Battlefield 4 for XBox 360 is a game with excellent high points and unfortunate (but unavoidable) lows. The biggest issue for both of the current generation consoles is that the game, which was designed for 64 players on PC, PS4, and Xbox One, can only handle 24 players. This means that multiplayer, the core Battlefield experience, is often extremely lackluster, particularly where Conquest mode is concerned. I often end up with less than 20 kills for a full map, which is just...well, depressing. Rush and the newer, closer-quarter game modes are not quite as slow-paced as Conquest, and afford better action on current gen consoles in my opinion.
Still, that said, this is one of the best FPS games that has been produced for the current generation of consoles, and it is certainly worth purchasing (especially if you intend to get the PS4/XB1 when it comes out; "upgrading" supposedly only costs $10, and all progress + unlocks will be carried over). I can't give the 5 stars I gave for the PC review, but this is a very solid effort that addressed many of the complaints I had for BF3.
Multiplayer Review:
Still, even with the above complaint of "not being able to find an enemy" being true, "Battlefield moments" abound in BF4. Base-jump off a sky scraper. Drop c4 on a tank as you parachute down. Destroy the tank, killing the 2 guys inside, just before you land directly behind the sniper that's been plaguing your team from his little hideout. Knife him and take his dog tags...those types of sequences happen often (just not as often as PC), and it's an adrenaline rush like no other. You can't get this type of action anywhere else. It really seems like the dev team focused on giving players as much creative license as they could, and it has paid off in a HUGE way.
BF4 addressed virtually all of my major complaints with BF3. Gone is the inexplicable lack of destructibility (mostly...there are still some walls that I feel should be destructible that are not). Gone are the funneling choke-points that made certain maps virtually unplayable from certain spawns. Gone is the horrid squad perk system (it's been replaced by one that works).
The maps are very well designed for 64 players, but not-so-great for 24. I had MAJOR complaints with BF3 map design after experiencing the glory of BC2. If you felt that way at all...well, the maps in BF4 offer more routes to objectives, more creativity, and more tactical offensive opportunities. The DICE team REALLY stepped it up, and the design is noticeable even on current gen consoles.
I'm a little weirded out with the spotting system. Before, you were required to hit the "spot" button to spot an enemy. That function happens automatically now, and I'm not sure how I feel about that (since it seems like grading on a curve for less experienced players). I understand the idea. However, it's going to take a week for me to stop spamming the spot button automatically every time I see an enemy.
Class balance: The biggest change made here is that Recon is infinitely more useful now. The BC2 motion mine has made its return along with C4, and I've found the Recon class to be the most user-friendly to play out of the gate. Engineers seem *slightly* nerfed to me, but that could just be my dislike for their class weapons.
The weapons are all a joy to fire because the wild recoil on almost every weapon rewards skill and punishes spray-and-pray types. The new "zeroing" function is also extremely handy for sniping.
Vehicles also seem to have been well thought out. You actually start with defensive countermeasures now, so you don't have to suffer through a week of trying to level up your scout helicopter against heat-seeking missiles while you don't have flares. There are different vehicles available on certain maps on current gen consoles vs PC because of the player limit.
My only fear: Server Renting. If it becomes possible for any Joe Schmo to rent a server from DICE like it was in BF3, the game will suffer the same problems. I do not know if DICE has a system in place to keep their "official servers" listed separately from rented ones (if they go that route). Nothing is more annoying than getting kicked from a game in which you're 18-1 because the admin thinks you're "cheating" -- just because you happened to kill him four times while he camped behind the same bush.
Single Player:
Obviously, if you've read above, I've spent most of my first few hours owning the game in Multi. I did play about 2 hours of single player, however, and found it to be entertaining and well-paced but predictable. There's not really a lot more to say about it there.
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