"A fun game yet something is lacking..."

Freedom Fighters is based on a twist to our world history. That is, the Soviets have begun to conquer the United States and many of the American citizens have lost hope. The main character that you control in the form of 3rd person shooter is a plumber. You first meet him when he is going to fix something at a well known reporter's home. Little did he and his brother know, the home was already ransacked by Soviets. The plumber (Chris) than tries to escape where he discovers that there is a small group known as the Freedom Fighters.

Gameplay (10) - I think that the gameplay was pretty solid. Your main character will undergo missions that will try to prevent more Soviets to enter by destroying their bases and resources. The entire plot is placed in New York. As you go and try to carry out your mission, you gain charisma points by healing citizens, completing part of a mission, or by assassinating someone. As your charisma level rises, you are able to recruit a freedom fighter to aid you in your mission.

AI capabilities (7) - I would say that the Freedom Fighters you recruit aren't all that smart. You only have certain commands that you can tell them to do such as defend, follow me, and attack all enemy troops. As for enemy AI's, they are pretty hard to kill. I believe I got a head shot on one of the troops and he is still able to stand up and attack again. Oh well, maybe I didn't get a clean shot off of him.

Sounds (9) - Sounds are pretty solid. You are able to hear people talking and the sounds of gunshots will vary from weapon to weapon.

Variety (8) - When it comes to obtaining weapons and such, you are not able to get every weapon you see. I think this makes the gameplay more realistic since the more weapons you have, the better chance that you would slow down and people will see you and kill you. Certain weapons will be extremely useful for certain missions. I was pretty fond of the sniper gun in one of the missions. You are able to obtain pistols, assault rifles, sniper guns, rocket launchers, grenades, Molotov, and sub machine guns. You would have to think of the best way to avoid Direct Contact with the Soviets when playing on hard difficulty.

Replay Value (5) - The game might be fun and all, but the gameplay was way too short in my opinion. I originally thought that the game would take longer than suspected. However, right when I thought the game would get a little more in depth, it ceases. If I were to repeat the game again, I would play it after a few weeks of not playing the game. For those who are anxious to get the game, I would suggest renting the game first and decide whether or not this game is enjoyable enough to play. You might even be able to beat the game when you rent it. The game is pretty solid. I just wished it was longer...

Remember that this is my opinion. Thanks.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 10/06/03