that was justified. The multiplayer featured Battlefield’s typical large-scale chaos, which perhaps doesn’t gel with cars and downtown as much as it does tanks and bunkers. Nevertheless, the setting did introduce some interesting new modes such as Hotwire, Blood Money, and Heist, all of which have a distinct “crime” flavor.

But, in a novel twist for this PvP focused series, it’s Hardline’s single-player campaign that proves the highlight. It’s presented like a police procedural TV show in the same vein as Law & Order and CSI, and you get to choose if you’re a good cop or bad cop, either arresting everyone or shooting everything in sight. It’s a very different take on Battlefield’s typically Call of Duty-like campaigns, although certainly not short on explosive setpieces.

8. Battlefield 1943

While Battlefield Hardline was a dramatic shift in where Battlefield was played, our next game was a dramatic shift for how Battlefield was played. Battlefield 1943 was one of the first major console games exclusively available via digital download, which was a big deal back in 2009 when most digital-only titles were small indies.

You can see the limits imposed by that distribution model, though. Back then internet speeds were slower and digital-only games were restricted in size, so Battlefield 1943 is essentially a scaled-down version of the original Battlefield 1942. Despite this, it was still seen as an excellent entry into the series. Classic Pacific theater maps were rebuilt on the then-brand-new Frostbite engine, which allowed for cutting edge graphics, destructible environments, and fast-paced, 24-player matches. While this may not be the most beloved Battlefield game, in part due to its stripped-down map and class roster, it still successfully captured the unique essence of the series, and brought the important parts of the Battlefield 1942 PC experience to a new console audience.

7. Battlefield 1942

What’s a list of the top Battlefield games without the original that started it all? Battlefield 1942 was ground breaking when it launched in 2002, offering large-scale, 64-player online battles to a world accustomed to 6v6 or 12v12 matches. Eschewing deathmatches for the sprawling, objective-focussed Conquest mode, Battlefield 1942 was the stage for an innovative class-based system that gave distinct roles to each player – from the damage-focused Assault to the vehicle-repairing Engineer. There really wasn’t anything like it at the time, especially its seamless transitions from infantry to vehicular and flying combat. And while the series has grown tremendously over the last 20 something years, 1942 is still immediately recognisable as Battlefield if you play it today. The impact of its large-scale gameplay and class system contributed to a shifting of the winds that changed shooters forever.

6. Battlefield: Bad Company

Battlefield: Bad Company was an important milestone for the series. It was the first game to utilize the Frostbite engine, which has gone on to be the defining bedrock of modern Battlefield thanks to its destructive capabilities. It was here that crumbling buildings and deformable terrain were first established, paving the way for collapsing skyscrapers in later years. Using smaller, more refined maps, it successfully built upon what made the series so great up to that point, this time for a console-only audience.

While PC was abandoned for this entry, the transition to console brought with it Battlefield’s first-ever narrative-driven campaign, which is best known for its goofy storytelling. Bad Company traded the seriousness of war for a lighter-toned tale that follows a ragtag squad who steal a super powerful gun and shoot their way out of the mess they got themselves into. The dialogue is cheesy (and perhaps a bit inappropriate, considering the setting and what’s happening on screen) but the decision to pivot the franchise to an action-comedy direction makes Bad Company one of the most memorable Battlefield experiences, and sets itself apart from everything else in this list.

5. Battlefield 4

Battlefield 4 Is what many would consider to be a “greatest hits” package. It’s got a solid, Call of Duty-like campaign. It’s built on the successes of Battlefield 3, with the same refined class system and exceptional land, sea and air combat. And it features a much-improved “Levolution” system that enhanced the series’ trademark map destruction in new ways, such as the ability to topple skyscrapers and dramatically change the layout of maps, adding new depth to the large-scale battles. It is, without a doubt, one of the series’ most solid entries.

It’s not considered in the very upper-echelon of Battlefield, though, largely because it suffered some major setbacks at launch across all platforms. Xbox 360 and PS3 players had to settle for less-than-ideal 24 player lobbies, the PlayStation 4 version was full of issues stemming from connection timeouts and PSN functions not working at launch, and the PC version was riddled with bugs and glitches. The situation was so bad that EA faced multiple lawsuits. While most of the issues were eventually patched and fixed, resulting in an excellent, landmark Battlefield game, EA eventually admitted that the launch version of BF4 had damaged people’s trust in the series.

4. Battlefield 2

Three years after its debut, Battlefield took a major leap forward, shifting not only its setting, but several of the fundamentals of how the large scale shooter played. Battlefield 2 took the formerly-historic shooter into the world of modern warfare, featuring contemporary geopolitics, helicopters, guided missiles, and advanced tech like UAVs and drones.

While these additions were elegantly woven into the series’ established core gameplay, the modern setting was a lot more than just a facelift. The core infantry combat was overhauled thanks to the addition of smaller squads that made up the traditional large-scale teams, allowing for more tactical play – something aided by the Commander role, which allowed one player to act as a General and issue orders to individual squads. But the most important addition was in-game voice chat, which was a major game changer, allowing for much tighter communication between squadmates, squad leaders, and the commander.

3. Battlefield 1

Battlefield’s take on the First World War is one of the most distinctive real-world settings for a shooter. Arriving after a long string of contemporary war games, Battlefield 1 traded the endlessly customizable “tacticool” weapons of the modern day for old, oftentimes clunky period versions of SMGs, sniper rifles, and explosives. Despite winding back the clock, the gunplay is as fun as ever and you quickly forget that you’re using weapons from a time before red-dot sights and silencers were the norm.

Battlefield 1 successfully explores a setting not seen often in video games through its varied campaign, which features a bleak-but-impactful selection of short stories that showcase real events. You’ll endure the brutal trench warfare carried out by the Harlem Hellfighters in France, and engage in guerilla tactics alongside British officer T.E. Lawrence in the fight against the Ottoman Empire. But it’s in the signature multiplayer that Battlefield 1 takes everything that makes the series special and cranks it up to 11. Almost a decade later, it is still considered among the best of the series thanks to its level destruction and weather effects that give every match a distinctly cinematic look. That’s only enhanced by Operations mode, which links together multiplayer matches to tell a grand war story. All these improvements may be one of the best examples of how a long-running series can raise the bar nearly 15 years after its first game’s release.

2. Battlefield: Bad Company 2

Awarding the silver medal to Battlefield: Bad Company 2 was a pretty easy choice. This was a generation-defining multiplayer game that improved upon its predecessor in every way possible. Gunfights were satisfying thanks to the newly added perks feature, vehicular combat was as chaotic as ever, and the level destruction tech was further refined, making for some really cool ways to adapt to how your enemy was playing (or hiding) throughout the map. While the classic Conquest capture-point mode was present and correct, Bad Company 2’s Rush mode, a push-and-pull game of attack and defend that perfected its predecessor’s Gold Rush matches, was the series’ biggest multiplayer shakeup in years and truly established Battlefield’s “second” mode.

Over in the campaign, B-Company returned from the previous Bad Company game for another adventure that, while toned down a bit from their previous adventure, still kept the charm and dark humor intact.

1. Battlefield 3

When you think Battlefield, chances are you’re thinking about Battlefield 3. From its endlessly replayable, absolutely chaotic large-scale multiplayer battles that gave birth to countless trick shot compilation videos, to its over-the-top singleplayer and co-op campaigns, Battlefield 3 is undeniably the complete package. It was groundbreaking when it launched in 2011, and you can see that in the visuals that still look good today.

While the singleplayer retains a cult following and is worth taking a look at, multiplayer is where Battlefield 3 truly shines. An excellent progression system offers a ton of rewards and upgrades as you progress upwards through the ranks. Class selections are smart, improving upon Bad Company’s four-role system to offer a deep-but-streamlined set of options. Mechanically, the shooting, driving, and flying is rock solid and, most importantly, fun. This unlocks those signature Battlefield moments, where generally messing around leads to astonishing kills. If you want to strap C4 to a jeep and drive it off a cliff into a passing fighter jet, this is the game for you. The interplay between the squad combat, map destruction, objectives, and chaos-creating gadgets means that there’s just so much to do. It’s no wonder that people are still playing the game almost 15 years after its release.

Battlefield 3 is without a doubt the best entry in the series to date. And as one of the best multiplayer shooters ever made, it undoubtedly deserves the top spot on this list.

And there you have it – IGN’s pick of the 10 best Battlefield games. Do you agree with our list? Do you think Battlefield 6 will find its way onto a future version of this ranking? Let us know your thoughts and favorite entries in the comments below.