EA has made inroads with free-to-play games in other markets, but Battlefield: Heroes will be the company’s first attempt to make that business model work in North America with a big-name title. While we knew a lot about the game, like the art style and character classes that will be available at launch, EA has recently sent Ars Technica a beta key, and after a few hours of play time we’re confident in saying that there is much in this title to look forward to.

It’s important to get the misinformation out of the way: the game will have ads on both the official website and the game’s launcher. The good news is that there will be no ads in the actual game, and the ads in the various front-ends are unobstrusive. The other way EA is hoping to make money from the game is microtransactions: selling in-game items for a few dollars each. We were once led to believe players would only be able to purchase visual upgrades for their characters—new hats or glasses or similar items—but EA has now told us the item store will also allow you to "catch-up with your hardcore free-playing buddies with time-saving convenience items." That doesn’t sound promising.

The game features a third-person, cartoony version of the Battlefield play we’ve come to expect from DICE, but there are a number of updates and changes to the formula. Characters now level up by killing others in the game or capturing areas for their team, and you can use your points to upgrade special powers to aid in combat. The soldier, for instance, has a healing move that gives him his own health back as well as those around him; leveling that power makes him a good person to put in the middle of an offensive. It’s a good thing too, as the game doesn’t feature a medic class. You can choose between the gunner, who has the heaviest weapons; the soldier, who can heal others and is your all-around guy; and the commando, who is your stealthy, go-to character. You’ll be able to create, modify, and level up four characters, so exploring your options is easy.  

The actual person-to-person combat doesn’t feel nearly as deadly as past Battlefield games, and in fact it can be somewhat hard to learn how to aim; landing your shots with machine guns can feel slightly random. If you do get a shot in, you’ll see how many points of damage you have done against your opponent, and if they heal or activate a special move, you’ll also see an effect around their character model, letting you know how the fight is going. Battles can last longer than you’re accustomed to from other games, Heroes seems designed to have gunfights that last a decent amount of time. Special powers and healing moves stretch that time out even more.

With a stock character, the game can almost feel slow at time, both in battle and while moving. Taking advantage of the game’s three vehicles—tanks, planes, and jeeps—can help with that problem when you’re trying to get around quickly.  

The jeeps are fast, as expected, but the tanks are also more sprightly than one would expect. Cranking around in one, firing at infantry... it’s a zippy feeling. The planes allow you to really cover ground, and if you want a dizzying experience, jump onto the wing while your friend flies and shoot at those below you. The vehicles are simple to use, easy to understand, and fit into the casual nature of play. That isn’t to say the game doesn’t have depth: grabbing turrets to take down planes, making sure you have enough of each class to defend against all attacks, and clever use of team-tactics with your special powers are much more important than simple skill. The game does a good job of keeping you with people at your own skill level on random games, although the final version will also have extensive social networking features if you want to set up games with your friends. 

The beta only has two maps: Seaside Skirmish for larger battles with tanks and planes, and Victory Village for a more man-to-man style of fighting, and you can learn everything there is to know about the game in an hour. Mastering it, and leveling up your favorite powers, will take some time. I do have some complaints about the way the game is set up, however. The lack of female character models is a little off-putting, and the pause that occurs when a new player joins a server and their customizations load is annoying. Also, each character chooses to be part of the Royal Army (think the Allies) or the National Army (think Axis) at the creation phase. Why is that bothersome? If one side drops off the server, no one can simply switch sides to even up the teams. Instead, you have to wait for more characters to join on the opposite side. It may be due to the limited nature of the closed beta, but in some games it was quite a long time until the teams were even again. 

The game play has its own feel and pace, and strategy is much more important here than it is in other shooters. Heroes does the casual thing well, while also giving hardcore gamers some depth, and I can see how leveling up your character and chasing the achievements can become addictive. EA and DICE are also promising constant updates with more content, so the game will be a living being, much like Team Fortress 2. Will Battlefield: Heroes find an audience? Hard to say, but the game won’t cost you anything to play, so it will at least be worth a try when it receives a wider release. The big question is what EA will choose to sell you, and what gamers will find themselves willing to pay for.