Rating: 
Summary: Four Color - Five Star Fun
Review: This is a wonderful game!!! PC Gamer Magazine awarded it Game of the Month. In a genre dominated by fantasy, a superhero strategy RPG is a welcomed breath of fresh air. The single player game, on-line multiplayer game as well as the custom character creation make this a richly versatile game. Irrational Games know their comic book source material well. They were able to capture the perfect balance between parody and tribute without every falling into the silliness of total camp. The game is packed with fully developed characters that are each worthy of their own comic book title. The story of the single player game is well plotted and full of diverse missions and fun surprises along the way. Voice characterizations are creative and entertaining and the origin movies are a total hoot. I can't say enough great things about this game. Many who play this game have a minor complain that it is a challenge to multitask when managing a full team of four superheroes, but with a little practice and the essential pause function, you'll be managing your squad like a pro. Be sure to download both game patches to install the Danger Room. ... [Y]ou have no excuse not to buy this game and try it out for yourself. A must for PC gamers and/or comic book fans
Rating: 
Summary: If you've ever wanted to be Superman for a day...
Review: If you took the classic superhero cartoons and comic books from the 50's and 60's and turned them into a PC game, you would have Freedom Force. In Freedom Force (FF), you begin with a mild-mannered citizen mysteriously given superhero powers and follow him as he joins other superheroes, learns about the mysterious origins of his superpowers and in true comic book fashion, defeats colorful super villains along the way. FF is beautifully rendered with art that reminds a gamer of comic book drawings. The short movies in-between levels are fun to watch and the voice acting is a funny parody on comic book melodrama. Each level has a fully interactive environment as your super-strong hero can pick up cars, lamp posts, boulders and other items to throw at his enemies. Buildings can crumble, heroes can fly, villains can be "POW!" or "WHAM!" to your heart's desire. In short, FF captures all elements of comic book stories or campy superhero movies you grew up on. The superheroes in FF have different powers and as you progress in the game, you can upgrade their abilities as your experience points increase. Depending on the prestige points you earn through completed objectives, you can recruit new heroes into your Freedom Force Headquarters or you can design your own. FF is a fun and novel approach to PC gaming. It ends too soon though and the multi-player mode isn't much fun as it essentially just a death match against other online users with their own custom made mega-heroes. The real value of FF will be in the MOD community. Already, many gamers have designed skins and meshes based on classic comic book heroes (Superman, Wolverine, Spider-man, etc.) so that you play your favorite heroes. Another thing to keep in mind is your love of comic books will play a big role in deciding how much you enjoy this game. ACTION FANS - 3 STARS - The engine in FF uses an aerial view much like the one in the game Black & White but it's not a first-person shooter and while some of the superhero powers make for fun fights it doesn't match up with non-stop speed and action seen in most FPS games. STRATEGY FANS - 2 STARS - The game does require some strategy. It resembles a real-time strategy game like Warcraft in some ways but isn't nearly as complex. Once you figure out which powers are best, it's easy to clean house with custom made characters or some of the better heroes provided in the game. The entertainment value might please some hard-core strategy fans but most will only get a slight kick. ADVENTURE/RPG FANS - 4 STARS - The scenes between levels are fun to watch and you will remember the colorful history of your hero and his arch rivals. You can upgrade an in-game hero or a custom character to play the game how you want so it does have RPG elements that will satisfy comic book fans wishing to follow the adventures of their favorite superhero. X FACTOR - ONE OF THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL COMIC BOOK HERO GAMES - 5 STARS - FF is probably the only game to date that has made such a successful reenactment of comic books. Like I said before, if you cherish the memories of reading the X-Men or are still an avid comic book collector, you will probably enjoy this game and appreciate it more than other gamers. BUGS - 5 STARS - Very few bugs. I only experienced one crash while playing. REPLAY VALUE - 3 STARS - The MOD community will make or break this game. FF may be worth the temporary enjoyment but your decision to hold on to it and wait for the inevitable expansion pack will probably depend on what the gaming community invents. Already, skins for most comic book heroes and villains have been created by FF fans and are available for download on the internet. One problem though is if you would like to draw the designs on your custom hero instead of using the skins provided in the game, you'll need an expensive program such as Adobe Photoshop to do it. If you would like to create a different body shape (mesh) for your hero you will need an even more expensive program called 3D Studio Max. If your favorite heroes aren't on the internet and you don't have these programs, you're out of luck. The game's developers have promised to release an editor and different modes for the multi-player option. Unfortunately, because the maps are interactive (destroying buildings, picking up objects, etc.), gamers will only be allowed to switch objects such as villains, citizens, cars, etc. The maps, scenery and permanent structures can only be changed with the previously mentioned software, 3D Studio max, which costs roughly a thousand dollars. So unless you are in the computer business or have a lot of pocket change on the side, you will have to be content working with the maps and city structures already provided in the game and hope that some benevolent soul creates a great map. The original product is worth playing again as you can try it with different custom characters but because FF is lacking a fun multi-player option and the MOD community will be severely limited, FF might not last long on your shelves.
Rating:
Summary: Great interactive RPG play, comicbookish or otherwise
Review: Freedom Force does have a somewhat cheesy first-glance appearance that might put off some gamers. The protagonist characters are all 60s-style comicbook superheroes (none you'd recognize, as they were all created specifically for this game), complete with occasional booming puffed-chest declarations of righteousness. The setting is a fictional U.S. metropolis during the red scare period of the early 1960s, when a seemingly freak occurance transforms a scattering of the population into superpowered heroes and villians. I'm not particularly partial to comicbook settings myself, but... if you can look past that surface comicbook appearance for a moment... Freedom Force's gameplay is similar to a fantasy RPG, but more impressively interactive and flexible than most. Players initially control one hero character, the burly and highly patriotic Minuteman. Additional heroes are met and can be recruited over the course of the game, allowing you to play squads of up to four heroes at a time. Each new hero has a distinct set of superpowers (which can be trained and expanded as each gains more experience), and comes with his or her own comicbook origin movie (which make for amusing intermissions, in their cheesy 60s comicbook way). And while coordinating a squad of four varied superheroes can seem overwhelming at first, frequent use of the pause button (and a little practice) makes this much easier than it might initially seem. The Freedom Force heroes find themselves called into situations in a variety of different settings (including cityscapes, parks, a battleship deck, caverns, and more) and against a diverse range of opponents (from city thugs to similarly empowered supervillians to giant insects and raging dinosaurs), requiring the player to consider different tactics for different situations. One of the best features of Freedom Force is the fact that most items you encounter (rocks, oil barrels, street light poles, cars, etc.) can be picked up and wielded or thrown. (My favorites are tossing explosive items such as TNT crates at approaching baddies, and ripping street lights from the corner sidewalk to wield for smackdown purposes.) Even most buildings can be brought down, including damage to anyone standing atop them at the time (although the local citizens might not appreciate this). The storyline is distinctly linear, which may limit the appeal of repeat playthroughs of the game. But I am definitely enjoying my romp through this game so far (and equally enjoying my eight-year-old son's animated excitement as he watches me play, or as he works out his own manner of heroic doomsday prevention). And a sequel game (Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich) is expected in Spring of 2004....
Rating:
Summary: A Winner In Each Sense of the Word
Review: Graphically, this game is beautiful, as are the sounds and music. It's definitely original with the superhero backdrop, and someone with more than a passing interest in comics and their history will appreciate the near perfect duplication they've done of the 60's era of comics with things such as... 1) Word balloons like "WHAP!" and "BAM!"
2) Cheesy catch phrases like "For Freedom!" and "Moons of Riznor!"
3) Bright primary colors for heroes, as well as fairly cheesy origins 4) Heroes with idealized notions of being "do-gooders"
5) Likewise, half-baked villians with dreams of grandeur
6) Members still have their little spats, possible romances, etc.
7) Comic book cover artwork nearly identicaly to those from the 60's
8) Copying heroes from the past, like Captain America, Bucky, Aquaman, etc. Strategy and tactics are required to win as you select and use up to a dozen pre-made characters OR CREATE YOUR OWN! The slow-motion effect (that you can adjust) makes this game possible and really shine. Camera control is incredibly easy. The physics engine they've built is superb (everything is destrucible, the more strength a char has, the more heavier objects he/she can lift, great collision detection, etc.) You've got various stats like speed, etc. And there are literally limitless variations of superpowers as you create and customize your own characters. I've tried to think of some things I didn't like about it, but I honestly haven't enjoyed and respected a game this much since Half-Life. But if I had to pick some things, it'd be... 1) No mini-map. But not a big deal since levels aren't huge and double-clicking on a hero portrait takes you right to them.
2) Multi-player only allows players to fight one another, but not WITH each other. I'm not a MP person myself, so it doesn't bother me, but it appears this issue will be addressed.
3) The only real gripe I do have, is it's too short. However, it is SO FUN that I'm playing it a second time through, but I'll be hiring different heroes this time around. But there is a very strong silver lining to number 3, and that is they have now made an editor for the game. So you can either create your own adventure, or because of the huge fan base for this game (already, 100's of hero skins have been made by fans -- from Superman to Greg Brady) the fans will be making multiple scenerios, one-time shots, heroes, villians, etc that are downloadable off the net. One thing to note is that the demo is an excellent good representation of the game. So give that a whirl and if you like it, you'll love Freedom Force! And it's not just me -- if you look at any professional gaming community like Gamespot, etc, you will find VERY high ratings. So if you like strategy and tactics, or comics, or good clean fun, you'll LOVE this game. And if you like more than one of those, you'll be just like me and won't be able to wait for the sequel!
Rating:
Summary: Finally a SUPERHERO Tactical Combat/RPG and a great one
Review: First, If you like reading comic books, and you like playing computer RPG or Tactical Combat games why are you still reading this. Go NOW and buy this game. Highs - Super Powers, Importing Your favorite superhero skins, Creating your own or recreating your own super heroes, graphical and spiritual tribute to Stan Lee and Jack Kirby (if you have to ask Stan or Jack who then don't bother) Lows - no time date stamp for save games - its alphabetical, I've been to busy playing and Importing Marvel and DC skins to come up with any other lows. Why should you believe me? I've been reading comic books since the mid 70's and playing computer games from the early 80's. DC, Marvel, Top Cow, Image Comics, etc. are all old and familiar friends. And, I think I've played most of the computer RPG's since the inception of the PC. (Yeah that means I'm OLD)So go now and BUY this game. It's Clobberin Time. Nuff Said. Excelsior.
Rating:
Summary: Stand Back Evil-Doer!
Review: If you don't enjoy this game, then you're taking video games WAY too seriously. This CD has not left my PC's CD drive in over three months. The back story's great. The graphics are excellent. Skinning your own characters is not hard at all. The voices, while somewhat hokey, are extremely accurate for the timeframe portrayed. All in all, this is probably the most fun game I've ever purchased, and have been recommending it to everyone I know ever since I got it. Button-mashers beware... You can't just punch your way through this game, you need to choose your heroes based on their strengths. If you don't like thinking, this game isn't for you. Otherwise, get it... NOW!
Rating:
Summary: The perfect superhero game
Review: Having an old Pentium III 550MHz PC, there are very few games that I can play these days. So I was very pleased when the demo for Freedom Force ran on my PC. I was even more pleased when I bought the full game, and found out just how great this game truly is. If you grew up in the Eighties and read comic books (particularly the Pre-Crisis ones), then this game is DEFINITELY for you. It reminds me exactly how comic books were written in my childhood, right down to the incredibly cheesy dialogue and the contrived plot twists. It's quite pointless to repeat the gameplay or plot - these have already been reported in numerous reviews. What makes the game so much fun to play are undoubtedly the characters themselves, as well as the environment they live in. The tutorial (and the subsequent missions) give a pretty good idea of what these characters are capable of. - tossing cars (and large boulders) at bad guys, demolishing buildings (often by accident), or ripping lamposts from the ground and using them to pound several bad guys into orbit - FUN, FUN, FUN! The best part of all is just how many strategies are available to the enterprising player. New players will probably always choose the strongest Superman-style characters (I know I did), like Minuteman or El Diablo. However, choosing characters like Alchemiss or Mentor can add a whole different twist to the game. For instance, if you're faced by a crowd of enemies, Alchemiss "purgatory" power can even the odds. Or you can hide Mentor behind a corner and use "instinct dominance" on a group of thugs...and watch the enraged thugs pound themselves into hamburger without throwing a single punch. As other people have correctly pointed out, there's no skirmish mode in the game. However, Irrational have released an editor (and a tutorial) for Freedom Force. Experienced users can now create their own missions, or even edit existing characters. It's rather clever actually...instead of releasing a skirmish mode, persuade the players to create their own skirmish mode. Another aspect of Freedom Force that's never discussed often is just how "family-friendly" it is. There's absolutely no blood or gore in this game. No one is ever killed or dies...instead they are "knocked-out", like characters from a comic book. And the more socially responsible you are (ie. not killing civilians or destroying too many buildings), you'll get more points at the end of the game. The original release of Freedom Force had a limited lifespan due to the lack of a skirmish mode. But with the release of the editor ..., the possiblities are endless. I've already added Superman, Batman, Spiderman, Flash and Green Lantern to the game. Freedom Force is a game that has an easy learning curve (mostly due to the tutorial). It's surprisingly stable and an instant classic that's easy to love. I highly recommend this game.
Rating:
Summary: One of my favorite games ever!
Review: I had heard a lot of good things about this game, but it wasn't until I saw it on clearance one day that I could pick it up. I was expecting a lot and I wasn't let down. Freedom Force plays off the Silver Age of comics full of stereotyped villains, goody-two-shoes heroes, and cheesy dialogue. It's like digital prozac! I got so much amusement out of classic little gems like: Minuteman: Now to track down that pesky Ruskie and see what's what. El Diablo: Giant robots?! That does it, I'm goin' back to the barrio where it's safe. Ice Soldier 1: I can't stand being in this capitalist country. But I got a great deal on this coat.
Ice Soldier 2: In Motherland, you have to wait for hours in line for noe like this...
IS1: And it falls apart before you even get it home!
IS2: At least we have the glorious struggle of the worker to sustain us!
IS1: To be honest, I'm not too crazy about that either. Pure gold. The gameplay was great too. Fully interactive environments and challenging opponents. The only time I felt a little disappointment was how easily I beat Nuclear Winter. The rest of the bosses, however, provided ample challenge and I had to carefully strategize and choose my team. Not always easy. The diversity of missions and enemies was great. Some needed you to be stealthy, others needed fast and furious firepower. From mutants, to dinosaurs, to common thugs, there was no shortage of enemies to take down. And each one needed a different strategy to beat. Let's not forget the character editor. I created so many custom heroes with that. You could make just about any power you wanted since there was no shortage of graphics effects and the abilities of each power were so easily altered to make each one unique. I was unbelievably excited to hear the sequel announced not long ago and is supposed to be out sometime next year. I look forward to it and can't wait to buy it.
Rating:
Summary: POW! ZAP! KABOOM! Super Hero's!
Review: Great game, and very reasonable. Be warned though, the campaign is very short. Afterwards I got online and tried to play some multiplayer games. Everyone had at least 30,000 prestige hero's and the online matches only last about 5 minutes. Can't wait for the sequels.
Rating:
Summary: Comics Live!
Review: A friend of mine bought this game a few months ago, and one night while over at his place, he decided to show it to me. He said he'd picked it up for cheap somewhere, and was just raving about it. At first, it looked really cheesy and kind of lame, but later I found out that Freedom Force is actually one of the most fun games I've played recently. The actual storyline is really cheesy, but no more than the stories from the Golden Age of comic books. At one time or another, Spider Man, Superman, The Green Lantern, and Captain America have all been thrown into poor plotlines to battle a less-than-intimidating villan, and use really bad dialogue to get their point across. And let's not forget all the "Bam!", "Biff!", and "Socko!" onomonopieas saturating the artwork. Even with all this, comics survived because of their ability to create fantasy for the reader. Comics don't need to be realistic, because the reader is well aware it is fictional. With this in mind, I think the game designers decided to reproduce those elements to be comical, as to give the player a bit of a laugh at how lame the image of the comics was in those days, and how much we have evolved since then with our ability to write. Putting that aside, the game itself is actual very clever. Your characters will be thrown into a multitude of different battlegrounds, such as the urban streets, city parks, underground tunnels, and secret labs. Much of the terrain is destroyable, so you can have some fun by bashing the sides of a building, or smashing up some guy's car. Also, certain pieces are even usable; you can lift light poles, oil barrels, and trucks up, and wield them as weapons. The RPG genre is perfect for it, since your characters "evolve" as you play, gaining experience. After gaining levels, your characters will be able to learn new abilities, and increase their stats to better equip them to fight the baddies. Perhaps the best feature of all is the customization of the characters. On the web, I found several private and public sites of game fans who have designed their own skins for characters, such as Marvel and DC superheroes. Also, there are a few original skins that look really nice, as well as new "meshes" of characters they couldn't normally make, like making it so you have Nightcrawler with his tail. There are, of course, flaws with the game, as there are with any. The bad writing and voice-characterization (which is done on purpose, I realize) can get very annoying. Sometimes you just want to slap them and make them talk normal. Also, the stock characters you are given gain experience slowly, and their powers don't always catch up with the power level of the stage you're trying to get through. This means you may have to spend seven, eight, or even more tries to get through a level after getting defeated over and over again. So, let's do a quick synapsis: Pros: Good, colorful graphics, full-functional environments, customizable characters. Cons: Bad dialogue, hard levels. Overall, I'd say that it's worth the [money] I paid for it. Definitely a lot of fun, and it's online capable! So grab a copy and get ready to save the day!
| 
