It Came from Boston!



Irrational's second entry into the comic book inspired game universe is a worthy endeavor, and in some ways outshines the original game. Improved graphics, cool comic book presentation and a fun storyline penned by Irrational front man Ken Levine make this game a special experience that shouldn't be missed. That's not to say that the experience Freedom Force vs. the 3rd Reich delivers is a perfect one (games like that are a rare commodity these days), but it offers so many fun moments that it deserves a wider reccomendation beyond its core target audience.

The key selling points of FFvt3R are its cool story and the slick comic book style presentation that drives it home. Levine's storytelling offers a lot of levity that rides the rail between "poking fun" at and "paying homage" to the oftentimes corny dialogue and story vehicles that permeated those golden, silver and bronze age comic books. The storytelling also portrays the villains of World War II in a way that isn't distasteful - there's no name-calling, historical real-life depictions (the dark and evil things that happened in those time periods) or offensive symbolism in FFvt3R, but there are caricatures that fit right in with the whole comic book shtick of the game. And even though the storytelling is all over the map plot wise at times, Levine ties it all up nicely into a wonderful and climactic ending that exits stage left with a cliffhanger.

The story is further enhanced by the slick presentation style of the game - from the way the dialogue is presented all the way to the loading screens which feature comic book covers giving you an misleading hint of what Freedom Force must face next. Anyone that's ever read a comic book knows that that those covers were almost always a lie, promising a conclusion that ultimately never happened (how many times did we see our favorite hero or team marked down as dead or destroyed on the cover of a comic book?). This kind of cliffhanger storytelling has been used in comic books for decades, and Irrational's interactive comic book hits the target right in the bulls-eye. Likewise, the dialogue in the game is as corny and stereotypical as you would expect in a comic book. There's oodles of one-liners thrown around, catch-phrases, maniacal laughter from the bad guys and lots of puns during and in-between each mission. The presentation in this game is tight and fun all around.

Speaking of presentation, FFvt3R refines the graphics head and shoulders above its predecessor. Freedom Force used the first generation of NDL's NetImmerse game engine, and in it's time it looked pretty damn decent. Irrational decided stick it out with NDL's Gamebryo technology for FFvt3R, and we think they made the right choice. Gamebryo's engine in Irrational's hands worked out pretty well for this game, giving it a cleaner, crisper look, allowing for a slick presentation and offering improved character and environmental details. The locales in the game are so much more refined, and the the level of destruction that players can unleash in the world has been improved dramatically. World objects also look great and when combined with the engine's physics, damage modeling and special effects, make a real impact on gameplay.

Who's behind Freedom Force? The Truth Revealed



All the original cast from the first title are playable, along with six new heroes (3 Golden heroes and 3 Bronze age heroes) and the ability to create your own in the Character Creation tool. There's a lot of variety in the built-in characters, so chances are players will find a favorite hero within the rather large line-up that suits their play style. Many of the original heroes play important roles in the second game's plot, so sometimes the game removes them from the active roster - something to think about when selecting a character. Both the Bronze Age and Golden Age heroes are well balanced and unique enough that players will want to at least take them on a test run in the Rumble Room (more on that later).



Also returning are some of Freedom Force's most dangerous enemies like Nuclear Winter and Time Master . All of the villains this time out are larger than life, challenging and fun to interact with. That same corny style of presentation oozes from their pores as they attack you and throw lame one-liners at you. Like the heroes, they are great fun, well crafted and diverse enough that players will find a favorite among the crowd.

Sky King to the Rescue



What's interesting is that, as a sequel, the gameplay mechanics haven't evolved all that much, though there are a few new features that make playing the game a hell of a lot easier to play. Like the previous game, players control a band of heroes (usually four) RTS style across a map, taking on objectives, exploring and thumping anything that remotely looks like a villain or henchmen of evildoers. There's usually a main objective and some extra secondary objectives that players can complete as they move forward towards completing the levels.

Players can use their abilities to take down a foe or the world objects (like cars, explosives, light posts, etc.) to lay the smackdown. Combat in the game is strategic, with players coming out on top more times that not by using a combination of powers, terrain, and world objects as offensive and defensive. One of the nice new features that ties in well with all we've mentioned already is that players can set a default offensive or defensive power that's very handy when you aren't babysitting a specific hero. This feature is a life saver when you lose track of a character or are focusing on particular character during the more intense moments in the game.

While the single player end of the game feels an awful lot like the original game, it's still a fun, albeit short, romp. Luckily there's some extra fun to be had in the rumble room (a sort of skirmish style of play with a number of variations and locales), in creating characters and in the supoer improved multiplayer.



One of the key issues that can really unbalance both the single-player and multiplayer game is character creation, because you have to rely (for multiplayer games) on the hope that other players won't create ridiculously over-powered characters. And to be fair, even with a character point limit of 5000 or so you can create a pretty tough character if you know what you're doing. There's no character limit for single-player (it's based on the prestige you earn during missions) character recruiting, so players can import an ultra powerful character into the mix about half-way through the campaign. I don't recommend creating these kinds of characters for either play mode as they make even the most difficult objectives seem like child's play and cheapen the overall experience.

Building the Perfect Beast



While we're on the subject of creating things, FFvt3R also gives gamers the opportunity to create their own mods, character models and skins and scenarios with the beta tools that were released shortly after the game shipped. These tools are certainly robust enough to create some wonderful content, but using them is going to require a lot of patience and research. While I appreciate that these tools are there for the community, I wish I was smart enough to use them - a conclusion a lot of average gamers will come to when they try to create something. Hopefully the community will take up the slack and document how to do things in the game so that even a dullard like me can figure it all out.

The (Not So) Shocking Conclusion



Freedom Force vs. the 3RD Reich is a pretty impressive game that offers a lot of fun and cool happening moments that both comic book geeks (myself included) and fans of the original will love. It's the kind of game that makes you want to go out and buy a geeky t-shirt or a pocket protector with the logo Prominently displayed on to let the world know that you love this game. The game is easy enough for new players to get into and deep enough for hardcore gamers to sink their teeth into as well. Multiplayer has been improved by leaps and bounds, character creation is robust and fun, and the overall presentation of the game is almost flawless. This is a good game that you simply must purchase if you call yourself a gamer. ' Nuff Said!



Editor's Note: we're running a contest to give away one copy of the game this week, so hit the giveaway page for details! Also check out our recent interview with Irrational's Ken Levine here for an inside look at the development of this womderful game.