Battlefield Hardline
RRP: $59.99 | Website: $59.99
I
t’s perhaps best to get this out of the
way right here, before we get into
the meat of this review: Battlefield
Hardline is not Battlefield as you
know it. It’s not just the cops versus
criminals theme – the fundamentals
of this much-loved series have been
altered, and not entirely for the better.
Why it’s been given the Battlefield
name is a bit of an enigma, but I’d
imagine it’s a decision that was made
in the name of brand awareness and
other assorted marketing nonsense.
That said, Hardline is not a bad game
by any means. Played without any
expectations, it’s actually a ton of fun.
Unfortunately for Hardline, however,
the Battlefield name immediately
incites a wave of expectation that’s
impossible to ignore. And as such,
it’s probably the weakest Battlefield
outing to date.
38 The OverClocker Issue 34 | 2015
Let’s start with the single player.
Essentially, it’s every buddy cop movie
and TV show you’ve ever watched
compacted into video game form, and
sprinkled with all the over-the-top
cinematic action and visual extremism
of a Michael Bay movie. It ticks all the
cop-drama narrative checkboxes:
there’s a new drug on the market
that’s got Miami’s gangs embroiled
in all-out war, corrupt police-folk
are complicating the situation, your
captain doesn’t care for destructive
shenanigans, and you’re going to have
to squeeze a few informants if you
hope to get to the bottom of things
and maintain control of your city. The
whole campaign is unapologetically
silly, and it knows it – but it’s also
hugely entertaining. Granted, there’s
not much that sets it apart from the
modern military narratives of its
competitors, including those of other
games in the Battlefield franchise. It
remains a heavily scripted experience
that holds your hand every step of
the way and affords very little in
terms of non-linear gameplay and
meaningful player choice – but the
cops ‘n’ criminals aesthetic ensures
it’s fresh enough that it always feels
compelling.
Given that you’re a member of law
enforcement, Hardline does offer
the opportunity to resolve many of
its potentially explosive skirmishes
in a more subtle, non-lethal manner.
You’re able to sneak around levels,
flashing your badge at enemies and
keeping your gun trained on them until
you’ve got them in handcuffs. Doing
this sort of thing rewards you with
points that go towards unlocking new
weapons and gear to use in missions.