Freedom Force vs. The 3rd Reich
- May 29, 2009
- Irrational Games
- 5h median play time
"Freedom Force vs. The 3rd Reich" is a tactical role-playing game where players control a team of superheroes fighting against the Axis powers during World War II. The game features a comic book-inspired art style and allows players to customize their characters and develop their abilities. The game's story revolves around time travel, as the heroes must prevent the Nazis from altering history and taking over the world.
Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic experience with a charming comic book style, engaging characters, and humorous dialogue.
- It features extensive customization options for creating unique superheroes, enhancing replayability and player creativity.
- The gameplay combines real-time strategy with tactical elements, allowing for clever team synergies and strategic combat against a variety of enemies.
- The game suffers from bugs and crashes, particularly on modern systems, which can hinder the overall experience.
- Some players find the AI pathing and character navigation frustrating, requiring constant micromanagement during battles.
- The story length is relatively short, and some missions can feel repetitive or overly simplistic compared to the original game.
- story65 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story in "Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich" is a blend of nostalgic comic book themes and engaging character arcs, though it is noted to be shorter and less impactful than its predecessor. Players appreciate the unique backstories of characters and the humorous, vintage storytelling style, but some find the plot to be standard and the mission structure occasionally frustrating. Overall, while the narrative offers enjoyable moments and a cohesive experience, it may not resonate as strongly with all players compared to the original game.
“The game offers a variety of superpowered characters, each with unique abilities and an interesting story.”
“Truly a gem of its time, deep character customization, impressive comic book style story, and voicework that's stuck with me throughout my life.”
“The story is fantastic and will keep you playing through the next level just to see what happens next.”
“Unfortunately, I must also mention that I didn't like the length of the story.”
“- the story is pretty standard 4-color comic book nonsense.”
“It's cleaned up a lot of the messy bits of the first game, but somehow the story doesn't resonate as powerfully.”
- gameplay36 mentions
- 39 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it boring and simplistic, while others appreciate its engaging mechanics and improvements over previous iterations. Many highlight the fun, tactical elements and enjoyable storytelling, though frustrations with certain gameplay aspects, like friendly fire and melee character effectiveness, were noted. Overall, while not groundbreaking, the gameplay is generally seen as solid and enjoyable, particularly for newcomers.
“Build-your-own-comic-superhero simulator, with a fun story and enjoyable TRPG-like gameplay.”
“Great tactical gameplay, nice and different.”
“The hammy voice acting and cut scenes are pretty fun, and the gameplay is great - good UI with easy-to-learn mechanics.”
“Awkward interface, boring gameplay.”
“These changes are mostly there to simplify gameplay, but they make the gameplay significantly less dynamic.”
“Now for gameplay, I find it pretty boring, as the friendly fire is extremely frustrating. Melee characters are pretty useless as some enemies can fly and many are resistant to melee attacks.”
- graphics23 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 65 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of "Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich" are generally regarded as surprisingly good for a classic game, holding up well against modern indie standards due to their cartoony art style. While some players note that the graphics are dated, they still find them acceptable and atmospheric, contributing positively to the overall experience. Many reviewers express a desire for a remaster, but overall, the visuals are seen as a strong point that enhances the game's engaging narrative and gameplay.
“In conclusion, Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich is a fun and engaging game with an interesting concept and impressive graphics.”
“The graphics are surprisingly good for a classic game, still perfectly acceptable by modern indie-game standards.”
“There's no distortion in either the in-game cinematics or gameplay, and the graphics have held up pretty well due to the cartoony nature.”
“I wish they would remaster with all new graphics.”
“The graphic hasn't aged well, but it's bearable.”
“Of course the graphics are now outdated, but the game still holds up as an enjoyable comic experience.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by a campy, comic book tone reminiscent of the silver and golden ages, featuring cheeky dialogue and hilarious voice acting that many players find entertaining. While the comedic elements are generally well-received, some players note that the humor may not appeal to everyone, particularly those who might find it annoying. Overall, the game successfully combines its funny script with engaging gameplay and character customization, making it a standout for fans of superhero tropes.
“Good cheeky comic book humor.”
“I'm going to just say I like the Silver Age and Golden Age tone to it as it gives that campy and over-the-top feel. Even the voice acting fits in that era as it sounds cheesy, and in a way, I love it as it's pretty funny for me.”
“Great continuation of the Freedom Force story with the same great gameplay and humor.”
- stability5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 40 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally positive on modern systems, with most users reporting smooth performance after setting up compatibility modes. However, some players have encountered occasional bugs, particularly with AI navigation and tutorial progression, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
“This game is awesome and runs great on modern computers.”
“Once I got compatibility set up, it's pretty much bug-free (only one gameplay-based crash).”
“Runs great on Windows 7 in Windows Vista compatibility mode.”
“AI is great most of the time, but navigation can be buggy; occasionally, heroes run into walls and enemies do not respond to attacks.”
“Pretty buggy for a 15-year-old game. I encountered bugs twice while trying to complete the tutorial, where my character kept getting stuck on buildings and couldn't move, leading me to give up.”
- atmosphere3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by well-designed comic graphics and a captivating plot that resonates with superhero comic fans. Additionally, the sound design during fights contributes positively to the overall experience, while the game's moddability allows for further customization, enriching the atmospheric experience.
“A superb game, with an amazing roster of characters magisterially designed, a fantastic plot, and an incredible atmosphere that pervades every aspect of the game, filled with love for the superhero comics genre. It is also very moddable, and there is a lot of interesting stuff to download (e.g., Marvel or DC skins to customize your own game experience).”
- replayability3 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is limited due to its short campaign of only 22 missions lasting around 7 hours, with little incentive to replay them. However, players can find replay value in the diverse roster of heroes and their unique abilities, particularly in the Danger Room mode, which offers more varied gameplay experiences.
“The replayability is fantastic, with so many heroes available and many characters having unique abilities that can combo with others seamlessly.”
“The danger room offers a lot of replayability, providing endless challenges and scenarios to explore.”
“With a diverse roster of heroes and their crazy abilities, the game ensures that replayability is a key feature.”
“I find myself relying more on projectile characters as they won't suffer from friendly fire. The game has only 22 missions that finish in 7 hours with no replay value.”
“The danger room offers some replayability, but it feels limited.”
“While there are many heroes available, the overall replayability is lacking due to the repetitive nature of the missions.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization is generally effective, with significant improvements in graphics, performance, and gameplay. While some users may experience difficulties on older hardware, such instances are considered rare and not typical.
“Great improvements on graphics, performance, and gameplay tweaks.”
“It'd be more of a trouble to run it due to the optimization for newer hardware, but those cases should be very rare and one in-between, nothing of the ordinary.”
“It'd be more trouble to run it due to the optimization for newer hardware, but those cases should be very rare and few and far between, nothing out of the ordinary.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by a sense of disappointment and heartbreak from the reviewer, who feels let down by the experience, particularly in relation to the game's mechanics and character interactions.
- character development1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers praise the game for its strong character development, highlighting well-crafted arcs that enhance player engagement and emotional investment in the story.
“The character development in this game is exceptional, allowing players to truly connect with the characters and their journeys.”
“I was amazed by the depth of character development; each character evolves in a way that feels authentic and engaging.”
“The way the game handles character development is impressive, providing meaningful choices that impact the story and relationships.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised, with users highlighting its quality and overall impact on the gaming experience.
“The soundtrack is absolutely fantastic and enhances the overall experience.”
“I love how the music perfectly complements the gameplay, creating an immersive atmosphere.”
“The variety of tracks keeps the game feeling fresh and engaging throughout.”