In these trying times gaming companies have to rely on proven hits. Hence, DICE is once again returning to World War II for the next Battlefield sequel, cleverly dubbed Battlefield 1943: Pacific.
All the announcements I've seen have breathlessly touted the new game's upgraded graphics engine and "new" locations, but from the trailer above I'm getting serious déjà vu – not only from all those hours I spent playing the original Battlefield 1942, but from the official remake of BF1942's most popular levels within Battlefield: Vietnam.
I have no doubt that whatever additions DICE makes for this sequel will be entertaining. I have no doubt that I will spend months firing my pistol impotently at soaring planes. Unfortunately, I also have no doubt that this is the quintessential rehash, generated purely to make a quick buck from gamers nostalgic for a game that is only six years old.
The fact that it's a download-only release for Windows, PlayStation Network Store and the Xbox Live Marketplace (as opposed to a $60 boxed release) almost excuses the unnecessary, financially motivated, self-plagiarism, but until publisher Electronic Arts offers an official price point, I'm going to assume it to be depressingly high.
BF1943: Pacific also currently lacks an official release date, but every piece of documentation I can find on the game promises that it will debut sometime this summer.
