May the Force be with you...

"When it comes to PC games, the niche is a hard one to satisfy all gamers. The game is refreshingly light, yet fully satisfying. Those looking to fulfill that RPG-RTS itch; should look no further..."

Intro
I heard about the game last year, but nearly forgotten about it in the onslaught of console games. The barely unrecognizable developers, Irrational Games, put on quite a show; yet lacked the publicity and advertising needed to flood the market with propaganda. Unfortunate.

Anyone who fantasize about the whimsical 60's style comic books, will really take full enjoyment and appreciate of Freedom Force. Set in a time where plots where light and comical, you are in full control of a legion of superheroes (no copyrights infringed). The heroes are a bit wacky, but unforgettable and timeless for a lost era. Expect no deep, new-agey, tree-huggin' missions; but rather witty and "Retro-Cartoon" type play.

A time where firemen saved kittens from trees...
When you first start off in the game, you can't help but get sucked into the ultra-cheesy motifs. The characters and plot are about as dry as an old episode of The Fantastic Four. I think if you get into this mode, enjoying the game should be a piece of cake. However, if 86'ed cartoons on the Cartoon Network make you sick and can only watch CGI, then move along...

The game plays very similar to others in the past. With a simple point-and-click interface, control is extremely simplistic. If you can imagine Diablo in a 60's cartoon, then you can get a good visual. The initial experience that impressed me was the tone the game set, and how well the game actually scrolled (although somewhat linear). Those who cringe at dungeon crawlers and games in 3/4-overview perspective take note. Simply by scrolling your wheel mouse (or another assigned key) will cause the view to be right on the streets to way up on the rooftops. This simple option really added to the gameplay issues that face many games within the genre.

Gameplay is ultra-simple, yet surprisingly fun. Starting off with the lovable hero MinuteMan, you progress through a series of well thought up tutorials. The tutorials play parallel with the opening game, so you can leave the tutorial aspects if you choose to do so. Since the game is fairly linear, following the yellow arrow leads to your next objective. Being a strategic RPG might sound a bit more exhaustive than it really is, but it's the only way to classify it. The role-playing elements are all here, along with the strategic battle plans that pan out as the game progresses. After a mission or two, more party members will offer their help. The variety of heroes, along with their powers are incredibly entertaining and always quirky.

Since the main draw of the game is the comical aura, gameplay matches the theme byte for byte. With up to four characters in your party, the interaction between environment and gameplay hardly bore. In fact, the characters are so enjoyable, and the interface so manageable; you wouldn't want any extras even if you tried. To be fully honest, the only real negative I could find in the gameplay aspects, was the lack of an on-screen map. The maps are fairly small and linear, but in the midst of buildings and alleys, one can easily get lost.

Controlling the game is classic RPG/Baldurs Gate type. Left click performs the primary action, and right clicking brings up a set of options. Left clicking on a car, for example, will automatically pick up the vehicle. Once lifted, you can either set it down or send it flying. Right clicking, however, would have given you options to either pick it up or destroy it. The same goes for enemies. Left clicking will attack, and right clicking will give you options ranging from a variety of attacks to numerous special powers, and even interrogate the baddie. The entire point-and-click routine pretty much sums up the control aspects of the gameplay. The interface is also cleanly laid out, and sticks to the whole 60's theme with an attractive comic book type font.

The battle system is equally simplistic, yet keeps the traditional aspects of turn based RPG's with a mix of real time strategy. Action can be slowed down, paused, increased and even stopped. This allows you to plan your attacks with RPG precision, with the fluidity of a real time strategy game. Surrounding the characters icon, is two different colored bars. One is for the energy and the other is the health. More powerful powers and moves use more energy. For the most part, planning in the beginning takes little patience. It's not until later when the energy bar plays a vital role. Since the game is built on the RPG level, experience is crucial into the development and advancement of your player. Prestige Points is the buzzword, and getting these points is done through a variety of means. Completing sub and main objectives boost your prestige, and the less damaged occurred is also rewarded. If you plan on wrecking havoc by overturning every vehicle in your path, and crumbling every building, your prestige can be reduced. Once your prestige builds you are able to acquire new skills and even new characters.

One of the biggest lures of the game is the customization of the characters. You can start off and create your own character, as powerful or as weak as you want. You can customize everything from strength to special powers. This all comes at a price, however. The more powerful you make a character, the more prestige is required to obtain them. So, in essence, recruiting your custom built players can take anywhere from about three to six missions. I would have preferred there to be a cap on how powerful you could make a character, simply because the game was way to easy once I was able to import my custom guy. As much as I appreciated this option, the challenge was diminished soon after my ultra powerful character was on the scene. For those looking for variety, however, an included character editor adds to the personalization. Go on the web, and there are literally thousands of downloadable skins. If you can think it, it's out there somewhere...

The multiplayer was fairly vanilla, and seemed to be more of a show of "my gun's bigger than yours". The only option is deathmatch; but it would have been fun to have mission-based teamplay. My final gripe would be the AI of not only the bad guys but your teammates as well. All too many times, a building would come crashing down on them, as you scream MOOOOOOVEEE!!!. Sure, you can control it, but when the action becomes hectic I expect my team to think for themselves a little bit. The enemy also plays like a bad rerun of an old Batman TV. show, and goons are basically mindless.

Everything old is new again...
If you look at the game from a total visual standpoint, it really can't compete with current titles on the market. The graphics are very clean, colorful and sharp. As outdated as the graphics are, that fact never crossed my mind. I loved the simplistic animations and backgrounds. They all flowed perfectly with the theme, and anything more could have made the game too showy. So, I have to give two thumbs up for the game visually, and it proves that games don't have to be graphical juggernauts to compete in today’s market.

Keeping pace with old school cartoons, the voice acting is cheesy and over emphasized. It plays perfectly with the feel of the game, and should keep fans going strong. The background music was limited, and almost unnoticeable. Sound effects also flow wonderfully with the pace of the game, and classic "WHAM" and "BOOM" bubbles pop up accordingly.

66 Says:
The game is really almost a sleeper of a title. Most of the people I speak to have never even heard of it. I think if you love the Diablo-type games, this is a sure thing for you. The interface is very enjoyable, and the game plays without any sense of urgency. While the single player game can be completed easily in the 10-15 hour range, the customization really keeps the title going strong.

I expect in future patches that the multiplayer to get a swift kick. Once team play and other multiplayer functions are added, this should be an addictive little online game. Again, the game is simply a breath of fresh air and should be enjoyed by all gamers. It's refreshing to see titles like this come about, and have to give kudos to Irrational Games and Electronic Arts. This is a must have for PC gamers everywhere...

Oh, on a side note... I experienced a few problems getting the game to run; as with many others. I'm running Windows XP and have an Elsa Gladiac problem. I got blue screens randomly, and this was solved simply but hitting the "update" button in the GUI for my video card. Other solutions should be to make sure you have all the Direct X updates along with hardware and software updates for your video card....



Gameplay: [9]
Aside from the questionable AI, the game plays wonderfully and is just a blast to play...

Graphics: [8]
Spoiled by recent titles released on consoles and PC's, don't let the outdated graphics fool you...

Audio: [8]
I would have liked to hear a few more cheesy anthems, but for the most part the job is done well...

Replay: [9]
Sure the single player is fairly short (10 hours or so), but the multiplayer should really boost this for a good year or so...

Overall: [8.5]
I totally loved the game, and find it hard NOT to like it... I think this game will surprise everyone who gives it a shot...