Hey ASTRO Family,
As you know, after much anticipation, Battlefield™ Hardline hit the shelves earlier this week. Battlefield™ Hardline gives us the thrill and adrenaline of a television cop drama, and being a huge fan of crime procedurals (Yep, I’m THAT person), I was really curious what what new game features and items this new setting would bring to the Battlefield™ franchise.
Obviously there is a lot to try out with the new game, and we’ve still got quite a bit to explore. Having got a crack at playing last night, here are a few highlights I enjoyed that I felt stand out from the rest of the series.
Vehicles
While not new to the franchise, Battlefield™ Hardline brought us a different line up of vehicles. From SUVs, shiny sedans and motorcycles to attack and transport helicopters!
My favorite highlight with vehicles though, other than the somewhat whimsical ability to flip through quite a variety of radio stations, is that the Mobile Command Post (Syndicate Crew Cab if you’re a criminal) also acts as a mobile spawn point.
Grappling Hooks / Zip Lines
I am the sort who must admit I immediately approve of any gadget that makes me feel like Batman… and it’s hard to not feel like Batman with a grappling hook and zip lines. I was especially excited to use it because I found I tended to survive long using a grappling hook than than taking the elevator to the top floor. That ended badly for me. A lot.
Blood Money
This game mode replaces your normal capture the flag with a small twist. Essentially both teams are trying to acquire a large sum of money, either recovering it as evidence or just good old theft. The goal is to take money from a large supply back to your team’s truck. You can carry different amounts, depending how long you can manage to gather from the central pile o’ cash, and your team wins either by having the most when the round ends or meeting the money limit.
While it is, for the most part, standard capture the flag, I highly enjoyed that when you sneak into the other team’s base, you can knock back their progress by stealing money they’ve already collected. Though obviously this area is always pretty heavily guarded.
Non-Lethal Takedown
Whether you’re sneaking up behind someone and knocking them on the head, handcuffing or using your taser (Heck yes, tasers), Battlefield™ Hardline gives you a few options to subdue your opponents without killing them. At least without killing them intentionally… Pro tip: Don’t hold down the taser on people for too long if you want to keep them alive. Don’t be me. In fact, “Don’t be me” is pretty solid advice for succeeding in this game. Awesome news is, however, if you manage this successfully there’s a non-lethal takedown bonus awaiting you, even in multiplayer.
The Enforcer
The Enforcer will seem familiar to you because they function a lot like the Support Soldier from previous Battlefield games. Something new that I’m a huge fan of, however, is a feature I think a lot of us can appreciate. If you’re out of ammo you can simply resupply by standing next to them and pressing the action button.
Have you had a chance to play the latest addition to the Battlefield™ franchise? What are some of your favorite new features? Let us know in the comments!
If you haven’t picked up a copy for yourself yet, swing by your local game store, or buy online!
Also don’t forget to enter our contest to win a free pair of Battlefield™ Hardline Speaker Tags!
