Battlefield Hardline Reviews
Whether your a fan of the Battlefield series already, or looking for something new to try, you certainly can't go wrong with this one.
Flop campaign, wonderful multiplayer. Standard
There isn't anything particularly bad about Battlefield Hardline, it's solid enough, but one cannot help but lean towards those initial detractors who were very vocal in the run up to launch. Despite a clearly big effort and no doubt a ton of money, we are still without a decent Battlefield campaign and what we are left with is a Battlefield off shoot with no long term life in it.So there we have it, a Battlefield game with weak single player and solid if underwhelming multiplayer - absolutely no one saw this coming.
Hardline both succeeds with flying colors, and fails miserably in various aspects of its game design but the good outweighs the bad with its sandbox style mission design, handful of addicting multiplayer modes, and rock solid Battlefield gunplay players know and love.
Even with a shift in focus and a different studio behind it all, Battlefield Hardline doesn't feel all that different from previous efforts.
With two great new multiplayer modes, solid maps and interesting gadgets, Battlefield Hardline carefully folds a police theme into the franchise. The result is a chaotic and rewarding experience.
As far as Battlefield Hardline is concerned, the 1980s may as well have never ended.
Battlefield Hardline doesn't want to be a hero. It wants to be a toy. And despite what Harry Zimm might think, that's okay.
Against all the odds, it's the single player campaign that's proved to be Battlefield: Hardline's biggest selling point. Trying to play through as a 'good cop' by arresting baddies instead of filling them with lead is very rewarding. But the gunplay is as fun as ever if you want to play that way too. The multiplayer feels scaled down due to the smaller maps and the heist and assassination missions generally favour the defenders too much. Hotwire's car chases are essential though and will hopefully become a series regular.
Battlefield Hardline is easily the most complete game in the franchise since Battlefield: Bad Company 2's release five years ago. The story makes you actually care about the characters and introduces some much-needed new gameplay with the addition of stealth and non-violent takedowns. It's not the strongest story you'll see, but the positives far outweigh any negatives that the stupid AI and cliched story provides.The multiplayer is genuinely refreshing, and whilst veterans of the franchise may notice the missing game modes and vehicular combat that they are used to, the majority of gamers will find the fast-paced and amusing action to be fun-filled.Visceral's first attempt at taking control of the Battlefield series can only be seen as a success, and whilst it maintains the unique feel of the series, they've added a fresh and new twist to every aspect. Just as Forza Horizon's differences perfectly compliment Forza Motorsport, EA may have finally found a winning combination to compete with Call of Duty.
A messy but fun shooter that struggles to combine military tools with police life.
Battlefield Hardline is a semi-unique game in the Battlefield franchise that features an enjoyable, if forgettable, campaign and a great multiplayer mode. Those looking for the more traditional Battlefield experience will still find it here, as will those interested in Hardline's twist on the franchise.
It's not Battlefield in practice, but a great single-player mode elevates this game into something special.
With the new opportunities available for a cops and robbers setting, Visceral didn't take enough chances and produce enough content to make this game truly great.
Ultimately, Battlefield Hardline is a solid shooter that controls well and marks a lot of the items off the FPS checklist. At the same time, it is also faced with the same problem that confronts any new shooter in this day and age.
Battlefield takes on the police state scenario embedded into modern politics and does nothing with it short of making itself appear restless.
While we weren't particularly impressed with Battlefield Hardline's multiplayer offering, we did like the intense ride that the campaign took us on. The story might be fairly throwaway, but the environments, set pieces, and the gameplay scenarios you'll often find yourself in are memorable and make up for the clichés and nonsensical plot details.
Devoid of any real personality, Battlefield: Hardline's single-player campaign is cheesier than an 80's pick-up line. It is however saved by a superb multiplayer that is both solid and entertaining.
I have no doubt Hardline represents the best efforts of two talented studios, Visceral and DICE, to cough up a satisfying cops-and-robbers Battlefield. Despite best efforts, the pairing doesn't work.
Battlefield: Hardline offers both returning and new players a slightly more fresh take on the classic Battlefield formula. But where the game delves into new territory, it often returns to the classic formula after getting cold feet. The strongest points of Hardline are when the game tries to be something different, but the fallbacks to old ways are where the game keeps itself from being great, rather than just good.