E3 2014: Battlefield Hardline Preview

June 11, 2014

After a round of leaks outing Battlefield Hardline, the latest entry in the shooter franchise, EA properly revealed the game at E3. Singler player is under the control of Dead Space studio Visceral Games, and multiplayer is thought to still be under DICE’s roof. EA also dropped the news that a beta is available to try right now on PS4 and PC. I went hands on with two new game modes at EA’s booth, playing on the one map available for the current beta.

I was admittedly scared that the game would simply feel like an expansion to Battlefield 4. This is somewhat true, as the game shares so much in common Hardline that you could legitimately think you were playing the same game. However, I think there may still enough new content to entice hardcode players, anyone who skipped the fourth entry, or is a fan of the new cops-vs-robbers dichotomy like in Payday. And if you think about it, Call of Duty has been doing very similar rehashes for numerous years.

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Hardline features four classes in all but the same name as classic Battlefield. There are nevertheless plenty of new noticeable additions, like a taser, batons and grappling hooks for reaching higher vantage points. Another new feature is the new perk system. Whereas in Battlefield you build up abilities by increasing your score, in Hardline, once you gain a certain amount of points, you can instantly buy an upgrade on the spot, like a flak jacket.

As a traditional assault player, I selected the equivalent Operator class and jumped into a mode called Heist. This new game type sees criminals attempting to make away with cash from various locations on the map to drop-off points. In the second new mode, called Blood Money, I was defending a vault from a horde of hungry criminals. However, I was also able to take some of loot home by stealing it back off the thieves. By large, the basic shooting mechanics and gameplay replicated Battlefield 4. Nevertheless, I highly enjoyed playing the role of a cop with all the associated Battlefield perks.

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The urban map suited the setting, as my teammates attempted to stop felons on motorbikes and in stolen police cars from getting away with the loot. Shooting cars with small arms does more damage now, and in one moment I took out a few enemies and their already damaged vehicle by pumping as entire pistol clip into the hood of the car. I think this will change way some players dominating by sitting in a vehicle for an entire match. Half way through the game we saw Hardline‘s take on leveloution, with a crane coming down in the middle of the city, creating new paths for players to take in the process.

For an initial reveal, Battlefield Hardline posses solid visuals and tight gameplay. If you can forgive the fundamental similarities with Battlefield 4, Hardline‘s police and criminals spin and entertaining new modes deserve a look. At the very least, I would highly recommend playing the beta. Battlefield Hardline will be released on PC, previous and current generation consoles October 21.