It’s funny that, after all of the earth-shattering announcements at E3, it would be a downloadable title getting us shaking most excitedly with anticipation. Contrary to Microsoft’s wishes, it wasn’t Shadow Complex getting us juddering violently, as these effects came from the viewing of Battlefield 1943, an online only incarnation of the popular World War Two series. After years of praise from gamers for it’s destructible environments, cleverly designed maps and huge arsenal, we couldn’t wait to boot up and roam the tropical islands on a significantly smaller scale.

Unfortunately, for many who’ve already opted to buy Battlefield 1943, they may have faced a barrage of frustration from its incapability to work properly over the last week. EA acknowledged that they were overwhelmed by the number of first-day buyers, and had to add new servers hastily to ensure everyone could play, but there are still issues which need to be ironed out to consider this an essential purchase. Often there is extreme lag slowing players down, dragging them unwillingly from their hiding position and into the open like a sneaky tribute to Michael Jackson’s infamous moonwalk. This has huge effects on proceedings, as when you have an enemy in sight, you’re often thrust away from planting a bullet inside their skull with a brief slide sideways or backwards.

While this game-killing lag isn’t always apparent, it seems that right now most players will experience some kind of discomfort during play, or indeed, when trying to enter a session. Whether there’s a graphical glitch placing you under the map or ruggedly inside an aircraft carrier that has seemingly wedged into your brain, the amount of hassle players are facing at this point is disappointing for a release that has been so hotly tipped for months. At the lowest end of the scale, many gamers cannot connect at all, as the servers continue to hiccup with the overload of war wannabes, sadly spitting them out if it begins to choke.

Luckily, for those willing to persevere, there’s a superb amount of fun to be had with Battlefield 1943. Although stripped down from it’s PC roots, the scale of this title suits the Live Arcade market excellently, offering a dip in and out experience that many crave after a hard day in the real world. With three basic character classes on offer (Rifleman, Infantry and Scout), it isn’t going to take long before you work out the strengths and weaknesses of each. For the run-and-gun lone hero, the SMG and Rocket Launcher combination of an Infantryman is the way forward, allowing for instantly explosive results. For those who lurk patiently behind every bush and in every tower, the sniping and detonation charge abilities are perfect for camping out and picking off the odd opponent. If however, you enjoy the best of both worlds, the Rifleman is an excellent choice for those who crave accuracy, a fast rate of fire, and deadly power. With a grenade attachment added on for the extra zealous, we’ve been romping through wars with our trusty rifle companion for a significant amount of time since release.

For the unaware, the true magic of the Battlefield franchise shines through when vehicles get involved. Players can take control of juggernaut tanks, pretend to be bomber pilots in acrobatic planes, and even storm beaches on the iconic landing crafts. Of course, as many environments crumble under the pressure of shellfire, by the end of each engagement there’s often a hellish vista of buildings that no-longer stand protectively, engulfed within a burning ballet of dancing flames and lifeless rubble. It’s great witnessing the damage you create, as landing in a base only seconds after you’ve released an aerial onslaught gives a true feeling of empowerment to those who survive.

In order to combat the heavy-duty threat of the land and sky behemoths, there are some strategically placed Anti-Air guns and air strike placements that’ll have the opposition running for cover. While the former are devastating to low flying planes, the latter can transform designated areas of the map into turmoil, as players run for cover and sanctuary away from the looming threat. Perhaps the best part of such an attack is the anticipation, as the air raid siren desperately cries out, warning that the island’s chin is about to take a stern beating from some truly explosive uppercuts. The variety on offer means that when a team communicate and work together, flags are easier to catch, and kills are easier to attain. With twenty-four players in a match at any one time, forming unlikely brotherhoods is the way towards victory.

Before Battlefield 1943 was released, we were taunted with the knowledge that, after forty-three million kills had been registered online, a fourth and final map would become available. Surprisingly, less than a week after release Coral Sea was unlocked- and along with it, the ‘Air Superiority’ mode. Placing emphasis on dogfights, teams have to take control of the sky rather than capturing flags. This is undeniably good fun, and adds a tinge of variety to the formula we’ve been getting comfortable with over the last week. With that said, the three maps that were on offer from release are tremendously balanced and all require specific strategies to conquer effectively.

Although the Iwo Jima, Guadalcanal and Wake Island maps will be familiar to those who have dabbled with Battlefield before, there are a host of new ways to go about attacking and defending each base. If you can coordinate it properly, launching a full-scale land and air assault with everyone involved is not only ultra-cool to watch, it’s often extremely deadly. Hopefully it wont be long before new maps are added however, as these bright and beautiful locations could use some extra support to stop them becoming tired.

Despite it’s connection problems, Battlefield 1943 is well worth the £12 ($15) asking price. Sitting just below The Lost and Damned as the top nugget of downloadable content, it’s fair to see that this will be one of the most played games across the summer. The fact is, after hours of play, there are so many standout moments that force you to discuss your conflicts with friends. Whether you’ve dived out of a plane at the last second to heroically escape, shot an enemy parachute while gliding in the yourself, or even taken out an unsuspecting victim with a katana, Battlefield 1943 will keep you thoroughly entertained well beyond it’s price tag.

Grade: B+