Here's hoping this confidence carries over into the single-player campaign for Battlefield 4. It's Battlefield's traditional strength, and years of expertise provide the confidence to differ from Call of Duty and be all the better for it.

There's better news when it comes to the multiplayer, where the game's outstanding technical achievements are married to a refined class-based system that encourages teamwork. Occasionally the game succeeds in doing the familiar so well it becomes exciting again – preparing to launch from the deck of an aircraft carrier, for instance, and the atmospheric dogfight through the clouds that follows – but for the most part it feels tedious despite being so accomplished. Clearly the intention was to create something epic and CoD-topping, but the plan for achieving it seems to be 'do the same but louder and prettier', rather than building on Battlefield's previously funny, larger-than-life approach.

We've seen everything on offer here before – terrorists plots, interrogations and jargon-heavy special forces. It's a significant step up from the ageing Call of Duty engine, but this advantage is all but lost through the game's reluctance to step out of its rival's shadow. Visually the game is a marvel of beautiful lighting effects and spectacular locations. Not that there's much technically wrong with it. Battlefield 3 is a 2011 first-person shooter video game developed by DICE and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Playing it feels a little like meeting an old friend trying hard to fit in with some new social set – the familiar grin and twinkle lost in a bland new personality. For more details, head to /premium.I dentified by Electronic Arts as the publisher's best bet to take on sales leviathan Call of Duty, Battlefield 3 has been given a rigorous, humourless reshaping to make it fit for purpose. Marine in the field, periods of tension and anticipation are punctuated by moments of complete chaos. As the first boots on the ground, players will experience heart-pounding missions across diverse locations including Paris, Tehran and New York. Premium members will also get access to features such as the ability to reset their stats, queue priority into servers, and new decals for their Platoon emblems. In Battlefield 3, players step into the role of the elite U.S.

Take your Battlefield 3™ experience to the next level with Battlefield 3™ Premium! Containing a staggering amount of content, Battlefield 3™ Premium gives you five themed expansion packs for Battlefield 3™ with two weeks’ early access! You will also receive unique in-game items including a knife, new dog tags, exclusive soldier and weapon camos, and more. If you buy Battlefield 3™ Premium, these should be accessed through the in-game store and NOT DOWNLOADED FROM Xbox LIVE Marketplace or you will be charged twice. Battlefield 3™ Premium includes expansion packs Back to Karkand, Close Quarters, Armored Kill, End Game, and Expansion Pack #5.

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