Frontlines: Fuel of War
- February 29, 2008
- Kaos Studios
- 5h median play time
Get on SteamFrontlines: Fuel of War is a first-person shooter set in a future devastated by energy crisis, where players join the Western Coalition Army in battles against the Red Star Alliance. The game features a unique Frontline Combat System, allowing for focused, intense combat in both single-player and multiplayer modes. With an open-world environment and over 60 next-generation vehicles and weapons, players can create their own path to victory and experience thrilling and destructible environments.
PC
Windows
Xbox
Xbox 360
Reviews
- The game offers a surprisingly engaging single-player campaign with interesting mechanics like remote-controlled drones and vehicles.
- Despite its age, the graphics and sound design hold up well, providing a nostalgic experience for players.
- The game allows for multiple approaches to objectives, giving players a sense of freedom in how they tackle missions.
- The multiplayer servers are shut down, significantly reducing the game's replayability and community engagement.
- Weapon accuracy is often criticized, making combat feel frustrating and less satisfying.
- The AI is poorly designed, leading to unhelpful teammates and enemies that can feel like bullet sponges.
- story158 mentions
- 29 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The story of the game is generally viewed as simplistic and generic, often described as a typical military shooter narrative centered around a future oil crisis and global conflict. While some players appreciate the interesting premise and moments within the story, many criticize the execution, character development, and writing quality, leading to a forgettable experience. Overall, the campaign is seen as a series of straightforward missions with minimal narrative depth, often feeling more like a multiplayer experience with a thin story overlay.
“The story was fairly interesting; the underlying narrative revolves around humanity running out of oil before a suitable replacement could be found. It has some uniquely interesting moments within its story and gameplay, like engaging in tank battles after being nuked.”
“The best part of this game is the background story - a world that's run out of oil, where civilization has become a bunch of inhuman savages.”
“The story is surprisingly well written, with a plausible starting scenario and cool gadgets, making it engaging despite some gameplay shortcomings.”
“The story is about as generic as a military shooter could possibly get.”
“The writing is pretty bad, the gunplay has not aged well, the missions are super cliche and boring, enemies are braindead, your allies are braindead, terrible enemy spawns sometimes up your ass, and it is incredibly short.”
“It's very obvious out the gate the devs wanted you to do multiplayer and the 'story' mode was just a 4-hour time-wasting tutorial with lackluster characters you can never identify with let alone like.”
- gameplay75 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 56 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the game is a mixed bag, featuring non-linear levels and some interesting mechanics like vehicle and drone usage, but it suffers from lackluster shooting mechanics and spongy enemies. While some players appreciate the open-ended design and immersive elements, many criticize the overall execution as mediocre, with a few noting that the game feels outdated compared to modern shooters. Despite its flaws, the game offers moments of enjoyment, particularly for those who appreciate tactical gameplay and unique mechanics.
“The gameplay itself is non-linear open level, like Kaos' other title Homefront.”
“The game makes good use of several types of drones, which was surprising for a 2008 title and made gameplay a little more interesting.”
“What I found was a visually impressive game with some really fun mechanics and a storyline that was actually engaging.”
“Unimaginative gameplay will most definitely bore any user, even the most enthusiastic, to frustration and lamentation.”
“It's obvious the story was a vehicle for the gameplay but the gameplay is garbage.”
“What we have is a poor man's dystopian FPS that feels like it tried to cash in on Call of Duty, with a plot so thin you can see through it, and gameplay I'd attribute to a game 10 years in the past during the PS2 and PS1 era.”
- graphics53 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game, while considered acceptable for its 2008 release, are often described as outdated by modern standards, with some reviewers noting they still hold up reasonably well today. Many appreciate the gritty visuals and solid performance, particularly in the context of gameplay, but there are consistent mentions of poor textures and graphical issues that detract from the overall experience. Overall, the graphics are seen as a mixed bag, with some praising their quality for the time while others find them lacking compared to contemporary titles.
“The graphics even look acceptable today and it's a lot of fun to play the campaign.”
“This had, and in many ways, still has great graphics and a smooth running engine.”
“Awesome campaign, awesome graphics, tons of vehicles, weapons and huge maps and missions.”
“☑ Outdated (even for 2008, this game has poor graphics and textures)”
“Graphics completely maxed out still seem outdated for a 2009 release.”
“The graphics were disappointing, but it's an older game so this comes along with the territory.”
- stability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- -29 % neutral mentions
- 86 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is generally positive, with users reporting minimal bugs and glitches, particularly on Windows 10. However, some players noted the need for additional installations and occasional troubleshooting, especially regarding the PhysX version. While there are a few glitches present, they do not significantly hinder gameplay or control.
“The game runs smoothly on Windows 10.”
“I haven't experienced any crashes or bugs during my gameplay.”
“The performance is consistent, making for a seamless gaming experience.”
“Although when booting up, you will have to install at least 4 additional components when prompted, and the version of PhysX might not work and may require troubleshooting.”
“Good FPS game that suffers from a few glitches.”
“Frontlines has its share of glitches, and the AI.”
- humor6 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as quirky and entertaining, particularly in the context of drone operations and the amusing mechanics of the guns. Players find it a lighthearted experience, making it a fun way to spend a few hours, despite some initial hesitations about the game. Overall, the comedic elements contribute positively to the enjoyment of this futuristic FPS.
“If you can get it for a few funny dollars or euros, you've got yourself an alright way to spend a few hours.”
“It's really funny to operate with drones, and it's a good idea to use these in the multiplayer game.”
“The guns shoot funny.”
- music6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- -17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is consistently praised, with many users highlighting the impressive soundtrack and sound design as standout features, despite criticisms of gameplay and mechanics. While some reviews mention a middling soundtrack, others express a strong appreciation for specific tracks, indicating that the music significantly enhances the overall experience. Overall, the game's audio elements are regarded as a redeeming quality amidst its other shortcomings.
“Not the best game in terms of gameplay and mechanics, but has an amazing soundtrack and sound design. I love you whoever made the sounds for both the M1B and Blackbear's gun + autoloader, and it is the only game I know that has a stage where you fight tanks under an ongoing nuclear strike.”
“It's an older game, but I love the way it looks and it has great sound and music.”
“Music is wonderful; however, I will purchase the OST from Amazon and consider that money well spent.”
“The soundtrack is middling and fails to enhance the overall experience of the game.”
“The music is forgettable and does not contribute to the atmosphere or immersion.”
“While the game has an interesting story premise, the music is underwhelming and poorly executed.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability through adjustable difficulty levels and the ability to revisit specific sections without replaying the entire campaign. However, some players find the campaign itself to be short and not particularly challenging, which may limit its overall replay value.
“It has great replayability because you can change the difficulty as well as your approach in each area. Once you complete each section and the entire game, you can play any section again without having to do the entire campaign.”
“The campaign is fun, but not very difficult, very short, and with little to no replay value.”
- optimization3 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's optimization has seen improvements, particularly when adjusting settings like disabling "maximize framerate," but users still report persistent issues with juttering and stuttering that cannot be fully resolved through graphical tweaks.
“Performance was never perfect, but it significantly improved when I disabled 'maximize framerate' in the settings.”
“Being one of my first action shooter games, along with Serious Sam and others, I loved it back then, and even now, it still keeps me entertained and pleased with its performance.”
“Then you realize that no amount of tweaking graphics settings will ever get rid of that horrible, jittering, shuddering, stuttering.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization aspect of the game is criticized for its inadequate implementation of advertisements, suggesting that it falls short of the standards set by other first-person shooters.
“The weakest part of the game is the lack of proper ads.”
“This title was on the cusp of ads being fully implemented in FPS games.”
- character development1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 100 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is likened to a blend of styles, drawing comparisons to the character design seen in "Battlefield: Bad Company" and "Red Faction: Guerrilla," suggesting a mix of engaging personalities and unique visual aesthetics that enhance the overall gameplay experience.
