Battlefield 2042 is back again with the New Dawn experience for season 5. Take to the battlefield in an all-new map that focused on combined arms warfare, both on foot and in all manner of vehicles for maximum carnage.

The brand new map, Reclaimed, isn’t quite the largest map they have released, but it was certainly built with the most forward-thinking mindset yet. Allowing for both portions of the gameplay to shine, each capture point focuses on a different combat element that will help players gravitate towards the one they enjoy the most.

Ranging from a broken-down railway station that has plenty of cover while allowing smaller vehicles to pass through, to the large open landing zone space that begs larger vehicles to duke it out for superiority.

While over on the other side of the map, the tight confines force close-quarter combat in the bunkers. This pits players against each other in a chaotic exchange similar to the inside area of Operation Metro from BF3.

The mindset of creating engaging ways to move through the map and crafting areas for tailored skirmishes has extended to previous maps as well. So far, all maps besides Hourglass, which will launch later in the season, have been given a facelift to elevate their experiences.

The subtle enhancements are plentiful and can be as simple as adding some rumble or crates in the extended tunnels in Exposures’ underbelly, so it is less of a risk to take that route, in turn making the defenders think twice. Other maps have been given a more detailed environment, with damaged structures that create a few new ways to manoeuvre while making it visually more immersive than they were at launch.

The maps aren’t the only thing that has been given a new lease on life – the squad system has become more intuitive and easier to manage. Being able to easily create squads in the lobby and in-game may seem insignificant to some, but the squad-based mindset is such a crucial element to Battlefield’s legacy, being able to have greater control about how you go about it is incredibly welcome.

The last piece to the puzzle is the weapons you take in with you, and fan-favourite weapons are set to make a huge comeback. The GEW-46, ACW-R, MTAR-21 are all making a glorious return for assault-based weapons with a BFP.50 sidearm to boot. The heavy-hitting BFP, in the right hands, can dominate close quarters and still pull off a few skilled long shots if times are desperate.

There will also be new gadgets available to round out your arsenal with mini, spring, and anti-tank grenades to play with. Having a variety of ways to sling some explosives around will bring further value to your squad if you plan beforehand, adding a self-worth factor to the fold.

As always with new seasons, a Battlepass comes with it to reward with 100 tiers to unlock new weapons, gadgets, cosmetics, XP boosters, and the new premium Seasonal Booster. The player character designs showcase two factions on opposite ends of the spectrum.

One team is almost primal in their design, while the other is more tactical and advanced in nature. The big prize is the level 100 Dozer limit, which looks like a berserker of a man with thick armour plating.

Season 5, New Dawn is the facelift that Battlefield 2042 needed to help it catch up to the ongoing improvements. Each season brings something noteworthy, and the new weapons, squad options, and revitalised maps mark this as an exciting time in the game’s life cycle.

Written by: Shane Fletcher