E3 2016: Battlefield 1 - 10 New Gameplay Details You Need To Know

In what continues to be the surprise FPS announcement of the year, DICE took Battlefield 1 to the E3 2016 show floor, debuting a new trailer along with some pretty impressive multiplayer gameplay. Said gameplay also featured the likes of Terry Crews and Gavin Free duking it out with Burnie Burns and Wiz Khalifa, which, while not really an incentive to pick up the Swedish studio's latest military shooter, certainly made for a hilarious and interesting press conference to say the least.

There was plenty to pick apart in the gameplay and trailers shown though, as well as in subsequent interaction between DICE developer, Aleksander Grøndal, and fans on Twitter. It means there's a lot to digest, but as the months inch forward closer to Battlefield's release date, we're beginning to get a very clear picture of what to expect. It's gritty, loud, and still quintessentially Battlefield.

Yet, we're also seeing a new approach to the genre from DICE, taking a relatively untapped conflict in the gaming medium and consequently making their series return to its historical roots. It's fascinating, especially since modern and near-future shooters are everywhere now, but maybe that's why Battlefield feels so refreshing.

It's undeniable that DICE have placed themselves well and truly ahead of the curve in this instance, and as the game continues to impress with each successive showing, I can only applaud the studio's confidence. After all, tackling a period once thought unadaptable in the medium is no small task, but, given reaction so far, I think DICE have earned the right to be cocky.

In an era of drone warfare and night vision goggles, going back to basics looks to have been the right move all along.

What was particularly interesting about Battlefield's trailer was that its gameplay wasn't comprised solely of multiplayer footage.

Indeed, DICE would later reveal on Twitter that the campaign will draw from multiple theatres of The First World War, and will see players don the uniforms of British, American, French, Italian, German and Austro-Hungarian forces throughout. The units shown off here, however, were clearly British, and their situation is as precarious as it gets.

Tanks were fairly cumbersome during their early days. Not only did those unfortunate enough to pilot these things have to contend with artillery shells and gunfire, but also the intense heat that accumulated within the tank itself too. Crews would often pass out due to the sheer inhospitable nature of tank warfare, and Black Bess? Well, her story isn't one of the war's lighter ones.

According to the 'Landships Activeboard', (I trust these guys to be clued up on this sort of thing) 'Black Bess' was actually a British tank that fought at the Battle of Cambrai. It was later captured by a German tank crew, though the trailer seemingly implies a far graver fate for the embattled crew trapped within.

It's pretty amazing that DICE are going to such lengths to really nail the authentic nature of this game. The multiplayer may provide an actual simulation of early 20th Century combat, but if the single player endeavours to achieve this level of historical accuracy throughout its campaign, it could end up being a history buff's dream.