Battlefield Hardline is set to release March 17, 2015. The new beta is expected to be released shortly — (speculative: Feb 3. I know that is almost here, but it is still a good possibility).
(Edit: I was right. They’ve been hinting enough, though, that I don’t claim any special ability to figure it out)
http://www.gamespot.com/articles/battlefield-hardline-beta-details-revealed/1100-6424640/
The game itself is a cops and criminals version of Battlefield. Lighter vehicles, heavy civilian rather than military weapons and vehicles, and an emphasis on infantry action and fast driving & chases. I recommend that anyone curious about what the game will be like in multiplayer try it out in the beta. Nothing beats hands on experience.
http://www.battlefield.com/hardline
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battlefield_Hardline
The combination of lighter forces and the game modes focusing strongly on objectives makes this game very strong for infantry-oriented players who want lots of intense action. Putting aside the cops and robbers theme, the game play features evenly matched forces with light infantry armament (much more than typical police or criminals), and solid goals to go after.
The game structure is based on Battlefield’s tradition of specialized player kits, and a team organized into small squads which work together to achieve team objectives. Last year, I would have considered it to be a stand alone, sideline expansion of Battlefield. Sort of like a modernization of BF2’s Special Forces, but with cops instead of soldiers. It is now clear that Visceral and EA are developing this as a completely new core game. It is, at the heart of its game play, still a Battlefield game. I’m going to call it just Hardline, though, to avoid confusion.
The Blood Money game mode, showcased in the first Beta, is a good example of its team focus. A team of three squads has three strategic locations to cover: the Money (Evidence), the main objective, and the two Depositories, one for each team. Those are targets of enemy attack, and thus require defense The action focus moves from one to another, peppered with chases as the captured Money is moved across the map, fought over by everyone. Each squad can manage one of these areas, with assistance from the others as needed.
There are a lot of teaser trailers out now, and the game looks pretty good. The first beta played well and was stable, so I’m not expecting any trouble there. BF4 is still continuing development, including its CTE Community Test Environment program, and any improvements to the multiplayer engine will show up in Hardline too. The developers took the feedback from the first beta to heart, making many changes. I’m expecting the same to apply to the next one, although the game design is not going to change radically at this point.
I’ve seen a couple good changes so far. We’ll see how it plays out in the beta. First, a lot of the heavy weaponry has been removed from the player kits, and moved to either vehicle items or pick up items. This lets them be available in the game without every player having access to those weapons at the same time, and with the loads of ammo available to Battlefield 4 players. Second, the self-revive device has been reduced in power (one use per life, one hit point on revive), which means that using it with enemies alive in the vicinity is likely to prove fatal, and therefore not overpowering.
The game hits the mark for players looking for intense, close quarters and urban infantry combat with lots of destructive action. The Frostbite 3 engine’s destruction capabilities may be shown better here than in BF4.
http://battlefield.wikia.com/wiki/Battlefield_2:_Special_Forces
Hardline owes a great deal to BF2’s Special Forces expansion. Mostly lighter vehicles, gas grenades and gasmasks, the zipline and grappling hook, and urban infiltration and close combat fighting, but with civilian forces rather than elite spec ops teams. The only element we haven’t seen is the night mission and night vision elements, but that could come along later. I loved the CTE Pearl Market Halloween night mode game, and would love to see night mode available in Hardline, as well as BF4. But it could be an option on the server side, rather than on the map itself. This would allow for day and night games on the same map. (Edit note: Based on the CTE development of night maps, night games aren’t just lighting changes, so it would require a variant map (but using most of the same resources as the main map)).
http://www.ign.com/wikis/battlefield-hardline/Weapons_and_Gadgets
I expect to see much more equipment in the release game, simply because players appreciate options. Unlike Battlefield 4, though, there isn’t the same need to show off the variety of real world military weapons used by many countries.
Single Player note: We don’t know the entire course of the campaign, but one part deals with a right wing criminal/terrorist organization. The criminals in this game are heavily armed, far more than the typical sorts of criminals in real life. But in face, there was (and maybe still are elements of existing) a real life group of this nature in the USA.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posse_Comitatus_%28organization%29
Several violent incidents involving shootouts or killings of law enforcement, and a serious attempt to gain control of isolated communities, I’d consider them a valid inspiration to a overreaching danger in the campaign. This is on top of drug dealers and other gang activity, which seems to be present as well in the game. Believable, dangerous enemies help make for a compelling campaign story.
The Bad Company series had fun campaigns, so it is possible to have a good one in a Battlefield game. Visceral has a fairly good track record here too. We’ll find out for sure when the game releases, but for people who have been looking for a good action-movie game based on cops (rather than playing criminals), this might be the one.
So what will players completely new to Battlefield get with Hardline? First, an action packed First Person Shooter with an action-movie feel. From the gun play and sounds to the vehicles and destruction — and I expect a lot of explosions in this game — you’ll be immersed in intense action in every single game. The speed thing that is being hyped is jumping into fast cars to rush to objectives and chase opponents around the map, all while engaging in fierce, on the go firefights. There will be static firefights over key locations, but unlike in many games, blasting through walls, doors, windows, and other obstacles will be a core part of the game. The need to stay focused on the objectives makes killing the enemy an entertaining distraction if you fail to get the targets (money, based, hostages, etc.)
