Review: 'Battlefield 1' looks backward for fresh ideas

"Battlefield 1" (Electronic Arts, for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, $59.99) takes that ambiguity and builds a surprisingly effective narrative around it.

The latest war game from EA's Sweden-based DICE studio offers few rah-rah moments of triumph; more commonly, you're just relieved to make it out alive.

[...] grim scenario, you take the roles of a tank driver in France, a British fighter pilot, a desperate Italian soldier in the Alps and a wily old Australian veteran in Gallipoli.

The anthology approach gives DICE a chance to show off its flair with gorgeously rendered landscapes, as well its skill in building a variety of weapons and vehicles that feel like they have genuine weight.

There's a full suite of online multiplayer contests, highlighted by DICE's signature Conquest mode, where up to 64 soldiers fight over a sprawling wasteland.