Freedom Fighters

"Many will die for the cause...recruit accordingly"

Freedom Fighters is a very well rounded game and tops my ''best games of the year'' list for many reasons.

Story:
The year is 2003 and Soviet Russia has taken over the world. The story starts out with plumber Chris Stone who has been called over to fix a leaky drain pipe. In a quick turn of events Chris finds himself running for cover in a devastated New York City with the help of an underground movement, determined to take back the city from the soviets.

GAMEPLAY:
The controls in Freedom Fighters are very smooth and simple. This game is not your every day fps, in Freedom Fighters the things you do in one mission effect all the other missions. For example if you encounter a helicopter and your luck seems to think it's funny to not allow you access to a rocket launcher then you can simply exit the level, via running to the closest sewer and proceed to destroying the helicopter pad which effectively grounds the choppers. Also you won't be running through this game on your own. This game allows you lead up to 12 other Freedom Fighters into battle, which allows for some very fierce fire-fights in the streets of New York. This game has a very wide difficulty level which makes it enjoyable for expert players as well as novices. One last thing I would like to point out is that this game seriously lacks in multiplayer, but it is still pretty fun.

Graphics:
The visuals are excellent. The only thing the game lacks is facial expressions during gameplay, but other than that they are absolutely stunning. The only complaint I have is that I experienced some slowdowns during some of the large fire-fights. The cut-scenes are very well detailed and are often humourous.

Audio:
The audio in this game is what makes it shine. The tracks in this game are originally composed and they fit well into the situation that you are placed in. The tracks are enjoyable to listen too as well as giving you that feeling of impending danger. The effects are also very well done in this game, the sound of gunfire is very realistic along with the explosions that ring through the city when you blow up a car or a tank (or if a tank blows you up).

Replayability:
This game is fairly long and the missions are fun to replay. Also there are plenty of cheats for your amusement and also a secret level.

Buy or Rent?:
If you want a game with a lot of action I suggest you buy, but if you get bored replaying the same game over and over again you should rent it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 01/15/04