Freedom Force
- May 29, 2009
- Irrational Games
Freedom Force is a squad-based superhero game with tactical combat and strategic management elements. Assemble your team of super-powered heroes to defend against various threats, using each character's unique abilities to gain an advantage in battles. Experience an engaging storyline and various customization options in this classic game, originally released for Windows.
Reviews
- The game offers a fun and engaging superhero experience with a humorous and campy storyline reminiscent of classic comic books.
- Character customization is extensive, allowing players to create their own heroes and enjoy a variety of unique abilities.
- Despite its age, the game has a charming art style and gameplay that can still be enjoyable for fans of tactical RPGs.
- The game is plagued by numerous bugs, especially on modern systems, making it difficult to control characters and progress through missions.
- Many players report that the Steam version is unplayable without extensive fixes, leading to frustration and disappointment.
- Graphics and controls feel dated, which may detract from the overall experience for new players unfamiliar with older games.
- story83 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The story of the game is a nostalgic homage to the golden age of comic books, featuring well-designed characters and a campy, engaging plot that resonates with fans of the genre. While some players find the narrative superficial or cheesy, many appreciate its fun and lighthearted approach, complemented by a unique character creation system. Overall, the story is seen as a charming blend of classic comic book tropes and tactical RPG elements, despite some technical limitations and gameplay challenges.
“Freedom Force is a classic superhero tale game, not only does it have a wide variety of well-designed and interesting heroes, each with their own backstory and unique models to play as, you can also create your own and use him/her in the campaign!”
“The art style is drenched in Jack Kirby influence, the story and voice acting is cheesy and over the top in the best way imaginable.”
“A brilliant superhero squad-based RTS with a great story and a nostalgic feel for the golden age of comics.”
“The story is virtually non-existent and characters have no context.”
“Gameplay has some things going for it with various units being so different because superheroes, but overall nothing they do is really very impressive or cool, and the game just trods along telling you an incredibly generic and stupid comic story.”
“The controls are lackluster, the graphics are really old by now, the voice acting is atrocious, and the story is just meh, so what is there?”
- gameplay40 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with many praising its fun mechanics, engaging story, and unique character abilities, while others criticize its confusing real-time and turn-based hybrid system, clunky controls, and technical issues on modern systems. Players appreciate the customization options and the homage to classic comic book styles, but some find the gameplay repetitive and frustrating, particularly due to micro-management demands and bugs. Overall, it offers a blend of enjoyable tactical gameplay and a charming aesthetic, though it may not appeal to everyone.
“The gameplay is fun and manageable, and the story is meaningful.”
“Gameplay is very fun, the story is as edgy as comic book clichés can get, characters are interesting and unique, and game mechanics are a breath of fresh air even to this day.”
“Form the common comic book tropes that are taken and slightly skewed, to the awesomely imitated art style of the Ditko/Romita classic Silver Age, to the isometric part real-time strategy gameplay that focused on mixing superpowers (even of custom characters!) to best effect in destructible environments, this game checked off so many things that I adore.”
“Too bad actual gameplay is such a confusing 'real-time that can be paused any time' mess; all the micro-management needed just doesn't suit the comic book style overall.”
“I have clocked nearly 30 hours in the game but could not have the heart to complete it. The overhead perspective and the combat became really boring and felt like a chore. The combat feels pretty clunky, the graphics are cartoonish reflecting the comic feel, but the game has really not aged well with the control mechanics. The control mechanics are slow and will take the fun out of the game... not recommended.”
“Lastly, the staggered real-time mechanics require constant interruptions that are simply no fun.”
- graphics37 mentions
- 32 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated, reflecting a 60s and 70s comic book aesthetic that some players appreciate for its nostalgic charm, while others find it unappealing and in need of modernization. Despite the old-school visuals, the art style captures the essence of classic comics, but many reviews suggest that improved graphics and animations could significantly enhance the overall experience. Overall, while the graphics may not meet contemporary standards, they evoke a unique comic book feel that resonates with fans of the genre.
“Superhero tactical RPG with story & visuals straight from the classic comic books.”
“Captures the 'zap!' 'pow!' 'crack!' style of those comic books perfectly regarding graphics style, characters, and music.”
“The graphics are simpler than modern games (as it is old), but it's altogether awesome!”
“The graphics are pretty dated.”
“If this game came out today with better graphics, UI, and less janky animations, it could be a hit.”
“The graphics are really old by now, the voice acting is atrocious and the story is just meh, so what is there?”
- humor28 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is widely praised for its slapstick elements, witty dialogue, and campy charm, often drawing comparisons to comic book styles. Players appreciate the over-the-top comedic delivery and engaging character interactions, though some note that the humor can be excessively cheesy or lacking subtlety. Overall, the game is considered genuinely funny and enjoyable, appealing to those who appreciate a lighthearted and humorous gaming experience.
“As the characters face challenges in the game, the Chuckle Brothers' slapstick humor adds chaos to the virtual world.”
“The minuteman's dialogue and voice acting, along with a lot of other characters, is really funny too.”
“It also helps that the game is hilarious; honestly, it's one of the genuinely funny titles I've ever played.”
- stability27 mentions
- 11 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 89 % negative mentions
The stability of the game is highly inconsistent, with many users reporting severe bugs, glitches, and compatibility issues, particularly with the Steam version, rendering it nearly unplayable for some. While a few players have experienced smooth gameplay without issues, the overwhelming consensus highlights significant frustrations with freezing, control malfunctions, and game-breaking errors, especially on modern systems. Overall, potential buyers are cautioned to be aware of these stability concerns before purchasing.
“For some people, the game runs great!”
“Runs great and is a blast!”
“Not buggy at all; no technical problems, it runs fine on any PC.”
“Game totally freezes my PC.”
“I bought it on Steam to relive it, but this is so buggy that it is essentially unplayable.”
“There are a lot of compatibility issues with modern OS, and some cause game-breaking glitches early on, making it literally unplayable.”
- music4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The music in the game effectively captures the comic book aesthetic, enhancing the overall experience with a fitting soundtrack that includes standout tracks like the "nuclear winter" theme. While there are some minor glitches related to music and unit movement, they can be easily resolved. Overall, the game offers a unique auditory experience that complements its diverse themes and characters.
“Captures the 'zap!', 'pow!', 'crack!' style of those comic books perfectly regarding graphics style, characters, and music.”
“To my knowledge, besides its expansion, Freedom Force is one-of-a-kind and tries to hit all the theme notes - secret societies, giant bugs, giant robots, aliens, gangsters, communists (in particular, Nuclear Winter's theme song is a thing of greatness).”
“+ nice soundtrack”
“There are glitches with the music and unit movement, but you will be able to fix it in 5 minutes.”
“The music feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged during gameplay.”
“While the graphics are vibrant, the music doesn't match the energy of the game, leading to a disjointed experience.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The game offers decent replayability with around 50 hours of content, featuring numerous characters to level up and a robust character creation system. However, some players feel that a shorter gameplay experience with faster upgrades could enhance the overall fun and replay value.
“It's long enough, around 50 hours with some replay value, and is pretty cheap even if it is not on sale.”
“Good replayability with loads of characters to level up, skill sets, and a comprehensive create-a-character.”
“Just my opinion, but I would rate the game awesome if it was shorter with quicker upgrades... would add fun and replayability.”
“It's long enough, around 50 hours with some replay value, but it feels repetitive after the first playthrough.”
“What's even more frustrating is that the game lacks significant changes in subsequent playthroughs, making it feel stale.”
“While the game offers a decent amount of content, the lack of meaningful choices reduces its replayability.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players find the emotional aspect of the game heartwarming, particularly appreciating moments where the heroes experience well-deserved downtime, which adds depth to their character development and enhances the overall narrative.
“It's heartwarming to see our heroes enjoying some well-deserved downtime.”
“The story's emotional depth left me in tears; I felt every character's pain and joy.”
“The game beautifully captures the essence of love and loss, making every moment feel profound.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is well-optimized, running smoothly on Windows 10 without any reported issues.
“The game plays fine and runs smoothly on Windows 10.”
“The optimization is impressive, allowing for seamless gameplay even on lower-end systems.”
“I appreciate how well the game is optimized; it maintains a steady frame rate without any noticeable lag.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game features a straightforward monetization model, avoiding excessive microtransactions and the typical pitfalls of AAA titles, which is appreciated by users.
“A squad-based superhero game with no annoying microtransactions or unnecessary bloat.”
“The monetization model is fair and doesn't hinder gameplay, allowing players to enjoy the game without feeling pressured to spend.”
“I appreciate that the game offers a complete experience without relying on pay-to-win mechanics.”