Freedom Fighters (video game)
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| Freedom Fighters | |
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| Developer(s) | IO Interactive |
| Publisher(s) | EA Games |
| Release date(s) | October 2003 |
| Genre(s) | Third-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single player, Multiplayer* *(console versions only) |
| Rating(s) | ESRB: Teen (T) PEGI: 16+ |
| Platform(s) | PC, GameCube, PS2, Xbox |
Freedom Fighters is a third-person shooter in which the player takes the role of American resistance leader Christopher Stone, a former plumber who fights the Red Army, who, in an alternate timeline, invade and occupy New York City. The video game was published by EA Games and developed by IO Interactive. It uses a modified version of the Hitman 2: Silent Assassin game engine.
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[edit] Plot
In an alternate present time, the Cold War never ended. The Soviet Union has beaten the United States of America in dropping the first Atomic Bomb on Berlin bringing an end to World War II. As a result the Soviet Union never collapsed, but has instead expanded the Iron Curtain to encompass all of Europe and most of the Middle East. The Soviets send "military advisors" throughout the Third World, and succeed in placing mid-range nuclear missiles in Cuba. Finally, the Soviet Union starts a war with the US by turning to American shores to expand its empire.
On a regular day, plumbers/brothers Christopher and Troy Stone are on the job in the apartment of Isabella Angelina, leader of an anti-Soviet group (the "Warning Against Reds" movement), when all of a sudden helicopters start shooting into buildings and into the streets. As this unfolds, the apartment is broken into by Soviet soldiers, and Troy is taken prisoner by the Soviets, mistaken as Isabella's boyfriend. However the Soviets leave without finding Chris. He is promptly recruited by an elderly resistance fighter, Mr. Jones, whom he rescues from a Soviet officer who leads him, along with a talkative man named Phil Bagzton and a streetwise youth nicknamed The Kid into a hiding place (the cavernous sewer system beneath the city streets).
Back on the surface, New York is now controlled by the Soviets. Regular newscasters and other citizens are sent to Alaska for "reeducation" and are replaced by Tatiana Kempinsky, a Soviet propaganda reporter, broadcasting from SAFN (Soviet Armed Forces Network). Areas in New York are made into make-shift bases for the Soviet forces (police stations, harbor facilities, schools, etc.). Civilians largely go into hiding. The US military has been routed, and the federal government, including the President, is arrested and tried on trumped-up charges of "crimes against humanity". They are promptly replaced by a Soviet occupational government, led from New York's Governors Island by General Tatarin of the Red Army.
Christopher Stone is enlisted into Isabella's rag-tag resistance movement, which he aides in rescuing his brother, Troy, as well as Isabella herself. Chris's actions cause him to be dubbed "the Freedom Phantom" by the both the Soviets and Americans. To the Soviet army, he becomes the nation's most wanted terrorist, while to the repressed masses he is seen as a symbol of America's continuing struggle against the occupation. Spanning from mid-2003 to the beginning of 2004, Chris leads many successful attacks on Soviet bases in New York, disrupting supply lines and taking control of Soviet bases outright. However, in late fall, the Soviets locate Troy and capture him, forcing him to appear on live television and give a prepared speech, claiming he and his brother as misfits who played "video games - violent ones," and asks for Chris to surrender to the Soviets. However, as he's being lead off stage, Troy quickly commandeers the podium, denouncing his speech as lies and urging Chris to continue the fight. Troy is later brought to Governor's Island and executed by General Tatarin.
Coming to the conclusion that assassinating Tatarin is the only measure left to hurt the Soviets, Jones and Isabella send Chris to infiltrate Governor's Island. However, when he returns, he discovers that Mr. Jones is actually Colonel Bulba, head of the KGB, and has captured the resistance headquarters along with Isabella. Chris manages to escape the soldier-infested sewers, stumbling across Bagzton and the Kid. They retreat to an abandoned subway station that is unknown to the Soviets.
On national television, the Soviets declare the resistance in New York City defeated, despite Chris's escape. At Tatarin's funeral service on Governor's Island, Bulba, now promoted to general, assumes command of the Soviet armed forces in America, and vows to hunt down Chris and whatever freedom fighters remain loyal to him. Entire Months pass without any major further actions by Chris and what remains of the Manhattan Resistance, and it appears that the Soviet proclamation is true. However, in February of 2004, the Kid reveals to Chris that he possesses a captured Soviet computer that contains the floor plans for the SAFN studio building near Times Square. After swelling his ranks with former POWs and Soviet defectors, Chris leads a frontal assault on the television studio, destroying a Soviet tank, before storming the building and capturing it. With temporary control of the Soviet civilian communications hub, Chris goes on live across Soviet-occupied America and rallies the country to his cause.
Working in coordination with other organized resistance groups all across the United States, Chris leads an amphibious assault on Governor's Island with captured fishing trawlers and yachts (some bearing the ensign of the former United States Navy, as seen in a cinematic sequence). The assault is nearly routed when Soviet Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters attack the soldiers advancing across the ice with explosives, breaking the ice up. Overcoming these major setbacks, Chris and a rag-tag group of fighters successfully break through to the island and destroy the air vent for the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, allowing reinforcements to swarm onto the island from Manhattan and the mainland. After capturing the island's primary support facilities, Chris assaults Fort Jay, breaking through its impressive defenses, rescuing Isabella, and raising the Stars and Stripes over the fortress. However, in the end Colonel Bulba is nowhere to be found.
With their struggle ending, Chris reflects upon this new American revolution amidst a massive victory celebration and is soon visited by Isabella. Isabella invites him to the festivities, which Chris disdains, saying the Soviets will be back with "bigger guns and more soldiers". Isabella tells him not to worry and they start to kiss before being interrupted by Bagzton, who responds in his typical over-the-top manner, leading the two would-be lovers back to the party. The sequence and the game end, leaving the Soviet response an enigma.
[edit] Gameplay
Freedom Fighters is a third-person shooter, in which the player navigates through the streets of New York while fighting the Soviet forces. Unlike other third-person shooters, the game also contains squad-based elements, having a unique charisma meter. The player gains charisma by performing heroic deeds in the resistance movement against the invading forces, like capturing a base or destroying vital supplies. The more charisma that is gained, the more squadmates the character can recruit, including leader-less guerrillas and wounded Russian soldiers, up to a maximum of twelve.
Freedom Fighters is often credited in game reviews as having brought squad games "to the masses", by introducing a simple method of controlling recruits in battle. In the game, the player can command recruits by giving them simple orders such as "defend", "attack", and "follow", but in most situations, they take care of themselves to a remarkable degree. The Soviet soldiers, however, follow predictable pattersn for the early stages of the game. For example, when the player acquires a sniper rifle and shoots from far away at a squad, the Russians will run for cover when the first soldier goes down. If the player fires no more shots, then the soldiers will spread out, and advance down the street or alley in a crouch, with thier weapons at port-arms so that they can fire almost instantly if fired upon. Given the terrain of New York City after the initial invasion, the Resistance usually stations its soldiers in covered positions like trenches and buildings. It is in positions like these that a player can find freedom fighters and wounded Russian soldiers.
[edit] Characters
Here are the characters of the game.
- Christopher Stone, also known as "The Freedom Phantom"
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Chris is just a blue-collar New Yorker with a shelf full of football trophies and a stack of monthly bills. At thirty-two, Chris's biggest influence in life is still his family. His dad is an Irishman, a retired rescue worker who calmly saved lives for years, but has just as calmly put a handbag thief into the hospital. His mother is a Native American schoolteacher. Her father taught the old Indian ways to Chris and his brother Troy. It is interesting to note that over the course of the game, Christopher's appearance goes from being well-groomed with short hair to be a literal unshaven and unkempt mess, denoting being "burnt-out" by the constant fighting.
- Troy Stone
The younger of the Stone brothers, Troy, is a real handful. At thirty, he still hasn't decided what he wants to do, but whatever it is he wants to do it fast. He builds custom cars with the local car club, the Brooklyn Rats, in his ample spare time. He often helps his brother Christopher with plumbing jobs.
- Mr. Jones
At sixty years of age, Mr. Jones is still nimble enough to train newcomers in the art of urban guerrilla fighting. Years of military life have given him an exceptional understanding of strategy, along with a cynical edge that keeps even friendly folks at a distance. He has never developed as a great soldier in the field, but his networking and planning skills make him a real asset to the resistance.
- Isabella Angelina
If Christopher Stone is the muscle behind the Manhattan Resistance, then Isabella Angelina is both the brains and the beauty. Clear eyes and a ready smile make Isabella, twenty-nine, a real threat to the men of New York. Strong political views, a cunning intellect, and a knack for public speaking make her a threat to the Soviets. Born in the U.S., Isabella traveled extensively while studying ethnography and completing her thesis on Inuit people. Her studies took her through Canada and Greenland, all the way to the arctic Soviet Union. Her experiences there turned her into a political activist protesting Soviet aggression worldwide. Isabella is a fast learner and a survivor quick to adapt to new conditions. Together with Christopher she leads the Manhattan resistance.
- Phil Bagzton
"Talk is cheap," says Phil Bagzton, "that's why I do it constantly, dude." Phil, to hear him tell it, has been kicking Soviet ass for ten years, even though the invasion just began. He's a man of many, many, words whose fighting efforts, despite their ineptitude, are appreciated by the resistance. Phil began boxing at the age of thirteen, not as a form of athletics but in self-defense from his abusive father. His fists never served him well, and he eventually learned to talk his way out of most situations. The rest of Phil's family fled to California at the start of the invasion.
- The Kid
The streets of New York are not kind to orphans, especially not during a full-scale Soviet invasion. But this skinny fifteen-year-old, known on the streets as The Kid, lets it all roll off of his back. The invasion is tough on everybody, but the truth is that The Kid's never really had it much easier. The Kid's real name is Dinh Nguyen. He knows every corner of the city and his graffiti can be found on almost every block. He's no gang member, but he's had issues with the local authorities (both the NYPD and the Red Army) and he can recognize any neighborhood thug by silhouette on the darkened streets. The Kid lived at a boarding school until recently, but it was closed down because the schoolmaster refused to teach Soviet principles. The Kid's street wisdom is a valuable asset to the resistance. He often warns Christopher of dangers hiding further up the block.
- General Vasilj Tatarin
Tatarin does not believe in sending soldiers into battle to kill and maim. He believes in leading the soldiers in himself so that he can kill and maim along with them. Born in 1958 in the Asian Soviet republic of Uzbekistan, General Tatarin is a field warrior of the highest echelon. He was brought up in the Soviet army by a family of soldiers, and still lives by the sword today. His father and grandfather both died in battle as war heroes, and he carried on the family tradition by graduating at the top of his class from military school. Tatarin was stationed in Guatemala in 1976 as a military adviser. He became the youngest Soviet general ever appointed in 1995, after establishing military bases in Mexico during his "recovery efforts" following a massive earthquake. Tatarin is extremely popular among the soldiers in his command.
- Tatiana Kempinsky (Russian newscaster)
How do you win over millions of people in just minutes? A pretty face and an innocent smile broadcast over television. Tatiana has the looks and the voice, but her innocent smile is a fake. The "news" she delivers is imported directly from the Kremlin. Tatiana was born in Krakow, where she studied journalism before transferring to the U.S. to finish her degree. She developed fluency in American English during her time in the U.S., but in her heart she remains a loyal member of the Communist party. It is widely believed in the Resistance that Kempinsky died during the assault on the SAFN studios.
- Colonel Bulba
A ruthless general who is Tatarin's second in command who pretends to be Mr. Jones to infiltrate the Rebel Base. Colonel Bulba takes Tartarin's place after he is assassinated by Chris and vows to hunt down every single rebel. His ultimate fate is unknown.
- Freedom Fighters
There are two kinds of freedom fighters. The men and women who join the Manhattan Resistance know all too well what they're up against: the largest, best equipped army in the world. With little more than raw determination and intimate knowledge of their neighborhoods, these dedicated Freedom Fighters intend to put up a ferocious fight and send the Soviets packing. Freedom Fighters represent all walks of life -from stock brokers to shoeshine boys- but they are united in their willingness to make any sacrifice to preserve New York City's freedom. These men and women will do anything to stop the invaders, including spending long hours in the sewers of the city, their base of operations. Although formal combat training does not exist in the resistance, these freedom fighters have learned quickly through intense on-the-job training. Freedom Fighters are quick to duck for cover when shots are heard, and they never question orders. The second type are the highly trained and effective Soviet infantry. These soldiers, badly wounded and thoroughly disillusioned with the war of occupation, are often left to die by their comrades. The resistance fighters meet many of them along the way, giving them medical aid, an act of kindness which often causes them to switch allegiances and aid the New Yorkers in their quest to take back their city from their former comrades.
- Civilians
Seen very little in most areas after the game begins, civilians hold little hope after the Soviet attack but some will give information to the fighters.
[edit] Weapons
This is a list of weapons in the game.
[edit] Heavy
[edit] Light
[edit] Handheld
[edit] Multiplayer
Multiplayer in "Freedom Fighters" revolves around securing flags and bunkers. The flag that a player needs to capture and hold is usually in the center of the map. Bunkers are positioned around the map, and spawn either Soviet soldiers or American Freedom Fighters. Players can know who the bunkers belong to because of a star above each one. A Soviet bunker is marked by a red star, while an American bunker is marked by a blue star. In each game, there can be up to four players, and can choose between the Soviet and American sides. The Soviet players have typical Soviet weaponry encountered in the single player game-i.e., AK-74s, grenades, Marakov pistols, etc. The American player(s) recive the Franchi SPAS-12, a revolver, Molotov cocktails, etc. The players can switch weapons on the fly in battle. In each map, there are several areas where weapons and ammunition are stored. Examples of these weapons include the Bizon submachine gun, the PKM, and the Sniper Rifle. Each bunker also has one medical kit and one ammunition can, so each bunker is vitally important. Each player also has their charisma meter maxed out, so each player can have twelve soldiers under thier command.
[edit] Vehicles
This is a list of Soviet vehicles in the game.
- Mil Mi-24 Hind Attack Helicopter
- Mil Mi-8 Transport Helicopter
- T-90 Main Battle Tank
- BTR-90 Armored Personnel Carrier (as seen in SAFN broadcasts of Soviet armored vehicles rolling down the streets during the conquest of New York City. Two of them are also shown in a screenshot of Soviet-controlled Fort Jay in SAFN during Colonel Bulba's address of the Freedom Phantom to the broadcasting station)
- Sukhoi Su-47 Jet Fighter (as seen flying over New York City in the opening cinematics of the game)
[edit] Sequel
On April 6, 2004 Eidos UK revealed plans for the sequel of Freedom Fighters. [1] Eidos (as opposed to EA) announced it would distribute the sequel in the first half of its financial year 2006, which would mean the latter part of 2005. However IO Interactive has announced development of a new intellectual property, Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, casting the future of a Freedom Fighters sequel in doubt. [2]
[edit] Trivia
- During the summer mission set on the Fire Station level, one of the Twin Towers is visible from the flag pole. Being that this game was released and takes place after the events of September 11th, 2001, it can be suggested that, due to its alternate history nature, the terrorist attack never occurred.
- Many downed traffic signs display routes to New Jersey, perhaps possessing some hidden meaning.
- On many of the billboards, Agent 47 from the Hitman series can be seen advertising mens clothing.
- Hitman 2: Silent Assassin is referenced, when the guerilla leadership are discussing how to assassinate the leader of the Soviet army in New York, Bagzton sarcastically suggests having him over for dinner and poisoning his vodka. This is similar to the mission "Invitation To A Party" in that game, where the target is a Russian general and can be killed in this fashion.
- Su-47 Berkut fighter aircraft are seen flying over New York City in the opening cinematics of the game, suggesting that the aircraft was put into operational service with the Soviet Air Force and/or the naval air arm of the Soviet Navy within the alternate timeline.
- The War of the Worlds is referenced, as the American resistance hides and lives in the sewers of New York, while using captured Soviet equipment to do battle with the invaders. This is similar to a proposed plotline in the H. G. Wells book, in which a defeated artilleryman, sharing a living space with the main character, proposes that the remnants of humanity hide in the sewers of London and learn to replicate Martian technology to expel them from Earth.
- Mario Brothers is also referenced, as Troy and Chris are brothers and plumbers, (although not of Italian stock) hailing from the Big Apple, much like Mario and Luigi. Another interesting point is that they also reflect the stature of the brothers, with Chris being tall and fit (like Luigi), and Troy being shorter and round (akin to Mario).
[edit] Notes
- ^ "New Commandos, Freedom Fighters, and Deus Ex titles planned", Gamespot, April 6, 2004.
- ^ "Hitman maker contracts new shooter", Gamespot, July 17, 2006.
