Freedom Force (2002 video game)

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| label2 = DeveloperTemplate:Pluralize from text | data2 = Irrational Games (Windows)
The Omni Group (OS X)

| label3 = PublisherTemplate:Pluralize from text | data3 = Crave Entertainment and Electronic Arts Template:Small
MacPlay (OS X)
2K Games Template:Small

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| label10 = ComposerTemplate:Pluralize from text | data10 = Template:If first display both

| label11 = Series | data11 = Template:If first display both

| label12 = Engine | data12 = NetImmerse

| label13 = PlatformTemplate:Pluralize from text | data13 = Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X

| label14 = Release | data14 = Template:Collapsible list

| label15 = GenreTemplate:Pluralize from text | data15 = Real-time tactical role-playing

| label16 = ModeTemplate:Pluralize from text | data16 = Single-player, multiplayer

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Freedom Force is a real-time tactical role-playing game<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> developed by Irrational Games and published by Electronic Arts and Crave Entertainment in 2002.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The player guides a team of superheroes as they defend Patriot City from a variety of villains, monsters, and other menaces. The game's budget was around $2 million.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A sequel, Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich, was self-published in early March 2005.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The games were made available on Steam on May 29, 2009.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Story

Set in Patriot City, a generic American city, circa the late 50s/early 60s, the game sees a range of ordinary citizens imbued with super-powers after being struck by beams of Energy X. First amongst these is Frank Stiles, an elderly veteran of the Manhattan Project, who becomes Minute Man. He is quickly joined by Mentor, a member of the alien species, the Domain, who are responsible for the Energy X striking Earth. Together with El Diablo and Manbot, they create Freedom Force, which rapidly expands to include other heroes while taking on a variety of Energy X powered villains. Stories are broken down into comic-esque issues, with each issue containing multiple individual missions.

The game is an homage to the Silver Age of comics, with most of the cast being analogues to one or two Marvel or DC characters.

Gameplay

The player controls a group of up to four members of Freedom Force, guiding them in real time to complete objectives, mostly combat based. Each character's actions are limited by individual stamina meters, with different actions requiring different amounts of stamina, relative to their power. Characters level up with XP gained from participating in missions which then gives CP. This is used to improve existing abilities or add new ones.

The game offers the ability to create custom characters, especially through the use of mods. These can be recruited in the main story, as well as used in multiplayer. Characters, including customs, are given a rating in Prestige based on the amount of and strength of their abilities, preventing players from recruiting massively over-powered custom characters at the start of the story campaign and allowing for multiplayer balance.

Development

The game used the NetImmerse game engine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Comic book tie-in

File:Freedom Force 01 cover.jpg

Cover of the first issue

From January to June 2005, the story of the first Freedom Force game was retold in a six-issue comic book miniseries published by Image Comics.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This series was scripted by Eric Dieter<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and featured Jack Kirby<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>-influenced artwork by Tom Scioli.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Dieter also wrote the series "Bible" and served as community manager for the official website's forum, "Freedom Fans".Template:Citation needed

Reception

The game received "universal acclaim" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.<ref name="mc"/> GameSpot named it the best computer game of March 2002.<ref name=gotm>Template:Cite web</ref>

Freedom Force won Computer Gaming WorldTemplate:'s 2002 "Strategy Game of the Year" award.<ref name=cgwpremier2002>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The editors of Computer Games Magazine named it the ninth-best computer game of 2002 and called it "the superhero game fans have been waiting for". It also received the magazine's "Best Voice Acting" award.<ref name=cgm12th>Template:Cite journal</ref> GameSpot presented it with its annual "Best Story on PC" prize.<ref name=bestworst2002 /> Freedom Force was also nominated for PC Gamer USTemplate:'s "2002 Best Roleplaying Game",<ref name=pcgamerusawards2003>Template:Cite journal</ref> The Electric PlaygroundTemplate:'s 2002 "Best Strategy Game for PC" and GameSpotTemplate:'s "Best Music on PC", "Biggest Surprise on PC" and "Best Graphics (Artistic) on PC" awards.<ref name=bestworst2002>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=blister2002>Template:Cite web</ref> During the 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, Freedom Force was nominated for "Computer Role-Playing Game of the Year" by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Sequel

Freedom Force was followed by a sequel, Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich, which was released three years after the original game.

External links

• Template:Moby game
• Freedom Force at TVTropes.org