The original Battlefield, now available free

Battlefield 1942 is now available totally free, to celebrate ten years of the Battlefield franchise. Despite it’s age, this is still a stellar mulitplayer game, pitching two teams of 32 players against each other in a variety of now classic maps.

Back in 2002, Battlefield 1942 needed a high spec PC and fast internet for the time. That’s not the case any more, meaning almost anyone can enjoy this great 32 vs 32 player first person shooter.

Set on a variety of now classic maps in World War II, Battlefield 1942 looks its age, but the creaky graphics can’t diminish the excellent gameplay. Capture the flag in Battlefield 1942 is one of the best online multiplayer games of all time. It’s much more accessible than Battlefield 3, and you won’t feel outgunned by players with superior firepower. The different classes of soldiers you can play are well balanced against each other, with snipers, infantry and so on. There are a variety of vehicles that spawn on the maps during a game, from jeeps to fighter planes.

Battlefield 1942 encourages teamwork, whether it’s two or three players teaming up to man a tank and guns, or just infantry storming a base with sniper cover. You can play as a ‘lone wolf’, but it’s much more fun and interesting playing cooperatively. You capture flags in bases simply by being near the flag pole, and the more players near a flag, the faster you capture. Your kills, deaths and captures are recorded so you can compare your achievements with other players.

There is a single player campaign, but that really hasn’t stood the test of time. Enemy AI is laughable, and it lacks any of the drama of modern single player campaigns. However, don’t let that detract from what is a milestone videogame. Online, Battlefield 1942 is essential.

Alongside Counter-Strike and Quake, Battlefield 1942 is a multiplayer FPS that is as fun today as it ever was. It would be a crime not to download this free!