The Battlefield series has always stood out from its competition because of its enormous battles, whether they be in war-torn Europe during World War 2 or in a crumbling metropolis in the modern day. But despite the games' shared elements, they aren't all created equal. In fact, the quality gap between the very best Battlefield game and the worst is surprisingly large--especially when considering how only a handful of years separated the two. With Battlefield 2042 releasing on November 19, we've ranked the mainline Battlefield games from worst to best.
The Battlefield series is just the latest franchise that we've ranked. Make sure to check out our roundups of the best Far Cry games and best Call of Duty games, too.
11. Battlefield V
Battlefield VAfter years away from the deadliest war in human history--World War 2--DICE finally returned to it with Battlefield V, a game that followed the excellent Battlefield 1 and attempted to capture its best qualities via the returning War Stories single-player mode. The problem was that it just wasn't as interesting, despite intentionally focusing on lesser-known regiments and combatants during the war. Map design in multiplayer and the lack of many memorable weapons and gear from World War 2 didn't help matters, and the time-to-kill often felt so painfully short that you barely had time to make any tactical decisions before you got destroyed by a tank.
See our Battlefield V review.
10. Battlefield Hardline
Battlefield HardlineOne of the biggest departures for the Battlefield series to date, Battlefield Hardline put players in the role of law enforcement officers rather than the military. Much of the game takes place in Florida, and the single-player campaign features an arresting mechanic and a greater focus on stealth and investigation than the other games. This sounds fine in theory, but the more character-driven story required much better writing than what we got, especially with a bizarre, nonsensical ending that soured the whole experience. On the multiplayer side, there are heist-style objectives and other police-themed modes, but it generally doesn't feel all that different from the other Battlefield games--and never feels as fun.
See our Battlefield Hardline review.
9. Battlefield 2142
Battlefield 2142Once again beating its rival to the punch by going to the future way before Call of Duty ever did, Battlefield 2142 took the large-scale multiplayer more than a century into the future as a new massive world war erupted between major factions. The futuristic setting didn't change the game's emphasis on both on-foot and vehicular combat, however, but simply made it even more creative. Fictional tanks, air vehicles, and even a mech straight out of Halo or Metal Gear are all included, alongside futuristic weapons that go beyond what we even dream of being possible today. Since its release, Battlefield has mostly stuck to historic and modern settings, but that is going to change very soon.
See our Battlefield 2142 review.
8. Battlefield Vietnam
Battlefield VietnamYears before Call of Duty followed suit--and only in certain levels--with Black Ops, Battlefield had already headed to one of the most controversial wars in American history with Battlefield Vietnam. It aimed to deliver an accurate representation of the jungle-based warfare soldiers experienced during the decade-long conflict, with helicopters and jet fighters both available to pilot as ground troops clashed in the brush underneath. Punji sticks weren't just for Tony Hawk, so you'd also have to watch your step to make sure you weren't sent to a very painful early grave. No war is better known for its era's music than Vietnam, either, and Battlefield Vietnam delivered with songs like Fortunate Son by CCR as well as an Apocalypse Now reference with Ride of the Valkyries.
See our Battlefield Vietnam review.
7. Battlefield: Bad Company
Battlefield: Bad CompanyShifting from the ultra-serious tone of many of the other Battlefield games and featuring a full single-player campaign--the series was largely known for multiplayer-only and bot-based matches at the time--Battlefield: Bad Company helped to introduce the franchise to an entirely new audience. The game's destruction, made possible by an early version of the Frostbite engine, helped to keep matches feeling tense, and even those who just wanted a roller coaster ride campaign were in for a good time. The only people who weren't? PC players, as the game was only released for Xbox 360 and PS3 despite the series' long history on the PC. That would be rectified with its sequel, which came to all three.
See our Battlefield: Bad Company review.