I haven’t been much of a multiplayer dude since the second Call of Duty Modern Warfare. I have dabbled a bit in some follow ups and enjoyed DOOM’s arena styled multiplayer action a bit but nothing super hardcore. Battlefield 1 changed all that. I am a sucker for WWI and WWII material and Battlefield 1 went all the way back to WWI and got away from the modern and future combat that was in serious ‘jump the shark’ mode. After a while though, a game gets tedious after playing it for hours that equal days. The maps begin to wear on you and the magic fades a bit.

Well, good news BF1 fans! Battlefield 1’s first DLC offering, They Shall Not Pass is out to refresh your interest and once again prove that BF1 is currently one of the superior multiplayer shooter contenders out there.

Of course, new maps are included in the DLC but in addition, we also get an intensely cool new mode, the French Army, new vehicles, new class, weapons and more.

The four new maps are all pretty great and give players a fair balance for all classes involved. Verdun Heights is a brutal uphill battle that gives the higher ground the advantage. With a wide-open field support class fire is imperative to dissuade charging enemies and stalking sniper fire. A centrally located point of interest is a constant hotspot for both teams. This one is a great teamwork map.

Fort De Vaux, is a mostly indoors head to head clash. Tight corners make this one an intense firefight that will grant flankers a quick victory. Learning the ins and outs of this map early and finding out how to always flank the enemy is imperative. There are certain points of interest that are placed outside the walls of the fort and for those, things get even more brutal.

Soissons is a big open world map with plenty of sniping opportunities and vehicle opportunities. This is one you want to keep your head down on, wide open fields make this one a into a shooting gallery for snipers.

My favorite of the four new maps, has to be Rupture. This one has a variety of possible methods, wide open areas carved with trenches are painted with poppies. Not only is this map pretty to look at, it allows you to use any class effectively and learn new methods of combat, you may not have previously put to work.

“The BF1 team has found a way to place

players outside of their comfort zone

A new game mode called Frontlines is a blast. This has players fighting to push an enemy all the way back to and then take their home base. These matches can be quick or take over an hour to complete due to constant pushing and pulling. Finding a way to get behind enemy lines and offer support from back there is a great way to get a leg-up in the fight. These are a blast and make victory all the sweeter.

Each of the classes is also given two new weapons. These weapons can be unlocked by completing challenges. For example, unlocking a weapon may have you trying for 15 headshots in one match and healing or resupplying teammates a certain amount of times. The new weapons are worth your time. Each comes with a variety of strengths compared to older weapons.

With the combination of new maps and new weapon unlock requirements. The BF1 team has found a way to place players outside of their comfort zone. For example, I had never used the mortars, but in order for me to unlock a weapon, I needed to use them. Experimenting has lead me to an all new way of playing the game, which is a brilliant way the team manages to keep you interested while also broadening your combat horizons. This is seriously the best FPS multiplayer DLC I have played in a while. The amount of content is pretty profound, you guys. Added to the fact that this is only the first of four DLC packs due out later this year and you have yourself and already epic game that is just widening its claws of awesomeness.

They Shall Not Pass is out now for Premium Pass owners and March 28 on your PSN and Xbox Live marketplace.