Battlefield Hardline is an interesting game. It’s very much Battlefield 4, but re-skinned into the cops and robbers feel. Through EA Access, I have a 10 hour trial, this includes access to the multiplayer modes, in which there’s a handful, and the first episode of the of the single player campaign.

6 multiplayer modes are included in the game: Hotwire, Heist, Rescue, Blood Money, Crosshair, and then the standards, Conquest (small and large) and Team Deathmatch.

Hotwire is where the vehicles are control points that need capturing, and the more you drive them and faster you drive them, depletes the other team’s points. First team to eliminate the other’s points, wins

Heist has the criminal team trying to escort cash from the vault to their base. Criminals have limited lives. SWAT’s job is to try and prevent them.

Rescue is Rainbow Six’s new Seige game essentially. 6 vs 6. The criminals are holding 2 hostages and the SWAT team needs to infiltrate the building to extract the hostages or eliminate the criminals. No respawns. Best of 9 rounds.

Blood Money is similar to Heist in that its Cops vs Robbers fighting over a pile of cash, the different is each teams needs to get the loot back to their respective vault.

Crosshair is another small competitive mode where the SWAT is trying to extract a VIP, and the criminals are trying to wipe them out. No Respawns.

Conquest is the Battlefield staple. Huge maps with players and vehicles, and the point is to capture key map points to reduce the enemy’s tickets, which is their ability to respawn.

Team Deathmatch is infantry only, no control points. Just shoot everything that moves.

Multiplayer is very much like Battlefield 4. It looks pretty good, and the game modes have a lot happening, especially with the larger maps of 64 people, so some moments can be a little intense. There is level destruction and map changer’s like sandstorms in the desert maps. The vehicles feel and sound a little clunky, but some of the tools are a nice touch, with the grappling hook and zipline.

The campaign, I feel, is where the game really shines. Obviously better looking than multiplayer, it’s a slower, more personal experience that previous Battlefield games. This is probably the result of Visceral Game’s leading the project. You play Nicholas Mendoza, detective, you play a series of episode chapters throughout Los Angeles in the center of a drug war. Aside of the shooting mechanics, you can shine your badge to get the perp to freeze, allowing for the arrest, you can throw bullet casing to distract people, and you have a scanner to scan rooms for evidence or people for warrants.

Unfortunately the single player trial ends after the first chapter, so the rest of my impressions will have to wait till I’ve completed the game and written the review. Stick around.

Only a bit of news to wrap up today:

Destiny Patch Update News

Bungie has opened up about the pending Destiny patch, stating that it’ll focus on increasing the vault size for weapons and gear, and fixing up some of the Raid bugs when facing off against Atheon and Crota. Lastly, Bungie announced that they’re always listening to fans and tracking the play stats about the Strikes, and focusing more on the popular Strikes that actually get completed, so that the playlists are more to the fanbase liking.

Goat Simulator Coming to Xbox One and 360

Microsoft announced today the Goat Simulator will make its console debut on the Xbox 360 and Xbox One in April. Coffee Stain Studio’s game will be worked on and published by Double Eleven.

Xbox One March Update

March’s update adds the Screenshot functionality, which can but found and managed in the Upload app. They can also be used as background images. Suggested friends has been added, allows players to find friends easier. Tile transparency has been upgraded a bit to add different levels of transparency. And you can now report messages as spam.

See you next week, with more news, Tuesday’s new games, further impressions on Hardline and AC IV Black Flag and a review on Thursday.

Go Outside!
-iRogan