Although DICE may have started out makingniche arcade pinball games back in the early 1990s, they’ve since gone on to become a juggernaut within the industry thanks to their extensive catalog of amazing titles which has amassed them a pretty huge fanbase. The majority of DICE’s games are wartime multiplayer titles that place a large emphasis on their realistic gunplay, staggering player counts, and especially environmental destruction, which DICE are arguably the best at pulling off successfully.
Because DICE are constantly tuning and refining the core mechanics and gameplay of their multiplayer and single player games, it does mean that they can vary quite a lot in quality, with some games being seen in a far more favorable light than others. Here are the games that many fans consider to be the very best to ever come from DICE, along with a bit of context on why so many people enjoy them so much.
Despite coming out over 10 years ago, thebright and vibrant visual styleofMirror’s Edgestill looks absolutely jaw-dropping to this very day, and the fast and fluid parkor gameplay that is at the core of the experience just never seems to get old. Players assume the role of Faith, a courier who is currently being hunted by government agents who certainly aren’t shy about gunning her down the moment they get the chance.
Because of how fast and agile Faith is though, it means that players are encouraged to get creative with their movements to try and evade any attackers, whether that be through running across walls, sliding through an air vent, or simply just sneaking up a pipe to avoid detection. Although the gameplay does start to wear thin near the end because of how long the game is, there’s no denying that in short bursts,Mirror’s Edgeis still a fantastic FPS title that really stands out for its excellent parkor system.
WithBad Companybeing the introduction ofDICE’s now signature Frostbite engine, it allowed players to destroy entire buildings and structures within a map with a few rockets or grenades, adding a whole new level of immersion to the gameplay. This worked especially well with the game’s new game mode, Gold Rush, where one team must attempt to hold out against the attackers who must try to blow up a handful of gold stashes with only a limited number of respawn tickets to back them up.
Battlefield Bad Companyalso has one of DICE’s best campaigns to date in the eyes of many, following the story of the four-man B company who are all incredibly quirky and charismatic, adding somewhat of a comical tone to the otherwise very serious wider context of the game’s story. The graphics may not have aged the best, and there are some serious balancing issues with the multiplayer in regard to weapons, but these are ultimately small issues that hardly overshadow everything else that this game does so well.
WhenBattlefield 3was nearing its release, it became very clear to onlookers that DICE were placing a lot of focus on the game’s visuals in an attempt to make it as realistic and believable as possible, something that they most definitely managed to achieve. Similarly,Battlefield 3also felt like a huge step-upwhen it came to its gunplay, with each and every weapon feeling weighty and powerful while they’re being fired and reloaded, which added yet another layer of immersion to the overall experience and helped to make each and every gunfight feel extremely chaotic and engaging.
Although the story isn’t really anything to write home about, the multiplayer is whereBattlefield 3really shines, not only with its myriad of game modes including Conquest, Rush, and Deathmatch, but also its maps, many of which have become some of the most iconic in the entire series. The game was unfortunately littered with micro-transactions upon its release which did put some people off, but at its core,Battlefield 3is still a fun and frantic FPS experience that looks as good as it plays.
AlthoughBattlefield 1943only features two game modes and three classes, the primary reason it’s still so beloved is how focused and enjoyable the gameplay is, which is perfectly complimented by the game’s incredibly well-designed maps. Wake Island is the biggest example of this, being a large and luscious island that contains barely any cover or debris to speak of, meaning that there’s always a huge gunfight taking place around every corner for players to jump into after they respawn.
There’s also a few extra gameplay additions that really fed into1943’smore arcade-like shooter gameplay, such as how every player will have an infinite amount of ammunition, and how fast their health will regenerate. Even without a campaign or extra game modes,Battlefield 1943still stole the hearts of many players thanks to how downright fun it was to jump into and play.
4Midtown Madness 3
Metacritic User Score: 8.1
Developed back when DICE were still tinkering with numerous genres at a time,Midtown Madness 3is anopen-world racing gamewhere players are free to explore the wonderful cities of Washington DC and Paris at their leisure, while also completing specific missions and participating in extra activities as they go. While the open-world concept was definitely quite innovative for its time, what also helpsMidtown Madness 3stand out is just how much there is to do while roaming around, ensuring that the gameplay never becomes dull or too predictable.
Street races, delivery missions, and time trials are just a few ways players can occupy their time, but there’s also the Work Undercover missions which spice things up by letting the player disguise themselves as a pizza driver or ambulance, for example, while carrying out specific tasks.Midtown Madness 3unfortunately went under the radar considering how many wildly popular racing titles came out at around the same time, but it’s definitely still worth a shot, not only for racing fans, but even for open-world fans in general.
Bad Company 2took everything that players loved about the first game and simply expanded on it all to create one of the most beloved entries in the entireBattlefieldseries. New weapons, items, vehicles, and a plethora of additional maps all meant thatBad Company 2felt very distinct from its predecessor while still carrying over the incredibly satisfying environmental destructibility, along with game modes likeRush and Conquest, which had always been fan-favorites.
Battlefieldgames may not be most well known for their stories, butBad Company 2reminded players that DICE are more than capable of making a gripping, engaging, and even an emotional narrative when they want to. Set during a fictional war between the US and Russia, the campaign is a globe-trotting adventure that includes plenty of unexpected twists and turns to keep things fresh from start to finish, and when paired with the exceptional multiplayer mode, it results in an amazing overall package.
In many ways,Battlefield 1942was the game that revolutionized theBattlefieldseries and turned it into what many people see it as today. Rather than just being a game about killing as many opponents as possible, the new Conquest mode encouraged players to stick by their teammates and be more strategic about their attack strategies, since capturing a point was now just as, if not more important, than taking down enemy soldiers.
For a game that came out in 2002,Battlefield 1942’sclasses all feel extremely balanced in its multiplayer mode, with each of them being specifically designed to handle certain situations, such asthe Scout who can pick off enemies from afar, and the Medic who is able to patch up wounded allies. The game also contains a pretty staggering number of vehicles and planes too, which only helps to make battles feel even more chaotic and unpredictable, which has since become a staple of the series.
Battlefield 2feels like a mixture of all the best aspects of the previous titles packed into one, which is why so many fans of the series look back so fondly on this entry, even though so manyBattlefieldgames have been released since. The Class system made a triumphant return, but this time around, there were 7 unique roles for players to choose from, granting an incredible amount of freedom to let players see which one suits their playstyle the most. While vehicles were nothing new to theBattlefieldseries by this point, DICE included a rock-paper-scissors system where each vehicle would be weak to another, making them feel far less overpowered than they had before.
Additionally, it’s incredibly impressive just how different each of the 15 maps feel from each other. One match, players could be sneaking their way through the swamps of Songhua Stalemate, while the next, they could be fighting over control of a gigantic dam in the Kubra Dam map, and this is only scratching the surface. There are also a few smaller additions that really help the game stand out, such as the handy replay system where players can watch back matches to review their performance, and the Commander system, where a player can treat a match more likean RTS gameby issuing commands to their squadmates from a birds-eye view.
