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Battlefield 1943

EMAIL PRINT ps3

8.3 User Score:

Generally favorable reviews

Based on 40 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?

Based on 36 votes
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Game Info

Publisher: Electronic Arts

Developer: Digital Illusions (DICE)

Genre(s): First-Person Shooter

Players: 24

ESRB Rating: T (Teen)

Release Date: July 9, 2009

Summary

[Playstation Network] Using the Frostbite engine, Battlefield 1943 takes players back to WWII. The game offers hours of 24 player multiplayer action over three classic and tropic locations; Wake Island, Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima. Delivering the award-winning through-the-gun and vehicle warfare online experience DICE is best recognized for, Battlefield 1943 has players battling in ruthless aerial dog fights and intense trench combat. [Electronic Arts]

Cheat Codes & Hints: Cheat Code Central

Also On The Web: Official Website

What The Critics Said

All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

GameShark

What makes this game interesting is the speed of play and the sheer, as mentioned before, chaos of it all.

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The Onion (A.V. Club)

But this scant digital download carries a massive payload of fun.

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Playstation Universe

The greatest shooter to hit the PlayStation Network.

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GamePro

With satisfaction always within reach, Battlefield 1943 makes for an addictive online experience. [Aug 2009, p.79]

TheSixthAxis

For a tenner this is an absolute no-brainer – an utterly wonderful online fighter and one that shouldn’t be missed by anyone.

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GameSpy

The formula it's created may be multiple years old, but DICE isn't just cashing in here; it's distilling its concept down to the core of what's important: fun.

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RealGamer

Battlefield 1943 may not be the most extensive multiplayer shooter available but none the less at its price it reflects tremendous value as it provides one of the best multiplayer experiences around, without doubt a must play title for any shooter fan.

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Play UK

Yes it's essentially Battlefield for idiots, but who cares when it's this good? [Issue#182, p.83]

ZTGameDomain

Battlefield 1943 is a prime example of why online gaming is so addictive. The concept is simple, the content is limited, but the fun is nearly endless.

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PSM3 Magazine UK

This well polished, if slightly limited, multi-player game is a steal. [Aug 2009, p.62]

Cheat Code Central

Despite a lack of depth found in other full-fledged FPS offerings (even from what's found in the Battlefield franchise itself) and a number of initial coding missteps, Battlefield 1943 is an arcade offering you really shouldn't miss. The $15 price tag and the overall quality make this a great purchase for anyone interested in shooters.

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GameFocus

What BF:1943 lacks in depth compared to earlier Battlefield games, it makes up for in a simplistic and challenging multiplayer game. Twenty-four person matches feel fantastic and except for the odd laggy match, it’s a seamless and fun experience. If you can get together a squad, there isn’t a more fun FPS online experience for your money.

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GamingTrend

Battlefield: 1943 is a terrific example of the fact that games don’t have to be expensive or 10 GB in size to be fun and provide hours of entertainment. At 1200 Microsoft points ($15), Battlefield: 1943 is one of the best gaming values going right now on the Xbox Live Arcade.

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XGN

For only 13 euros this is a really cool experience. If you want a great multiplayer shooter, then you should definitely buy this game!

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GamingExcellence

Battlefield 1943 is proof that the increasing complexity found in some shooters gets in the way of the fun instead of enhancing it.

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IGN

I love that we can download great looking first-person shooters that support 24 players online these days. Battlefield 1943 is an impressive package that sets a new standard for digital titles. You won't find anything new in terms of gameplay, but the seven-year old Battlefield formula remains a lot of fun today.

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Game Informer

While the game lacks the feature depth of other Battlefield titles, 1943 is a fairly priced, solid core to build around with more downloadable content. If EA introduces weapon packs and additional maps from the franchise’s storied past, I’ll be playing right up to the release of Bad Company 2. [Aug 2009, p.89]

GamingXP

You can buy this title without any concerns. Very well done and entertaining!

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Gamer 2.0

Battlefield 1943 is an all out multiplayer experience and one that fans will surely be hooked to for quite some time. Although only three maps are available at this time, EA is constantly holding contests to unlock new maps for each system and the inclusion of ranks and awards will only encourage players to continue fighting.

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Gamervision

It’s a miniature version, a smaller, quicker Battlefield, and one that is better suited for a downloadable title. Even with its faults, 1943 is absolutely worthy of a purchase. You’d be hard pressed to find a better downloadable game thus far in 2009.

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Vandal Online

Battlefield 1943 focuses on multiplayer, and achieves a great level of quality. Classic, well-made and fun as soon as some friends join in, it is a sure bet provided we are going to have war partners.

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3DJuegos

1943 is a great effort from DICE to change the format of the series. Maybe there is nothing especially new in its concept, but it´s as amazing as its previously released Battlefield counterparts.

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1UP

New for some and familiar for others, 1943 will once again keep players up well into the night for just one more round. Before long, the greenhorns will be wily vets, experts on the ins and outs of all three maps, and eager for more.

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PSX Extreme

For the money, it’ll be a challenge to find something more entertaining than Battlefield 1943.

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AtomicGamer

I really do enjoy the game, but you should definitely try out the demo and only spend the cash once you're bored with the other online mainstays on the PS3 and 360. Once you do, you'll find some genuinely good fun and action in Battlefield 1943.

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Gaming Age

DICE did a great job of refining the Battlefield formula into a cohesive package that should tide fans over until Bad Company 2, or may create a whole new fanbase in itself under 1943's small-but-strong design philosophy.

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Game Revolution

Battlefield 1943 is an impressive feat - it's a fun and gorgeous-looking downloadable game. If its rigid online structure can somehow be made more user-friendly in future patches, it'll be even more of a sure-bet that many of us will be playing for a long, long time, especially if this type of co-operative unlocking of features becomes a standard in future content.

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NZGamer

It’s an interesting, stripped down version that still has a lot of fun packed in. This comes with the proviso of playing alongside decent players, of course.

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Game Over Online

Battlefield 1943 is a great game if you’ve got a half hour or an hour in between something else and you want to play something but not get too deep into it. It, unfortunately, doesn’t go deeper than that, which is a shame because there are plenty of things here that could be done to open the game up even further.

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PS3bloggen.se

This remake of the now classic Battlefield: 1942 offers high paced and fast action straight out of the virtual box. The entertainment value is enormous, even though it lacks some variation in gameplay and has minor design flaws in private game sessions.

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Gamer.nl

Dice took everything we loved from Battlefield and added more action packed gameplay. Battlefield 1943 offers a great multiplayer experience and total destruction, but tends to get repetitive because of a lack of modes.

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Cynamite

A decent remake of a great game, the only thing missing is more content.

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Playstation Official Magazine UK

The only thing counting against all this is the overall size of the package. [Sept 2009, p.102]

DarkZero

Battlefield 1943 sets a high standard for the quality of downloadable games, and at only a tenner is an almost essential purchase for any online FPS fan.

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GameDaily

Battlefield 1943 is exactly the kind of game we like during these hot months -- not deep enough to play for an entire year (and at $15 a pop, would you expect to?) but definitely entertaining enough to tide you and your friends over until the fall's A-list releases.

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VideoGamer

Despite the lack of game modes and a bare bones class system, Battlefield 1943 differs enough from the competition to make it a worthwhile alternative to the likes of CoD, Halo, Gears of War, Killzone 2, Resistance and the rest.

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GameSpot

This multiplayer-only slice of the Battlefield series packs plenty of thrills into a downloadable package.

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Giant Bomb

An intense, replayable multiplayer shooter that's fully worthy of both the Battlefield name and the price of entry.

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Gameplayer Sweden

Despite the really small amount of content you get when purchasing this game it's really hard not to like it. The audio and graphics are really good and the destruction made possible by the frostbite engine really lifts the game. The only thing that's really missing is a couple of free downloadable maps.

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Absolute Games

Battlefield 1943 is the best multiplayer shooter for XBLA and PSN, but only by virtue of having no formidable competitors, except for the crippled CellFactor: Psychokinetic Wars.

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What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this game is 8.3 (out of 10) based on 36 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

ab c gave it a10:
For 15 bucks or 13 euros this game's a must-buy. The gameplay is awesome (especially with a FragFX), the graphics are good and sounds are superb. Thanks to the Frostbite game engine the environment around feels really dynamic as bombs bring down forests, destroy buildings and leave craters in the ground . A must-buy for an FPS fan!

AGENT-A20 gave it a9:
This game is a jewel. A must have for fps fans and a real bargain at $15, more than adequate in the neccessary areas of control, graphics, and online performance. Battles are intense and thrilling. You might be storming a base with a jeep full of teammates, or solo in the hills sniping, tank driver or buster, aircraft pilot or anti-aircraft gunning. Melee kills with a katana, it's all here. Drawbacks exist, slim level count, no choice of modes, blah blah. Just get it!!

Zach A gave it a10:
Going through the slow Summer season, Battlefield 1943 has probably been the glowing gem in my gaming summer. Considering that it only costed me £10, what is provided is a complete bargain! I've found all three classes to be well balanced, and have been able to go through several games as each and not feel as if I was at a disadvantage; the vehicles were well balanced too, with cars not being strong enough to turn them into roadkill machines, and Tanks can be taken out by any of the infantry classes (Yes, even the Rifleman if you have the right attitude!). One thing I've noticed is a lot of complaints about the planes, surprisingly I have no qualms about the planes. For such a small map and game in general, to make them any easier to fly would make them the unfair vehicle, since they have the potential to be the most powerful item on the map in the right hands. he way they are, they provide exciting dogfights with others, and the chance to help others back on the ground. Swiftly put, this game to me was right down to the core, pure Battlefield gold, and with updates, could easily for me hold its grounds with even the upcoming giant CoD 6 (Modern Warfare 2).

Simon P gave it a9:
The competing demands of career, girlfriend and everything else that come with adult life mean I only dip into online gaming from time to time, so for me a game like this is great. It's incredibly easy to just pick up and play and it's a lot of fun. I can tell I'm enjoying a game when I don't mind getting killed again and again and I keep coming back for more. Graphically it's nothing special, but it's bright colourful and it does the job. The sound is excellent; on a decent surround sound system the explosions and aircraft passing overhead are particular highlights. Only 3 land maps, only 3 classes of soldier etc, but it doesn't get boring because of the way that no two games play out the same. For sheer knock about fun, this is hard to beat.

Tristan H gave it a5:
This game is very fun. However, I have had a lot of problems with the aiming. One minute I can kill an enemy with no problems and the next minute I can't hit a guy two feet in front of me. Don't know why, but it really takes away from the game.

Mark C gave it an8:
What few maps you do get are a lot of fun, but you only get 3. And the air superiority isn't very fun do to poor plane controls and only one type of plane. But for 15$ you can't go wrong.

Will W. gave it a9:
Let me start out by saying that this game is awesome! All of the weapons (and classes) are fun to use and each has it's own distinct personality, simular to Call of Duty. You can rank up, but you don't earn any achevements by doing so. Instead, you earn them by completing certain chalanges, such as running over a certain amount of people, or capturing a certain number of basses. I havn't ever touched on the vehicles (cars, boats, tanks, planes...), highly destructible enviorments (simluar to Bad Company), the huge open worlds, the good graphics or even the fact that you couldn't even join a game the weekend of launch because it's so crowded. Some downers include no single player campaign, difficult plane control, the inability to pick which map or game type you wish to play (you can end up playing the same map many times in a row, for their are only 4) and some other minor problems. My point being, this game probubly could have sold at full retail price, but at a fourth of that, it's damn near perfect (you can say damn here right, I hope so or I just wrote all this for nothing!)

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