This shift of focus is also accompanied by the changes in the game’s classes. Even though Battlefield Hardline’s kits try to emulate the traditional Battlefield ones, they feel completely different. To be fair, this is a point in which the final version of the game will have the final word. Nonetheless, as they were in the beta, kits seem to be heavily centered on infantry combat. The addition of gadgets such as grappling hook, zipline, tracking dart and stealth training (which isn’t really a gadget) prove that point.
The impact of these changes in the gameplay balance is very noticeable. A good example is the Mechanic kit: Instead of having powerful anti-vehicle weapons, it is focused on repairs and enhancing vehicles. Now, besides making this class completely different from previous Battlefield games, it also changes the gameplay balance. Destroying a vehicle in a quick and devastating manner can only be done with special weapons spread through the map. The importance of positioning smartly is based on different elements.
More evidence of this focus on infantry can be found on the different game modes. Having 4 out of 7 modes focused on non-vehicle action (Team Deathmatch, Heist, Rescue and and Crosshair) makes the presence of the good old Conquest mode seem a bit forced. Battlefield Hardline seems more like an expanded infantry-only shooter than an adaptation of older Battlefield games.
Now, nothing stated above makes Battlefield Hardline a bad game. Many of its additions to the shooter genre are pretty interesting and expand the existing FPS scene, even when some features have already been used in older games. There’s a lot of potential on what Visceral Games can do upon the Battlefield foundation, especially in the single-player mode, but that doesn’t strictly make it a part of the series.
Chances are Battlefield Hardline will be a good and fun game, but not in the way long-time fans of the series want. Maybe Hardline could have been a completely new IP based on some Battlefield elements. It would have made a lot more sense and it would have created a whole new universe in which sequels could even continue the story. EA certainly has enough resources to make that happen on both marketing and monetization fronts.
Let this be completely clear: All these ideas are based on Battlefield Hardline’s beta. The final version of the game can still have a few surprises, especially because Visceral Games has payed a lot of attention to players’ requests. Nonetheless, the gameplay basics will still be the same, and Hardline will just be a game that shares the Battlefield name.