Battlefield Hardline multiplayer to feature maps with 'micro destruction'

With Visceral Games’ cops and robbers spin on the Battlefield formula less than two weeks away, the former Dead Space developer has released some more candid details on how the familiar destruction of the series will play into the smaller maps of Hardline.

“With reduced explosives and less heavy armoured vehicles many of our maps feature dense micro destruction,” says senior multiplayer designer Evan Champlin. “Players can create their own path through the rooms of a building by punching doorway size holes with grenade launchers. They also have the ability to create smaller holes with melee or gunfire, say just large enough to toss a flashbang, or gas grenade through. Much of the cover placed around the maps will erode with gunfire, causing players to change tactics and seek different routes.”

And yes, to sate all your diehard Battlefield acolytes, the map-altering ‘Levolution’ system will be making an appearance, too. “In addition to the destruction placed throughout the maps ‘Levolution’ is making a strong return, but this time with a Hardline flair.”

These large scale events - and the aforementioned ‘flair’ no doubt - will occur part way through a match, with each one unique to its setting. For instance, Downtown and Bank Job will feature a collapsing crane and vault roof respectively, with both creating brand new routes and cover points. While the Breaking Bad-esque Dust Bowl features - you guessed it - a nasty dust storm that’ll make driving a risky challenge at best.

Battlefield Hardline blasts its way onto consoles and PC on 17 March in North America and 19 March in Europe.