Freedom Fighters

"Them Soviets came outta nowhere..."

I’ve always disliked EA. Pumping out generic sports games and movie tie-in games weekly, I’ve always thought their quality was lacking. So when I saw a good EA game that’s fun to boot, I searched around to make sure the apocalypse wasn’t here. Seriously, Freedom Fighters came out of nowhere with minimal ads, no promo, and a low-key release. It’s as if EA thought the game would suck…which it certainly did not. Mowing Soviet forces down with an unlimited machine gun turret is more enjoyable than I thought. What really makes this game fun is the squad-based gameplay, the awesome story, the near-perfect graphics, and the joy you get when you’ve finally taken over a heavily armed movie theater full of Commies.

Freedom Fighters delivers an incredible audiovisual package, first-class. Sure, the package gets a bit messed with during shipping, but you still get the package in great condition. The visuals are just gorgeous, save for some clipping issues. Textures are above average, shadows are realistic, you can see as far as you need to in a level (providing stuff isn’t in your way), and war-torn New York looks exactly as it should. Ruins, charred vans, half destroyed bridges (after you do a little handiwork) all look very realistic. FF aint Splinter Cell, mind you, but it still looks incredible. Plus, you gotta love the super-realistic rag doll physics! The sound effects are dead on, every gun sounds great, screams of comrades and adversaries sound great, everything. The spoken dialogue in-game even fades as you go farther from the speaker! Apocalyptic choirs ring as you blow *@$! Up and Soviet accents don’t sound as cheesy as you would expect. The overall tone fits in just as snug as the graphics and setting do. It’s this whole attention to detail that wows me the most.

But flashy presentation do not a good game make. Luckily, these rebels show their stuff and prove the gameplay is just as cool as the aesthetics. You are Chris Stone, a plumber living in New York City. It’s just another day on the job until you get to the client’s house, they’re missing, and seconds later, Soviet forces storm through and capture your brother. What’s with Soviets in NYC, you say? Well the game world is set in an alternate history, one where Russia wins WWII by developing the H-bomb first and surpasses the US of A in technology throughout the years. Soviets dominate the world and rule most other countries. Now they’re going in for the big fish…

The game starts out as you escape from the apartment complex with the help of a man named Mr. Jones. The whole escape level introduces you to the well-designed control scheme, and gives you basic instructions on what to do and when. After that, the plot gets in full swing and you start your new job as a leader for the rebels hoping to reclaim the land of the Stars and Stripes.

Most of the game is typical squad-based shooter fare. Move with one analog stick, aim with the other, fire with the right trigger, and do stuff with A. But since Freedom Fighters is a SQUAD BASED shooter, you can recruit rebels found throughout the areas. The number of recruits you can have is dependant on your Charisma rating, which you increase by performing primary/secondary goals, healing injured civilians, and raising the flag over enemy strongholds. You can command your troops with the B, Y, and X buttons. Tap the button to command a single recruit or hold the button to command all of them. Think Munch’s Oddysee but a lot better. Don’t worry about your team being dimwitted either, these guys can hold their own against clusters of Commies. When I approached a new street or hallway, I always sent my guys to scout, then cleaned up the rest after they were done.

There’s plenty of strategy to be had in the way you approach the different locales. Completing some goals in another area directly affects other areas of the same chapter. Blow up a helipad in Area A, and you won’t have to worry about those annoying choppers in the surrounding stages. Taking out enemy ammunition storages, and they’ll have less lead to pump you with for a while. The same strategy applies to combat. In order to make the most of the levels and succeed, you’ll have to actually plan out what to do with your squad. Send a few guys to scout, leave one guy behind to watch your back, and take the rest of ‘em to clean up the streets. Another thing I liked to do is get enemies focused on one or two of my rebels and then attack them from behind or above while they’re distracted. This planning really helps to your advantage. Of course, there is a stealth mission or two, where it’s just you, the enemies, and crates galore. Use all the cover you can get, be it crates or shooting out lampposts and perches 70 feet off the ground. Just don’t fall!

I don’t think I’ve even talked about the cool CNN-esque reports the plot unfolds through, the compelling plot itself, or the cool multiplayer (no online though). There’s just so much that’s good about Freedom Fighters. My complaints are few: slight clipping issues, it needs some type of upgrading feature for troops, and the game is too short to warrant a $50 purchase (wait for a price drop). Hopefully these issues will be fixed in a sequel, providing there is one. Now if you’ll excuse me, my followers and I are gonna take back our country!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/28/03