Battlefield V: The Rotterdam Trailer Breakdown

From the shattered streets of Rotterdam to the burning sands of North Africa, the latest Battlefield™ V trailer shows how you and your squad will write the untold, discover the unseen, and play the unfamiliar stories of World War 2. On display are the many improvements of game mechanics central to the Battlefield franchise, such as multiplayer maps that can house the chaos of 64-player battles, the rock-paper-scissors backbone of infantry versus vehicles versus aircraft, and supreme destruction.

Battlefield V is the largest Battlefield yet, and its gameplay additions and features are tough to pack into any one trailer, especially since the experience will only continue to grow after launch. Still, we’ve captured a clash-by-clash breakdown of the Rotterdam trailer below.

The Rotterdam Map

What briefly appears as a blissful panorama is quickly marred by the haze and smoke in the distance, emanating from the embattled streets of Rotterdam. This shot introduces one of four Battlefield V maps debuting in this trailer. The Rotterdam map is influenced by the imperiled city in Holland during May 1940, where the German invading forces met fierce opposition from the Dutch military.

Recreating this seldom explored battlefield from the early days of WW2 required extensive archival research by DICE. The team did add their own touch, taking design cues from a map in Battlefield™3. Can you figure out which one? 

“C’mon, Move!”

The frenetic pace of battle demands soldiers that can move, and move well. New maneuvers add to the custom weapons, unique specializations, and personal Fortifications available to exploit the always evolving battlefield to lead your squad to victory.

The jumping, sliding, and vaulting seen in the trailer is one example of improved soldier movement that allows you to better navigate every battlefield and lead a squad to an objective. These advanced movement options are more ways to stay and fight together. Roll and dive through obstacles to lay down cover fire for an ally who's pinned down or leap through windows to make a desperate escape. Sprint while crouching to reach a fallen squad member faster and shoot alongside teammates from clever positions to keep the enemy guessing.

Immersion is heightened from the third-person perspective, where soldiers will crash into cover and trudge through environments differently. For example, move frame-by-frame in the clip above to catch how the soldier’s foot is reacting to the environment, hitting and twisting on the uneven surface.

Reinforcements and Aftermath

Better squad play means deeper strategy, where playing the objective together reaps heavy-duty Reinforcements. In this clip, the V-1 rocket and its havoc-wreaking blast resets the course of battle. Players will be able to unleash the mighty V-1 after their squad earns points from effective team play. These Reinforcements, when coordinated, can even beat overwhelming odds, clearing heavily fortified enemy positions in most cases. There will be other Reinforcements at launch, like supply drops, smoke screens, and the flame-throwing Churchill Crocodile tank.

Also captured at the end of this clip is the concussive affect that explosions will have on nearby soldiers, blowing them off their feet. This is a feature of Battlefield V’s improved, more realistic physics.

The Devastation map

Soldiers awake to a destroyed Rotterdam city center. The debris, crumbling buildings, and surrounding firestorms have transformed the battlefield. New avenues of approach, obstacles, and defensive positions are some of what shape the next Battlefield V map seen here, called Devastation.

The map is inspired by the second half of the Rotterdam blitz by the German forces. While the Rotterdam map shows the city at the start of the attack, Devastation recreates the terrible aftermath of intensive bombardments. The ruined streets are built with dynamic destruction. No matter what destroys a building, different parts of it will crack, move, and crumble over time, making destruction more realistic than ever.

The Rotterdam and Devastation maps will be featured in an early Grand Operation, the Battle of Holland.

Flares and Spotting

Battlefield V has removed the ability to spam the spot button that resulted in those pesky icons that followed spotted enemies around the map. Battlefield intelligence is now gathered according to your squad composition. Scouts can spot enemies, or teammates can send up flares to notify their squad of the opposition’s last known location. Aircraft can also drop flares from above to temporarily illuminate enemies in the ground. 

The Twisted Steel Map

The once-serene French countryside is the location for the next Battlefield V map, Twisted Steel. Set during the initial invasion of France, Twisted Steel is defined by open marshes and sporadic dense thickets of trees. Torrents of gunfire have flooded the soil with shell casings, shrapnel, and the assorted litter of war.

The massive bridge that towers over the map is the biggest structure ever modeled in a Battlefield game. However, the giant structure is more than a set piece, because of its vital location for squads to either prepare a defense with hastily constructed Fortifications or mount a coordinated assault on a Conquest point.

Hamada Map

Hamada will be one of two North Africa maps available at launch. The map, crawling with tank warfare in the trailer, is inspired by a strategic point between Libya and Egypt and the scene of pivotal battles between the Axis and Allies during 1941 and 1942.

Vehicles and Aircraft

These shots, and similar ones that appear throughout the trailer, are a quick display of the arsenal of customized vehicles and aircraft you can collect as part of The Company. Seen from the cockpit of an advancing tank or from the planes diving through fiery plumes of smoke, players can upgrade these vehicles and aircraft to fit their playstyle. Choose between greater firepower or improved durability. Coming after launch for vehicles is visual customization, too.

Battle Royale

Here’s the cherry on top, a sneak peek at the Battlefield V battle royale experience, coming after launch. Battle royale will never be the same — more details coming soon!

Battlefield V is an immense game and there are more clues in the latest trailer on how stay and fight together in an epic, all-out war come October.

- Jeff Landa (Follow Jeff on Twitter @JeffLanda)

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