BF6's free-to-play spinoff Battlefield Redsec plummets to 'mostly negative' on Steam, but not because it's bad

Look at Battlefield Redsec on Steam right now and you might be quick to assume it's an abject failure, yet the reviews might obscure the reality of the situation. Not content with dropping one of the best multiplayer games of the year on us in BF6, EA's Battlefield Studios has now unleashed its free-to-play counterpart. Redsec includes a battle royale format as well as an elimination gauntlet, complete with explosive destruction that allows you to open up new paths through the map. So why is it already falling foul of the court of public opinion?

In a strange twist of fate, one of the biggest problems for Battlefield Redsec might actually be that it's good at what it does. While Battlefield 6 has been a resounding success by pretty much all accounts, one of the more common complaints is that it lacks the vast, grand-scale warfare of some of its predecessors. Compare that to the Battlefield Redsec map, which offers exactly that; a sprawling region packed with points of interest, flanking routes, and dramatic destruction. This seems to be the most common issue cited by reviewers, who have so far awarded it just a 35%-positive rating from over 2,300 responses.

"BF6 base multiplayer gets small maps with limited destruction," one user writes. "BF BR gets a massive map with whole buildings coming down and water vehicles. I wish they spent more time making Conquest a true BF experience." It's a sentiment reflected by quite a few reviewers. "Oh wow, a nice big map with lots of POIs and flanks," another comments, "If only we could get something like this for the main game."

Also under fire are the game's microtransactions - while it's technically a standalone, free Steam game, Redsec will intrinsically remain tied to BF6 in people's minds. That's further exacerbated by challenges for the battle royale mode being included in season pass progression. As far as I can tell, these are extras on top of what's already there, so you aren't forced to do them, but it might bother the completionists.

Perhaps the most legitimate complaint right now is a lack of solo queue, with no option to even disable autofill and go in alone against teams. There's certainly a large part of the audience that likes the tension and challenge of going in with no backup, and I'd be surprised if Battlefield Studios doesn't include this as an option in a future update.

Personally, I've never been quite as enamored with even the best battle royale games, but Battlefield Redsec's Gauntlet mode has got my attention. The squad-based elimination format sees you racing to complete missions, and it's much more my speed. In fact, it reminds me a little of The Finals, which has brought me some of the most fun I've had in a competitive shooter that wasn't called Splitgate.

On top of all this, anyone who downloads Redsec gets access to Portal's sandbox tool set. That sounds like a pretty good deal, especially for anyone who's yet to try BF6 and wants a first taste without plonking down any cash. If you'd rather make your own judgment call than listen to the crowd, you can try it for free.

Just getting started and need some tips? Check our guide to Battlefield Redsec custom loadouts, and learn how to get your hands on a Battlefield Redsec vehicle keycard.

What do you make of this free-to-play contender? Drop into the PCGamesN community Discord server and let us know if it's pulling you away from BF6 proper, or whether you think it's a mere distraction that won't go the distance.