Freedom Fighters (Xbox)

Freedom Fighters: Imagine a world in which it was the Russians who won the race to develop the atomic bomb, not the Americans; an alternative reality where rather than unleash it on the Japanese, the Soviets dropped it on Berlin. It would be a very different world to the one we live in now, one where Communism would surely have swept through Europe and most of the rest of the world. Freedom Fighters is set in such a universe, where the US is the only free nation on Earth, enclosed by a Communist Mexico and Cuba. When Soviet submarines appear in Brooklyn harbour, the people of New York realise that their worst fears have come true - Soviet Invasion!

As luck would have it, the invasion starts just as you are starting your working day as a plumber in Brooklyn. You turn up at your first job to find the building empty. Upon checking the rest of the apartment with your work mate, you are confronted by soldiers wearing Russian uniforms. Your partner (who's also your brother) is arrested and that's where the adventure begins

Freedom Fighters has a great story and setting, and the action is viewed from a 3rd person perspective with you controlling a plumber called to duty by unforeseen circumstances. By rescuing captured Americans and shooting Russian soldiers, you gain 'charisma' that allows you to convince other fighters to join you. Recruited members of the public can then be ordered to attack enemies, defend certain posts or just follow you and help to fight the good fight. It's a bit like a simpler version of Rainbow Six 3, with less emphasis on stealth and more on all out carnage.

The urban settings are quite well constructed, although the game has a decidedly 'cartoony' appearance. The tenements, alleys and subways of New York do make for some very tense and close fire fights and the weapons on offer are all very well balanced (although the game's insistence on automatically reloading after every shot fired verges on the annoying after a while). The game employs a central hub system (a rebel base in the sewers under the city), and the different levels are accessed via a map on a table and manholes. Sometimes, you are required to collect items from different locations to carry out certain tasks, so it is vital you find the manholes in order to travel to different neighbourhoods.

The voice acting is of a good standard, and the cut scenes between missions are commendable. Most are in the style of propaganda newsflashes broadcast by the invading Soviet forces and move the story along nicely - sometimes mentioning you as a rebel leader. The music is also very good and sets the tone well with lots of moody Russian operatic scores. It's an interesting contrast when you're running down a tree lined New York avenue to Russian music. A true Boulevard of Broken Dreams, I think you'll agree.

It isn't all rosy in the garden of Freedom Fighters though. Good as the graphics are, they are a little on the basic side and your character can be shot at by enemies who's guns are poking through scenery. The enemies all go through the same animations when shot as well, which looks a bit odd when you're firing at a group. The difficulty of some of the missions verges on the unfair at times too, with hidden enemies blasting you from distance and some levels having a seemingly infinite number of baddies pouring from some hidden portal. Also of note are the controls, which are a little on the twitchy side and the mapping of the buttons is a little bizarre (and can't be changed). Because there is no targeting reticule on screen when you are running around, Freedom Fighters has an auto targeting system, but if you need to make an accurate shot from distance, you have to click the left stick down and hold it in, while moving the target with the other stick. This method is flawed and awkward (and you can't move) - why can't you just click it once to go into target mode, and click it again to turn it off? Other things would have been nice too - like the ability to back against walls or pop out from around corners.

As it is, Freedom Fighters' controls are the only major bugbear. Everything else has had plenty of time lavished upon it, and it shows. Freedom Fighters is an interesting glimpse at what could have been, and also a pretty good game to boot.

Some levels on Freedom Fighters are almost impossible (case in point, the level where the Enemies take over your base is really hard), not a lot in this game is original, except the aforementioned "respect counter". I have nothing to say except, that it is enjoyable if you have time to spare and if you want a challenge.