Battlefield 1: Revolution Review: Is It Worth Playing?

What is Battlefield 1: Revolution?

Battlefield 1: Revolution is a complete edition of the 2016 first-person shooter developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts. Released in 2017, this package bundles the base game with the Season Pass content, which includes four expansions: They Shall Not Pass, In the Name of the Tsar, Turning Tides, and Apocalypse. It also includes a handful of in-game cosmetic items, such as the Red Baron and Lawrence of Arabia packs, and early access to certain weapons. The base game itself is set during the First World War, a departure from the modern and near-future settings of previous entries in the series. The title "Revolution" refers to the all-in-one nature of the package, not to any narrative theme within the game.

The core game is a large-scale multiplayer shooter that supports up to 64 players in a single match, with vehicles ranging from tanks and armoured cars to biplanes and dreadnoughts. There is a single-player campaign, titled War Stories, which is split into several short vignettes following different soldiers across various fronts. The Revolution edition does not alter the core gameplay; it simply aggregates all post-launch content into a single purchase. Critically, the game received a Metascore of 84, indicating generally favourable reviews from professional critics at the time of the base game's release. The Revolution edition itself has no separate Metascore, but its content is identical to the base game plus its expansions.

Gameplay

Gameplay in Battlefield 1 is built around squad-based infantry combat, vehicle warfare, and objective control. The primary multiplayer mode, Conquest, tasks two teams with capturing and holding control points across a large map. Unlike some other shooters of its era, the game emphasises teamwork and class roles. The four base classes – Assault, Medic, Support, and Scout – each have distinct weapons and gadgets. The Medic can revive fallen teammates, the Support provides ammunition, the Scout uses bolt-action rifles and spotting flares, and the Assault is equipped for anti-vehicle work with dynamite and rocket guns.

The First World War setting introduces several mechanical changes from previous Battlefield titles. Weapons are generally less accurate at range and have slower rates of fire, reflecting the technology of the period. Bolt-action rifles are common, and automatic weapons are restricted to specific classes and loadouts. The game also introduces elite classes, such as the Flame Trooper and the Tank Hunter, which spawn as pickups on the map and offer significantly increased firepower at the cost of mobility. The Behemoth system gives the losing team a powerful vehicle, such as a zeppelin or a super-heavy tank, to help break a stalemate. User reviews on platforms such as Steam and Metacritic consistently report that the gunplay feels weighty and that the destruction of buildings and terrain adds a tactical layer to engagements. The consensus is that the game rewards positioning and map knowledge over raw reaction speed, though the TTK (time-to-kill) is generally short.

Who is Battlefield 1: Revolution for?

This edition is aimed at players who want the full Battlefield 1 experience without purchasing the base game and four expansions separately. It is suitable for newcomers to the series who are interested in a historical shooter with a strong emphasis on large-scale combined arms warfare. The single-player War Stories are short and serve primarily as a tutorial for the multiplayer, so players who are exclusively interested in a deep narrative campaign will find limited value here. The game is also best suited to those who have a reliable internet connection and a preference for team-based play. Solo players who do not enjoy coordinating with strangers may find the experience frustrating, as victory in most modes depends heavily on squad cohesion.

Given the age of the game, the multiplayer population has declined since launch, but user reviews from 2023 and 2024 indicate that active servers still exist, particularly in North America and Europe. The Revolution edition is therefore most appropriate for players who are willing to accept an older player base and occasional server imbalances. It is not recommended for those who prefer modern, fast-paced arena shooters such as Call of Duty, as the pace of Battlefield 1 is slower and more methodical.

Graphics and performance

From a technical standpoint, Battlefield 1 was well regarded at release for its visual fidelity. The Frostbite engine renders large maps with considerable detail, including dynamic weather effects, destructible environments, and realistic lighting. The game runs at 60 frames per second on standard consoles and higher on PC, according to official documentation and performance reviews from outlets such as Digital Foundry. The PC version supports a range of graphical settings, and the minimum system requirements are modest by 2024 standards, though the game will still stress older CPUs during 64-player matches.

Performance issues have been reported across the game's lifetime. User reviews on Steam mention occasional server-side lag, hit registration problems, and crashes, particularly after updates. These reports are not universal, but they are consistent enough that they should be considered. The Revolution edition does not include any additional performance patches beyond the base game; the content is identical, so performance is the same as the original release with all updates applied. Visually, the game holds up well, though it does not match the fidelity of more recent titles in the series, such as Battlefield V or Battlefield 2042.

Value for money

The value proposition of Battlefield 1: Revolution depends heavily on the purchase price. At full retail, the package originally cost around £60, which was reasonable given that it included all four expansions. However, as of 2024, the game is frequently discounted to under £10 on digital storefronts such as Origin and Steam. At that price, the value is strong, as the base game alone offers dozens of hours of multiplayer content, and the expansions add new maps, weapons, and vehicles. The single-player campaign is short, at roughly six hours total, but it is serviceable.

It is worth noting that the game does not include any of the microtransactions that were present in the base game at launch. The Revolution edition grants access to all weapons and gadgets without additional purchases, which is a significant advantage over the original version. However, the player base is smaller than it was in 2017, and some game modes, such as Frontlines or Operations, may have long queue times depending on the time of day. For players who already own the base game, the Revolution edition is not worth purchasing, as the expansions are rarely played on all servers. For new players, it is the only sensible way to buy the game, as the base edition alone is rarely sold separately anymore.

Verdict

Battlefield 1: Revolution is a complete package of a well-regarded shooter. The Metascore of 84 reflects a critical consensus that the game succeeded in translating the First World War into a compelling multiplayer experience, despite the historical inaccuracies and the arcade-style gameplay. The Revolution edition adds all post-launch content, which extends the lifespan of the game considerably. User reviews are broadly positive, with the main criticisms being technical issues and the eventual decline of the player base.

The game is not without flaws. The single-player campaign is forgettable, and the multiplayer can be intimidating for new players. The historical setting is used as a backdrop rather than a simulation, and the game does not engage with the more grim realities of the war in any meaningful way. However, as a shooter, it is mechanically solid, visually impressive, and offers a scale of combat that few other games match. For players who missed the original release, the Revolution edition at a discounted price is a sensible purchase. For those who are not interested in large-scale multiplayer warfare, there is little here to change their mind. Overall, it remains a good, if not exceptional, entry in the Battlefield series, and the Revolution edition is the definitive way to experience it.