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Solid action. Nice graphics. Lacking mission variety.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: October 07, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I've played IO's other fare - Hitman and its sequel - and anticipated this game to be up to par. The graphics and action certainly are, and are a nice departure from the "sneak" action of Hitman; the story is very similiar to the 80's movie "Red Dawn," and given a 21st century facelift.

The action is solid; there are never any shortage of enemies to shoot at... despite a visible lack of variety among enemy types. The lack of blood put this game in the ERSB's "T for Teen" rating catagory....

The only large drawback to the game is the real lack of mission variety; the missions mostly follow a similar pattern, and have a similar sequence of goals, throughout the chapters of the game.

This game can be completed within a day, if you catch on to which objectives you have to do, in which order, in order to make your progress easier. The storyline and in-game cutscenes are quite nicely done, though.... and do make for an interesting story.

Overall, I gave it a four out of five.

May be a cliche, but an amazingly well done one!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 12
Date: October 11, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Let's see - this computer game involves 2 plumbers who get wrapped up in world-changing plots. There's an evil group out to destroy things as we know it, and a beautiful girl in trouble. Sound familiar?

Nope, it's not Super Mario X. Instead, this is the start for Freedom Fighters, set in an alternate reality of New York City. In this version, the Russians are taking over the world and have just reached your metropolis home.

The graphics on this game are simply amazing. It's more of a cel shaded high-end cartoon feel than a realistic one, but the facial expressions and movements are dead on. You move through various areas of New York - Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the landscapes and buildings are very well done. You move through movie theaters, churches and more, and as the game progresses they turn into more and more of a war zone. Escape from New York was just the beginning.

The gameplay is great. You start out as an 'average Joe' - but as your search for your brother continues, and you get involved in the resistance movement, your character wears more gear, knows the ins-and-outs more, and draws more followers. At first you only have 2 people believing in you, but as you prove yourself you can recruit more and more followers to help you out.

The sound effects and music are excellent. The ambient noise are right on, giving you a sense that you really are under fire in a dirty New York street. The music is rich, Russian epic, giving you the sense that a gigantic empire is rolling across the world, and you are a mere toothpick in its path.

The AI and gamplay is superb. Your teammages take cover, peer around corners, provide covering fire, take over machine guns when they're available. You can tell them to advance to a given point, or 'scout an area', or follow behind you, so depending on your gameplay style you can be as specific as general as you wish.

There are helicopters that chase you down, APCs that bring reinforcements, buildings to run around in, streets to terrorize. There are turned-over cars, barbed wire fences and everything inbetween. The in-game maps are incredible and the physics are very realistic. Having been in New York many times and having a boyfriend who grew up there, the atmosphere is dead on.

Highly recommended for any strategy-war fan who really enjoys a game that envelops you. This isn't an arcade blood-and-guts fest. The game lets you heal your teammates, build a reputation and make a stand to protect your home and your family. Just about the only thing this is missing is multiplayer. We can only hope that a future release will add that in, and make this a true gaming classic.

Beware

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 0 / 4
Date: October 12, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Yes, I started off enjoying this game.

Unfortunately, there is no save game option except on manhole covers, so unless after an hour of play you run around back and forth to save on a manhole cover, you have to start again.

Graphics, smooth and beautiful except for the occasional hiccup which stays on your screen and pushing esc is a temp fix.

But after a while this game just gets mundane, I think to myself what is the point of this game?

If you like jumping over barrels then you will really like this game, if you want a little bit more then buy something else.

Worth Fighting For. . .

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 0 / 0
Date: October 13, 2003
Author: Amazon User

"Freedom Fighters" is easily one of the best 3rd person action games to come around in a long time, and though it has a few flaws that keep it from achieving a classic status, it's innovative and visceral, and well worth purchasing.

The game plays upon old Cold War fears by creating a scenario in which the Soviet Union successfully invades the United States. You, the player, are a plumber turned resistance fighter who gradually becomes one of the rebellion's leaders as the game progresses. It's worth noting that the events in the game span a period of several months, and the game's main character gradually becomes more and more grizzled even as the seasons change from late summer into deep winter. The feeling of fighting a long, hard fight is well conveyed. Even so, the game's storyline is pretty weak. The game's few twists are easily predicted, and the transition from plumber to freedom fighter is more than a little implausible. Still, it all does the trick of setting up the action quite efficiently.

If you've played the developers' previous title, "Hitman 2" (a likewise splendid game), then you have some idea how the game plays, minus that game's element of stealth. "Freedom Fighters" uses the same engine, point of fact, and the same physics apply, but the missions are less diverse and more action-oriented. The biggest change, though, is the lead character's ability to lead other freedom fighters into battle. What bullet time was to "Max Payne," this element is to "Freedom Fighters." It's every bit as innovative and cool as the aforementioned, and as the game progresses you will genuinely feel like a squad leader moving your troops into battle.

Gameplay in "Freedom Fighters" is so wonderfully addictive that it certainly contributes to the game's greatest flaw - and that flaw is its length. Just when you're having the most fun, the game is over. Still, winning the game enables you to go back through all of its previous levels as you choose, which is quite useful. Even so, that doesn't make up for the brevity of the finished product.

Ultimately, though, "Freedom Fighters" is hugely entertaining, and so good that you won't be able to make yourself stop playing it. What more can I say?

Final Score: A-

Completely WOW

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: October 21, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I have been playing games all my life and this is one of the best games I have played. I had been following the production of the game and I was not disappointed about the wait. The story, the action and the music all blend together wonderfully. I just finished the game and you are completely glued and addicted to it until the end. One of the things I loved the most was the feeling of attachment and responsibility to my teammates that were fighting along with me and keeping them healthy. An instant classic.

As good as any hyped up game

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 2
Date: October 22, 2003
Author: Amazon User

This is what a pc game should be. It looks great, plays great, and the story is emmersive, and addictive. The really nice part about this is game is it looks just as good as any game out there with ridiculous requirements, and actually has very low requirements itself, reletively speaking. Some of the new games out there have extreme requirements, and the only thing about them that is different is the amount of cash you put into your system. The game is different from most shooters. The levels are intereconnected, and you can go back and forth from one to the other to complete specific tasks needed to complete others. I found the game to be challenging, and creative. A lot of the time you get the feeling you're actually there, fighting the commies. It involves a lot more planning, and strategy, then most shooters. As far as negatives go, the save system could use some improvement, but its not that bad. If you exit the game, you lose your quick save, this is a ptoblem. This game is definitley awesome, and as good as any hyped up shooter out there.

Done...already?!

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: October 28, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Got this game yesterday...finished it yesterday. Took all of 8 hours to get from beginning to end in medium difficulty. The lack of multiplayer seriously hinders replayability score.

But it's fun. I wouldn't sit around playing a game for 8 straight hours if it wasn't enjoyable. The enemy AI is really tough, but I find the friendly AI to be less then helpful. Don't get me wrong, sending in 6 or so of them against an enemy held position can do wonders for your health. And the casualty is minimal and usually none as long as you take out any enemy machine gunner or heavy infantry or tanks or anything besides regular enemy. Yeah...baby sit them a bit, if you will.

The game touts that what you do in one area effects your other misson. True to a point. You see, the game is divided into 7 different 'chapters'. Each chapter has around 3 missions. What you do in one mission only effects what the other mission in each chapter. New chapter has nothing to do with the last or the next one other then to carry the story along.

My biggest gripe, in this review full of it, is the total lack of recoil control for your shots. You line up your shots and pray that the bullets hit the target. Shots go towards the general direction of where you aim...NOT a good thing for a game so shooting oriented.

A short, somewhat interesting game

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 3 / 4
Date: November 16, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I finished this today. The game has some rough edges. However, after the first few missions I started to get into the game and worked around the faults. Once I got into it, the game was over quickly. It is worth $15, but not $40. This is a play once game; the storyline is scripted enough that replay would be the same thing again. There is no multi-player.

If you like shooter games, especially on game consoles, this game is for you. The squad aspect is a good part especially when you get 6+ members; saves you getting shot up as much. They are helpful but require some babysitting.

The storyline is simple with some interesting twists. The weapon choices are realistic and you can only carry 1 long gun and 1 handgun at a time. You can pick up dropped weapons. This game is designed for closer range action so medium and long range accuraccy is poor except for the sniper rifle. Choosing which long gun to carry can be a challenge depending on the mission.

Saving before completing a mission is difficult and frustrating when you're used to saving anytime like most shooter games. This game is a third-person shooter. Some people like that format; I prefer a first person view. It was an interesting game, it just felt like playing on a game console instead of a PC; that is why 3 stars instead of 4.

Best plumber since Mario

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 2 / 2
Date: November 18, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Yes that's right, you're a New York plumber who gets caught in a war and grabs an AK47 off a soldier you hit with a wrench. So the major gripe of other reviewers, that your shooting is inaccurrate, makes perfect sense now doesn't it?

This game is an excellent squad-based tactical combat game. Yes you need to shoot, but you also need to think. There is almost always an indirect route to every objective that will save your life and the lives of your recruits. That makes this game a great blend of action, small scale strategy, and stealth too.

The AI for your recruits is terrific and they will duck when they see you duck, grab cover when an enemy opens fire, and shoot back to the best of their ability (remember, they're just average joes who found a gun too!) At lower difficulty levels the enemy troops use a dumbed down version of this same AI.

This game manages to create the realistic panic and frenetic activity of a battlefield as seen in films like Black Hawk Down, but in a middle ground. Medic packs heal gunshots instantly, but no one, not even the hero, is Rambo.

Find the Reds!!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 2 / 4
Date: November 18, 2003
Author: Amazon User

There are a few complaints about this game, but you'll notice that everyone is rating it 4 stars or better. I have played ever first person shooter game there is. Most recently Call of Duty, MOHAA and this one. This may not be the best first person shooter ever, but it is definately worth a try. You'll hear other reviewers complain about poor accuracy with the weapons, not much ammo laying around and sometimes stupid AI party members, but thats what makes this game good. Its not just another Quake where you get to blow stuff up and shoot everyone on the way. You have to think, plan, take obstacles one at a time and sneak up on the enemy.

All in all, the storyline is kind of boring and I didn't really pay much attention to it, but thats only because I wanted to start the next mission and kill some commies.

On the downside, some enemies take a lot of hits before dying, even with good aiming. The bad accuracy of the AK47 and such just make the game harder, by not allowing you to kill everyone from down the street. Deal with it!!

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