When Battlefield Hardline was announced last year, some questioned if the game was introducing enough new elements and features to make it stand apart from Battlefield 4. Some even suggested it was merely a “re-skin” of that game. Now, developer Visceral Games has spoken out on the subject.

“We’ve seen comments that some people think Hardline is a re-skin of Battlefield or at the opposite end of the spectrum and should not be called a Battlefield game,” gameplay systems producer Mike Glosecki said in a post on the Battlefield blog. “Let me give you my take. Battlefield is about all-out-war, teamplay, and strategy–which Hardline delivers in a cops and criminals setting.”

As for what Hardline is bringing to the table that’s new, Glosecki pointed to the game’s Hotwire and Heist multiplayer modes. GameSpot’s review team appeared to be particularly impressed with Hotwire; check out a video demonstration of this new mode above.

Other franchise-first features include takedowns, which allow players to interrogate enemies to discover the location of their teammates. Hardline also includes a quick healing/ammo replenishment feature that lets players simply walk up to teammates and press a button to receive health or additional ammo.

Glosecki also mentioned Hardline’s new equipment, including the stun gun and blunt melee weapons, as well as the zipline, grappling hook, and tracking dart.

“This is definitely a Battlefield game with its own unique twist on theme and gameplay” — Glosecki

Also in the blog post, Glosecki addressed concerns that Hardline feels “too fast,” leading some to conclude that the game is distancing itself from Battlefield’s traditional team-based, tactical nature.

“I want to point out that tactics are about action,” he said. “They’re about responding to a specific situation and achieving the desired results. Hardline has this in spades; you use your positioning and situational awareness to get the drop on someone. It’s a different type and measure of skill than just aim precision, and it’s more challenging because there’s more thought involved than just aiming.”

In terms of teamplay, Glosecki says this remains a critical component to Hardline. He stressed that only the teams that effectively work together will claim victory over their foes.

“Take a mode like Heist–you will be far more likely to survive and make it to the drop-off point if you have someone covering your back or clearing enemies out of the way,” he said. “In Crosshair, you have to work as a team to protect your high value target if you want to win. In Hotwire, you’re going to do much better driving your car around if someone is repairing the vehicle as you go and if you have a few buddies making sure that your car is not being shot up by a helicopter. Blood Money and Crosshair are similar, the best players will work as a team in order to ensure victory.

“All in all, this is definitely a Battlefield game with its own unique twist on theme and gameplay.”

The Hardline release date is March 17 for Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PC. Details about the game’s Premium program recently leaked.