Battlefield Hardline's visual direction is aiming for "heightened, dramatic realism," creative director Ian Milham wrote in a post today on the publisher's official site. "We’re not worried about authenticity so much as believability."

The look is meant to help sell the fact that the game is set in the real world. "Everyone’s detector is finely honed for the real world. If it’s not believable, it’s immediately noticeable compared to what you can get away with in a fantasy or sci-fi environment."

For inspiration, the team pulled from the simple, saturated look of many Michael Mann films, specifically Heat, Collateral, Thief, and Miami Vice. Ian hopes that the focus on visual presentation will help tell stories and sell some of that plausibility.

"For instance, on 'Bank Job' you can see how the first criminal team must’ve gone into the bank before the round starts, with the blown open doors in the front providing a distraction, and the strike team eliminating guards in the back. We also put in all the culture and signage around the world to help it feel like a real place and not just a 'multiplayer map.'"

Hardline launches March 17 for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC. You can see more of the game in the images below.