Battlefield Hardline

65%
Game Brain Score Based on 797 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • graphics
Battlefield Hardline Game Cover
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Battlefield Hardline is a first-person shooter game that focuses on police and criminal pursuits. It features single-player and multiplayer modes, with an emphasis on strategy, teamwork, and vehicle combat. The game takes place in urban settings, providing a different atmosphere from traditional military-themed shooters.

  • PC
  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

65%
Audience ScoreBased on 797 reviews
story61 positive mentions
stability13 negative mentions
  • The campaign offers a unique and engaging story, reminiscent of a crime drama, with enjoyable characters and plot twists.
  • The gameplay mechanics, including the ability to arrest enemies and use various gadgets, provide a refreshing change from traditional military shooters.
  • The graphics are impressive for a game released in 2015, and the environments are well-designed and immersive.
  • The multiplayer is nearly dead, with very few active servers, making it difficult to find matches.
  • The game requires launching through a web browser and the EA app, which can be cumbersome and frustrating for players.
  • There are numerous technical issues, including crashes and bugs, which detract from the overall experience.
  • story199 mentions

    The story of "Battlefield Hardline" is a mixed bag, with some players appreciating its unique cop drama approach and engaging plot twists, while others criticize it for being clichéd and lacking depth. The narrative follows detective Nick Mendoza as he navigates a corrupt police force and the criminal underworld of Miami, offering a blend of action and episodic storytelling reminiscent of a TV series. Overall, while the story has its entertaining moments, it often feels overshadowed by gameplay mechanics and pacing issues, leading to a varied reception among players.

    • “The story of Battlefield Hardline is filled with tense moments, unexpected twists, and a variety of action-packed missions.”
    • “The single-player campaign immerses players in the story of a young detective named Nick Mendoza as he combats the criminal underworld while fulfilling various missions.”
    • “The plot is well thought-out and interesting to follow.”
    • “The most boring and uninteresting story of all time.”
    • “The story felt edgy and incoherent, and the mechanics are too divorced from Battlefield - why would there be stealth sections in a Battlefield game?”
    • “The story was seen as somewhat clichéd, and the characters didn't leave a lasting impression.”
  • gameplay106 mentions

    The gameplay in Battlefield Hardline is a mix of innovative mechanics and familiar elements from previous titles, offering a unique experience centered around law enforcement and criminal activities. While the introduction of modes like heist and hotwire adds variety and strategic depth, many players feel the overall gameplay lacks the freshness and balance expected from the franchise, often feeling like a reskin of earlier games. Despite some enjoyable mechanics and engaging single-player content, technical issues and pacing problems detract from the overall experience.

    • “The gameplay is fun, and there's really no time to get bored.”
    • “The introduction of new gameplay elements, such as evidence collection and arrests, added a layer of strategy and variety to the proceedings.”
    • “Modes like heist, where criminals attempt to pull off daring robberies while law enforcement tries to stop them, and hotwire, where players engage in high-speed vehicular pursuits, provide plenty of opportunities for thrilling and strategic gameplay.”
    • “The story was often overshadowed by the game's core mechanics, and the pacing felt erratic, with moments of intense drama interspersed with lengthy, scripted action sequences.”
    • “While it introduces some new gameplay mechanics and features, such as the ability to zip-line across rooftops and use grappling hooks to climb buildings, it ultimately feels like a reskin of previous Battlefield titles rather than a truly innovative experience.”
    • “Certain weapons or gadgets may feel overpowered or underwhelming, leading to frustration and imbalance in gameplay.”
  • graphics56 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many praising their quality for a 2015 release, noting that they still hold up well against contemporary standards. However, some players criticize certain aspects as outdated or inconsistent, occasionally resembling graphics from 2009. Overall, the visuals are described as impressive, with a gritty art style that enhances the game's atmosphere, though opinions vary on their execution compared to other titles in the genre.

    • “The game's art style was a departure from the more realistic aesthetic of previous Battlefield titles, opting for a grittier and more stylized look.”
    • “Visually appealing: the game boasted impressive graphics, capturing the intensity of urban warfare and police pursuits with detailed environments and realistic character models.”
    • “The graphics are amazing, the gameplay is amazing; in fact, everything about Battlefield Hardline is awesome and I would recommend this to anyone.”
    • “While the graphics are predominantly well presented, Hardline has an annoying habit of slipping to 2009-quality graphics all too frequently.”
    • “First of all, I want to ask you how can you make the graphics of a game worse than the previous game?”
    • “The only thing good this game does is, maybe the atmosphere and the sounds, but the graphics are ugly, minimum effort for a triple-A company.”
  • stability14 mentions

    The game's stability is severely compromised, with numerous users reporting frequent crashes, glitches, and performance issues that hinder gameplay. Many players have struggled with troubleshooting attempts, leading to frustration and requests for refunds. Overall, the game appears to be a buggy experience reminiscent of rushed indie titles, detracting significantly from its potential enjoyment.

    • “Runs great, activity is a bit lacking.”
    • “This video game exhibits a considerable degree of suboptimal performance arising from a multitude of glitches.”
    • “The game is buggy, the sound design is broken, constant crashes and freezing while loading, and trying to launch the game is a real struggle.”
    • “The amount of glitches in this game is unbelievable, and to have to put up with that Origin BS each time you want to play - save your money.”
  • music12 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and memorability, with many reviewers highlighting an excellent soundtrack that enhances the gameplay experience. However, some feel that the music feels outdated, reflecting a style reminiscent of 2012-2015. Overall, it contributes positively to the game's atmosphere, making it enjoyable to play.

    • “Hardline is bolstered by great voice acting, excellent music, and decent sound effects.”
    • “Its solid and fun, has a great soundtrack.”
    • “There is no better feeling than roaming with people in a jeep, listening to amazing music on the radio, gunning enemies in a turret.”
    • “Also, this game is kind of stuck in 2012-2015, as evidenced by its music, engine, and weapon choices.”
    • “The music itself doesn't fit right, and it was forgettable.”
    • “Just filling noises, no real music.”
  • replayability9 mentions

    The game offers a mixed level of replayability, with some players noting its strong multiplayer modes and engaging campaign that can be enjoyed multiple times. While some reviews highlight a lack of replayability in the single-player experience, others emphasize the fun and immersive nature of the gameplay, suggesting that it can be highly replayable, especially for newcomers. Overall, the game is seen as having decent replay value, particularly in multiplayer settings.

    • “Another strength of the game is its replayability and longevity.”
    • “The game's multiplayer modes also provide a high level of replayability, as players can team up with friends or join online communities to compete against other players from around the world.”
    • “It has a fairly decent story set up like a cop drama, and best of all it has an immense amount of replayability.”
    • “The campaign plays like a cop drama show, but the gameplay in it is fun. There's not much replayability, but if it's your first time, you will have a blast.”
    • “Replayability - 6/10”
    • “There's some replayability and a solid story.”
  • optimization8 mentions

    The game's optimization is mixed, with some players praising its smooth performance and ability to run on low-end hardware, while others report significant issues such as balance problems, glitches, and performance drops during cutscenes. Overall, opinions vary widely, with some users experiencing no performance issues at all, while others describe the optimization as subpar.

    • “This game was so overlooked and underrated, way better than 2042... this game plays very smoothly and it's really well optimized, so much that you can run it on an Intel UHD 620, perfect!”
    • “Great game fully optimized for PC 8/10.”
    • “I never once experienced any performance issues.”
    • “However, the game suffered from balance issues, particularly in terms of weapon and vehicle performance.”
    • “Optimization was especially poor in those cutscenes, with 30 fps hangs, but somehow it's over.”
    • “This video game exhibits a considerable degree of suboptimal performance arising from a multitude of glitches.”
  • humor8 mentions

    The humor in the game is well-received, with players appreciating its clever quips, amusing side conversations, and funny coincidences, such as the game's setting on Independence Day. The comedic elements, including hidden easter egg reload animations and engaging character interactions, contribute to an overall enjoyable experience that sets it apart from typical battlefields.

    • “Its attempt at humor is well put.”
    • “The level design, gadgets, side conversations from grunts, and funny little quips everyone has will keep you amused.”
    • “The acting/cast was decent and it even had some humorous parts.”
  • atmosphere6 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is highlighted as a strong point, with impressive sound design and immersive audio effects that enhance the experience. While some reviews note that the graphics are lacking and not particularly dark or gritty, the overall atmosphere, supported by engaging cutscenes, is generally well-received, contributing positively to the gameplay experience.

    • “The sound design was equally impressive, with immersive audio effects that enhanced the overall atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere is great and the gameplay is generally enjoyable.”
    • “All the unlocks, boosts, and features are a clever lure into getting you to love the actual gameplay, atmosphere, and the total devotion the developers put into this game.”
    • “Graphics and atmosphere look kind of okay, but it's not dark and gritty.”
    • “All the unlocks, boosts, and distractions are a clever lure into getting you to love the actual gameplay, atmosphere, and total devotion the developers went through to develop this game.”
  • monetization3 mentions

    The monetization strategy in the game has faced significant backlash, particularly regarding microtransactions, which were perceived as promoting a pay-to-win model. Following community pressure, EA temporarily disabled these microtransactions to address player concerns, highlighting ongoing dissatisfaction with their monetization practices.

    • “As those familiar with the Battlefront 2 subreddit will remember, significant pressure from the community resulted in an EA representative talking with the Reddit community about microtransactions.”
    • “This communication resulted in heavy backlash on EA, allowing the company to temporarily disable microtransactions and mitigate the pay-to-win elements of the game.”
    • “As those familiar with the Battlefront 2 subreddit will remember, significant pressure from the subreddit resulted in an EA representative talking with the Reddit community about microtransactions.”
    • “This communication resulted in heavy backlash against EA, and allowed the company to temporarily disable microtransactions and mitigate the pay-to-win elements of the game.”
    • “Microtransactions and Origin are detrimental to the gaming experience.”
  • grinding1 mentions

    Players indicate that grinding in the game can be quite demanding, often requiring significant time investment or additional lives to progress effectively.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
    • “I spent hours grinding, and it felt like I made no progress.”
  • character development1 mentions

    The character development in the game has been criticized for being poorly executed, with reviewers noting a lack of depth and engagement, which contributes to an overall sluggish gameplay experience. Additionally, the game's inspiration from Grand Theft Auto has not resonated well with some players, further detracting from their enjoyment of the characters.

    • “The story was poorly written, and the character development was terrible. The game feels sluggish and is more or less inspired by Grand Theft Auto, which I don't like.”
    • “Character development is lacking, making it hard to connect with the characters or care about their journeys.”
    • “The characters feel one-dimensional and their growth throughout the game is minimal, leaving me disappointed.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

28hMedian play time
21hAverage play time
8hMain story
24hCompletionist
6-35hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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