Battlefield 1943

Battlefield 1943 has a tough act to follow. The question is, will three character classes and 24 online players compare to the 64 player maps and 5 classes in its 7 year old predecessor, Battlefield 1942?

The answer is very well. DICE has incorporated what was special in ‘42 into a streamlined system of Rifleman, Infantry and Scout. The main addition is DICE's Frostbite Engine, which allows players to pretty much decimate everything on the map; this ranges from dropping a bomb onto any building and obliterating it along with enemy troops hiding inside, to crushing palm trees under your tank treads.

‘43 is full of moments which make you sit there and go "wow". It's always a treat to see an enemy, racing towards you, readying himself to run you down in his car, just as you coolly fire your bazooka and watch as the front end hits the dirt and proceeds to somersault over your head in a ball of flames.

The price is spot on at 1200MS points and £9.99 on PSN. Even though there are only four maps, it really is a bargain for a downloadable title with excellent graphics. This truly is one of the purest online shooters in a long time. [Tom Hillman]