Battlefield: Hardline

I think this game might be the equivalent to CoD: Ghosts, meaning it's sorely underrated. I know most players didn't find the cops vs robbers aspect of the game amusing and I get it. Recently I've been throwing Hardline's campaign/multiplayer modes on due to the lack of content and change in direction in Battlefield 2042. The multiplayer runs pretty similar to BF4's but with new gadgets, a currency system, and the whole cops/robbers twist. The gameplay however feels just right, almost like butter on a warm pan. New gadgets like zip-lines and grappling hooks opened up new ways of movement and verticality. The grappling hook must've been inspired by R6: Siege and I didn't mind that at all. Hardline uses the same engine BF4 used, Frost Bite 3. The 2 year difference in titles allowed the devs to sharpen up and perfect the movement and visuals used in Hardline. I'm glad they did not number this title. The vibe I get from playing this spinoff resembles something from Miami Vice or GTA Online even. Chasing bad guys down in the LA River, launching firefights in the Florida Everglades, and raiding Hollywood mansions felt surreal when playing. The campaign offered some nice upgrades too. A new stealth system, similar to the Far Cry games, allowed players to complete missions their way. The score/music in the background matched perfectly with what was happening in game, whether it was sneaking through a cartel meth lab or driving down the streets in Miami. Ultimately, I'm finding a lot of fun in this old Battlefield project. In the future, I'd hope to play a new battlefield game that was built like Hardline. Meaning, it took the best aspects of it's previous titles and used it as a foundation.

'Battlefield: Hardline (2015)' takes its long-running, military shooter franchise to the streets. Its aesthetic is unmistakably 'cops vs robbers', seeming similar to pretty much any police procedural you can think of. In multiplayer, this translates to the same large-scale battles you'd expect from the series (even if they're pared back somewhat) and some game modes that attempt to capitalise on its new dynamic (or, rather, the milieu surrounding it). In single player, this translates to a story that could be straight out of 'NCIS: Los Angeles (2009)' or any some such TV show. It's styled as if it's a TV show, too, with chapters that represent episodes and open up with recap montages of the story so far. It's chock-full of the tropes and stereotypes you'd expect from a police procedural, ultimately feeling rather generic. However, it's still enjoyable and the schlocky narrative has a certain, perhaps unintentional B-movie charm to it. The gameplay is standard for a first-person shooter, except for the fact that you're given the option to arrest criminals instead of killing them. In practice, this just means you can sneak up behind or tase an enemy and then activate a prompt to cuff them (effectively eliminating them). This is much harder to do than to just shoot enemies, especially since the stealth is very basic and most missions inevitably escalate into full-blown firefights, and there's no real incentive to do it. That's a shame because it could have been a strong, perhaps even stand-out feature. As is, it's an interesting side-challenge if you're so inclined to take it; I played the entire thing only using my taser and handcuffs, aside from the few instances in which pulling a trigger is literally required to progress (which is really annoying). Overall, the game is a decent effort. It's rather enjoyable to play and its story does what it needs to. It isn't a masterpiece, but it's a solid spin-off from an established franchise. 7/10

What a shame this is the last game that came from this amazing studio. That being said, it's a decent romp I suppose though it feels really odd as an entry into the Battlefield franchise. Multiplayer is typical Battlefield but with a "cops and robbers" paint job, the campaign is cliche and often cringe, the episodic format is kinda cool as far as mission structure though. You could do worse for a shooter romp. You can do better too.

A new take on the BF series, definitely fun to play in different modes and break the traditional gameplay. Installing the content takes hours, and you are limited to the 7min prologue when you first set up the game. I've read forums and reviews and apparently there is not much that users (or EA) can do about it but just sit and wait for hours on end. Estimated wait time is around 7.5 hours to install full game. And yes it's 2020 and still no solution for a game that was released more than 4 years ago.

Some cool actors added to the cast, although the story is sometimes a bit predictable and too much cliché if you ask me.

Great fun outside of the traditional with new game modes, but if you are new to the game you better be patient when installing it.

I was very happy that the Battlefield franchise steered away from the War/Military genre and took on a new direction with the Cops and Robbers genre with Battlefield Hardline. I was eagerly looking forward to Battlefield Hardline and once the game came out last Thursday 19 March 2015 I went straight into the nearest store and got my hands on this bad boy. I was very impressed with Battlefield Hardline and it did not disappoint. Battlefield Hardline lived up to its hype before its release.

The single player campaign seemed like I had stepped into an action packed movie similar to Bad Boys and Lethal Weapon that would make producers Jerry Bruckheimer and Joel Silver proud. For the single player campaign you are the honest and hard nosed young Miami Police Detective Nick Mendoza (Nicholas Gonzalez) who is taking on a drug ring as well as investigating links of police corruption. At the start of the game Detective Mendoza is teamed with Detective Carl Stoddard (Travis Willingham) but is later partnered with Detective Khai Minh Dao (Kelly Hu). Mendoza and Khai answer to Captain Julian Dawes (Benito Martinez), a person who is seemingly being groomed for a higher position with the top brass and may or may not have a secret agenda.

Battlefield Hardline is different from previous Battlefield games where the player relies on arrest, stealth, a scanner, and distraction methods rather than relying on shooting and killing countless bad guys. You also have the option of knocking out the bag guys with a baton or even take them down with a taser. You can still shoot the enemy if you cannot arrest them or should you come under fire. It goes without saying that you have a huge arsenal of weapons at your disposal and more weapons are unlocked as the game goes on as well as finding evidence in missions in order to complete cases.

I also liked the previous reference to the Battlefield franchise such as commandeering a turret on a disused military aircraft and an army tank in one mission.

Multiplayer is similar to previous Battlefield games but with a few changes here and there. The various modes including Conquest, Hardwire, Blood Money, Heist, Crosshair, Rescue, and Team Deathmatch. You also get to play with a variety of vehicles including police cars, sedans, motorbikes, armoured vans, and helicopters.

All in all Battlefield Hardline is a worthy entry into the Battlefield franchise and is well worth the money spent. It was good to see the Battlefield franchise take on the cops and robbers genre and it has worked wonders. Perhaps the flagging Call of Duty franchise could benefit from a change in direction.

9/10.