Freedom Fighters (video game)

Infobox VG| title = Freedom Fighters


caption =
developer = IO Interactive
publisher = Electronic Arts
designer =
composer = Jesper Kyd
engine = "Hitman 2" engine (modified)
released = October 2003
genre = Third-person shooter
modes = Single-player, Multiplayer (console versions only)
ratings = vgratings|ESRB=T|PEGI=16+
platforms = Microsoft Windows, GameCube, PlayStation 2, Xbox
media = CD, DVD
requirements =
input = Keyboard and mouse, Gamepad

"Freedom Fighters" is a 2003 third-person shooter video game available for the Playstation 2, GameCube, Xbox and Microsoft Windows that is set in an alternate present. The player takes the role of Christopher Stone, a plumber turned American resistance leader who fights against the Red Army that invades and occupies New York City. It was developed by IO Interactive, using a modified version of the "" game engine, and published by Electronic Arts. There is currently a sequel in progress entitled "Freedom Fighters 2".

Plot

In an alternate present time, the Soviet Union brings an end to World War II by dropping the first atomic bomb on Berlin, redefining history. As a result, the Soviet Union never collapses, instead using its power to expand the Iron Curtain across all of Europe and most of the Middle East. After the Soviets send "military advisors" throughout the Third World and succeed in placing mid-range nuclear missiles in Cuba, they set the stage for the invasion of the United States.

Plumbers and brothers Christopher and Troy Stone are on the job in the apartment of Isabella Angelina, the leader of the anti-Soviet group "Warning Against Reds". Helicopters suddenly appear and begin shooting into buildings as they fly through the streets and the apartment is broken into by Soviet soldiers. Troy is taken prisoner by the Soviets, mistaken as Isabella's boyfriend; however, the soldiers leave without finding Chris. He is promptly recruited by Mr. Jones, whom he rescues from a Soviet officer. Mr. Jones leads him, along with a talkative man named Phil Bagzton, to a hiding place within the cavernous sewer system beneath the city streets.

Back on the surface, New York has fallen to the Soviet invasion. Newscasters and other undesirables are sent to Alaska for "reeducation". Tatiana Kempinsky, a Soviet propaganda reporter, replaces their newscasting with broadcasts from the Soviet Armed Forces Network (SAFN), a Soviet-run news channel. New York police stations, harbor facilities, schools, and other government buildings become make-shift bases for the Soviet forces. Civilians largely go into hiding. The US military has been routed, and the federal government, including the President, is arrested and tried on 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.

Stone is enlisted into Isabella's resistance movement which he aids in rescuing his brother Troy, as well as Isabella herself. Chris' actions cause him to be dubbed the "Freedom Phantom" by 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, finding weapons caches, aiding injured civilians, taking control of Soviet bases and killing countless numbers of Soviet soldiers. However, in the late fall, the Soviets locate Troy and capture him, forcing him to appear on live television and give a prepared speech, claiming that he and his brother are criminal misfits who had played "video games - violent ones", and asks Chris to surrender to the Soviets, promising be will be treated properly. However, as he is being lead off stage, Troy quickly commandeers the podium, denouncing his speech as lies and urging Chris to continue fighting the Soviets and set the people free. 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 that will hurt the Soviets, Jones and Isabella send Chris to infiltrate Governor's Island and kill Tatarin. After succeeding, Chris returns to the base and fights his way through the sewers, where the Soviet army launched a massive attack against the resistance, killing scores of them. He learns some freedom fighters have been captured, including Isabella. Chris manages to escape the soldier-filled sewers and stumbles across Phil Bagzton and the Kid. They retreat to an abandoned subway station that is unknown to the Soviets where they regroup. The attack was orchestrated by Colonel Bulba, the head of the KGB, who was disguised as Mr. Jones.

On national television, the Soviets declare the resistance in New York City defeated, despite Chris' 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 any remaining freedom fighters. Weeks pass without incident and some believe the rebellion may be over. However, in February 2004, the Kid reveals to Chris and Phil that he possesses a captured Soviet computer that contains schematics to a high school where Soviet special forces are being trained and the floor plans for the Soviet SAFN news studio near Times Square. After swelling his ranks with former POWs, new fighters, and Soviet defectors, Chris leads a frontal assault on the television studio. The resistance kill scores of Soviets and destroys a Soviet tank protecting the site before storming the building and capturing it. With temporary control of Soviet civilian communications, Chris goes on live television across Soviet-occupied America and rallies the country to his cause through a speech declaring that America has not lost the war and that he will fight to the end for everyone's freedom.

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. 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 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 destroying Soviet artillery, raiding a weapons depot, and capturing the island's primary support facilities, Chris assaults Fort Jay with hundreds of fighters, breaking through its defenses, rescuing Isabella, and raising the Stars and Stripes over the fortress. However, in the end, General Bulba is nowhere to be found.

With their struggle ending, Chris reflects upon this new American victory amidst a massive 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", and blaming himself for the destruction that occurred in the city. Isabella tells him that it was the Soviets' fault, not his, and tells him not to worry and they start to kiss before being interrupted by Phil Bagzton, who responds in his typical over-the-top manner, leading the two would-be lovers back to the party.

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 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 leaderless 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 "follow", "attack", and "defend", but in most situations, they take care of themselves. Given the terrain of New York City after the initial invasion, the Resistance usually stations its soldiers in covered positions like craters and buildings. It is in positions like these that a player can find freedom fighters and wounded Russian soldiers.

Multiplayer

Multiplayer 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, who can choose between the Soviet and American sides. Each side has a different set of weapons. The players can switch weapons in battle. In each map, there are several areas where weapons and ammunition are stored. Each bunker also has one medical kit and one ammunition can, so every bunker is vitally important. Each player also has their charisma meter set to eight, so each player can have a maximum of eight soldiers under their command; however, if it is a four-player battle, each player can control a maximum of four soldiers. The players can select a map to fight in: Greenwich Village, where there are four bunkers surrounding the flag; Brooklyn Rooftops, with four adjacent bunkers with the flag between the middle two bunkers on a building; and Fort Jay, a nighttime scene with four bunkers at the edge of the map with the flag in the middle.

Characters

*Christopher Stone AKA "Freedom Phantom" - Co-leader of the Manhattan ResistanceBorn and raised in Brooklyn, Chris is a blue-collar New Yorker. At 32, Chris' biggest influence in life is still his family.
*Isabella Angelina - Co-leader of the Manhattan ResistanceBorn in the US, 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.
*Troy Stone - Manhattan Resistance memberAt thirty, he still has not 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 with plumbing jobs.
*Mr. Jones - Manhattan Resistance military and intelligence AdvisorAt 60 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. He never developed into a great soldier in the field, but his networking and planning skills make him a real asset to the resistance.
*Phil Bagzton - Manhattan Resistance munitions expertPhil is another freedom fighter who claims that he has been fighting the Soviet army for "about 10 years" even though the occupation just started. After being wounded during the original occupation of New York, Chris patched him up and helped him defeat some Soviet troops. Afterwards he led Chris into the back alleys to the nearest manhole and they escaped through the sewers
*The Kid - Manhattan Resistance supporter.The Kid is an orphan who serves as an informant of sorts. Since his boarding school was shut down due to the Soviets, The Kid is on a crusade along with the rest of the Freedom Fighters. He is first seen spray-painting a wall.
*General Vasillj Tatarin - Commander of Soviet Occupation Force in the US.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. 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. He led a successful US invasion and is the commander of the invasion force. He is the highest ranking Soviet officer in the Americas.
*Tatiana Kempinski - Soviet propaganda newscaster.Tatiana was born in Krakow, where she studied journalism before transferring to the US to finish her degree. She developed fluency in American English during her time in the US, but remains a loyal member of the Communist party.
*Colonel Bulba - KGB Director/Commander of Soviet Occupation Force in the US.A ruthless colonel in the Soviet military who is Tatarin's second-in-command and head of the KGB. Colonel Bulba is promoted to general following Tatarin's death. He vows to hunt down every single rebel.

*Freedom FightersThere are two kinds of freedom fighters. Although formal combat training does not exist in the resistance, these American former-civilian 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 Soviet infantry. These soldiers, badly wounded and disillusioned with the war, 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.
*CiviliansSeen 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.

Music

The soundtrack to "Freedom Fighters" was released by Nano Music in 2003 and was composed, produced and performed by Jesper Kyd. The album was Gamespot's "Best Game Soundtrack of the Year 2003" and Game Reactor Magazine's "Best Game Music of the Year".

equel

On April 6, 2004 Eidos UK revealed plans for the sequel. [cite news
url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/freedomfighters2/news.html?sid=6092995
publisher= Gamespot
title= New "Commandos", "Freedom Fighters", and "Deus Ex" titles planned
date=April 6, 2004] 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, , casting the future of a "Freedom Fighters" sequel in doubt. [cite news
url=http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/freedomfighters2/news.html?sid=6154183
publisher= Gamespot
title= "Hitman" maker contracts new shooter
date=July 17, 2006] In late 2007 a representative of IO said in an interview about the upcoming 'Kane & Lynch: Dead Men' that a sequel for Freedom Fighters was still on the company's 'to-do' list, not confirming a particular system.

As of April 2008, Gamespot's web site lists the sequel as 'Canceled', but only under the Xbox version of the game. The other versions, PS2 and PC, remain listed as TBA. [ [http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/freedomfighters2/index.html?tag=result;title;3 www.gamespot.com] ]

Trivia

*The game was originally called "Freedom: The Battle For Liberty Island", but this title was changed.

Notes

External links

* [http://www.ea.com/official/freedom/freedomfighters/us/features.jsp EA Games "Freedom Fighters" webpage]
* [http://www.eagames.com EA Games]
* [http://www.ioi.dk/ IO Interactive]
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* [http://www.gamespot.com/pc/action/freedomthebattleforli/index.html?tag=result;title;0 Freedom Fighters] at Gamespot.com