Battlefield Heroes Commentary Part II

In Part I, I outlined how Battlefield Heroes is a bit different from the classic Battlefield series.

I'll start by saying its not my fathers Battlefield.

At a casual pace, the game is great. There are experience levels, customizable characters, and achievements (known as missions). They all provide great incentive for casual players to get the most out of a short play session.

The game is free to play, but supported by micro-transactions. It costs "battle funds", which are purchased with real money, to customize a Hero. There is everything from hats to shoulder monkeys to momentary game bonuses. Different versions, at different costs, last anywhere from a week to permanently. This allows a player to choose a crazy outfit for a week, at a cheaper cost, without the long term commitment attached.

On top of "battle funds", there is dual-currency in the form of Victory Points. Victory Points are earned via in-game mission completion and winning matches (don't worry, losers get a small amount as well). Victory Points are used to purchase weapons and extra goodies for use in game. However, these weapons/upgrades are no permanent and in order to maintain them, the player needs to continually earn Victory Points to afford the weapons they like.

This is a very smart currency system in my book. It allows for the game to be supported by the fans, without destroying outsiders ability to come in and enjoy the game. Raw, real money spent does not buy any immediate advantage for a player.

Plus, there is no need to ever pay real money for anything if a player decides they don't want to. There is no negative to this play style and only means a slight loss of uniqueness, but when bodies are dropping a dime a dozen, that monkey on that Gunner's shoulder isn't doing much anyways.

Stay tuned for Part III: The Conclusion!