Battlefield Hardline showcases EA’s ambitious attempt to innovate on its well established series. The developers can be applauded for their bravery with the radical changes brought in, but is this a cause for celebration or close but no cigar?
The story behind Hardline follows Nic Mendoza through his trials and tribulation as a Miami Vice cop. It’s engaging and well delivered in terms of screenplay and acting, even if it is horribly clichéd. The facial capture is exemplary and on par with the likes of LA Noire, a quality even the last gen consoles are able to retain.
True to what we’ve come to expect from a Battlefield sequel, there is the odd tank or two shoehorned in but on this occasion it feels so out of kilter with the rest of the game that it’s actually a negative addition. The game’s score system seems designed to encourage passive conflict resolution, while this works with the storyline it does seem a little ironic considering its title – telling people to ‘stop right there!’ is definitely not as hardline as buckshot aimed at a would-be criminal.
‘Battlefield Hardline’ is available on both major consoles and PC.
Gone is the epic time-to-save-the-world narrative, which let’s face it has been done oh so many times, yet as I play through I do feel its loss. The cut scenes and even quit scenes are nicely put together but just not quite enough. The plot is continually reminiscent of GTA V, which does overshadow Hardline as a game overall.
The combat mechanics have very little to fault but that is to be expected. Driving however, unfortunately feels like trying to steer a sack of potatoes regardless of whether you’re on a superbike, SWAT van or boat. The lean out of cover system is intermittent at best and the arrest sequences are repetitive and boring – it seems odd that after fifty arrests of hardened gun toting criminals none put up a fight. Even on hard the AI is so easily foiled the added IR scanner makes it all a bit childish.
Multiplayer has always been at the core of Dice and EA’s success with Battlefield; vast battlefields demanding all the skill, teamwork and intuition of a real solider to create success. The maps in the new instalment seem alien to all that has gone before; small, fixed and frenetic seems the theme.
The game types themselves are mostly tuned to the theme of the game with the exception of death match and conquest modes. Having played each of the types on a range of maps there are a few gems, bloodmoney in particular mixes defensive strategy with tongue in cheek theft, creating rewards that can be reaped from the doorstep of your own defeat. Sadly many of the other game modes seem less well thought out, driving a mobile conquest point in hotwire sounds fun, until you end up playing car kiss chase for the entire match.
Alas Battlefield Hardline is a softcore shooter, the ugly duckling of the series. This is saddening considering the brilliance they have shown in the past and we can only hope it returns in the future.
Author – Joe, Bath store
