http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homefront_%28video_game%29
This review will consist of 3 major components:
- Design
- Story
- Game Mechanics
- Programming
- Performance
- Technology
- Online
- Art
- 3D Graphics
- Special FX
- Audio
Story
Homefront is a first-person shooter created by Kaos Studios in New York with the premise of a future North Korean superpower invading and occupying the US. The game puts you into the role of an ex-pilot with combat experience (presumably a military pilot) who is forced to participate in The Resistance as they find their way to San Francisco to hook up and provide fuel for remnant US military forces.
Right off the bat, you can tell that Homefront was written by John Milius and a homage to the 1984 movie, Red Dawn. You start off amidst a suppressive faceless North Korean army that terrorizes the US citizens scrapping by in the "ghetto's" of Colorado.
As a story, it starts off as a unique experience, seeing familiar American territory under the control of a foreign force. But as a game, the plot slips into the usual Hoo-ah, Macho-Kick-Ass-with-Bubblegum story of killing wave after wave of expendable Korean soldiers. What starts off with so much potential, especially in the 1st and 2nd "Chapters" of the game, distills into following a foul-mouthed testosterone imbued teammate, Connor, around killing your way to the US counter-attack in San Francisco.
There were some incredible set pieces in the game that really pounded into you the idea of being in an occupied United States under a ruthless invasion force. But the idea was not capitalized as well as it could have been. In the end, it was another fantastic, new idea, that was not taken full advantage upon.
Unique and Fresh: 9.2
Implementation: 5.5
Total: 7.35
Game Mechanics
First and foremost, Homefront is a first-person shooter, so the basic mechanics of run, shoot, cover, repeat, apply. You have a selection of 3 major kinds of weapons, Assault Rifle, Machine-gun and Sniper Rifle, with secondary special weapons like Rocket Launchers, grenades, various other explosives...
The maps aren't the same size or scope of Battlefield games, it isn't the claustrophobic environments of CoD: MW2 and Black Ops. However, with the additional of vehicles, the size of the map provides a perfect size to emphasize the power of tanks and helicopters, but also allows for intense close-quarter combat. Overall, the Level Designers have done a great job balancing out the environment, while providing a fun playground of war.
Moving onto controls, each weapon feels distinctly unique and using them is as natural as picking up a toothbrush for most gamers. For PC Gamers, they should feel completely familiar to anyone who has played CoD, Halo, or Battlefield. Vehicle handling is also superb, while it won't satisfy the simulation fans out there, it's quick to pick up for beginners, but difficult to master. Lastly, there is also Joystick support for PC fans, while Vehicles are able to transition into cockpit or 3rd person camera modes, something that is noticeably missing in the console version.
In Single-Player, the mechanics are as generic as you can get, you are given an objective or "waypoint", you proceed to the destination, and either an Enemy Encounter, or cinematic moment will begin. Most of the missions consist of guarding, assaulting, or sneaking through enemy territory. There were some missions that stood out, but due to the set pieces rather then Level Design.
Multi-Player on the other hand is where the unique mechanics begin to shine. Two specific examples are Battle Points and Battlefield Commander.
- Battle Points:
- These act as in-game currency that you can use to buy specific special weapons on-the-fly.
- Allows for instant-reaction to various kinds of situations without having to die and choose a new class
- Ex: A tank appears, buy a Rocket Launcher using BPs and take it out.
- You can buy vehicles, so teammates will no longer "camp/fight" each other for them.
- Battlefield Commander
- AI Commander that assigns values to targets and players throughout the game.
- This allows players to gain BP faster by completing objectives given by AI Commander, and also targets high-value targets (players who have high killstreaks) and rewards players for taking them out.
Although I haven't had time to play more Multiplayer then I would have liked, each time I get into a game, I have a blast. The controls feel solid, guns feel powerful, without being too unbalanced, and overall, the escalation mechanics are present in each game.
Mechanics (Both SP & MP): 8.0
Implementation: 9.5
Total: 8.75
Part 2 - Programming:
Performance/Functionality
This game runs on my PC at 1920x1080, very high settings (everything turned on) and still manages to pull a good 40-60 FPS using FRAPs as a measuring tool.
All in all, the performance is a none issue if you have a good computer. No memory leaks, poor optimization, etc...
Online play also runs smoothly, I have an easy time finding games, and rarely disconnect due to issues pertaining to the game. From friends who have run dedicated servers, the tools that Kaos Studios have given to players is wide and varied, and full enables players to create their own servers. One of the few things that is genuinely missing in PC Games now has been gratuitously given by Kaos.
Online: 9.0
Performance: 9.0
Implementation: 9.0
Total: 9.0
Part 3 - Art:
3D Graphics
One quick glance at the character models and animation betrays the age and Triple A status of this game. In comparison to CoD, Battlefield, and countless other shooters, there are definitely much better games out there that catch the realistic movements of humans.
However, what it lacks in high quality models or smooth animation, it makes up for with gorgeous environments that really place you into an "occupied" USA. Destroyed suburban housing sprinkled with familiar landmarks like convenience stores, gas stations, fast food restaurants, create an ambiance that very few games out there have achieved. As I was battling through the streets of countless suburban homes, I could easily envision myself in present day US, fighting on the same streets of Redmond, WA, where I make my home.
The lighting strikes the right mood, and on occasion, I couldn't help but stop and glance around the gorgeous, decadent ghetto of Colorado. Having only been to that State recently, I can tell you they did a superb job of re-creating the region.
In one "Chapter" of the game, the area is turned into a beautiful landscape of Autumn yellows, oranges, and red. While the majority of locations are common place in countless shooters, I give props to Kaos for willing to add in color among destruction. Games like CoD, Battlefield, etc... might have different locales, but not often with "fresh scenery". Traversing through the NW in the middle of Autumn; now that was a fantastic sight to behold and play through.
Overall while the art was not that impressive, I couldn't see any horrible clipping issues, the Animation was passable, and it looked like the Art team did their best to make it perfect, albeit the quality.
3D Graphics: 6.0
Implementation: 8.5
Total: 7.25
Special FX
Probably one of the shortest sections of my review, the Special Effects is of the quality I would expect from a Triple A title. Explosions look strong and powerful, guns firing, bullet tracers zooming past, and all the destruction SFX allow the ambiance of battle sink in.
One particular encounter, in which your allies mis-fire white phosphorous mortar rounds causes a spectacular but horrifying visage of fire, destruction and explosions. However, on my PC, that particular moment ended up less dramatic due to some weird graphical glitches that caused all my fire effects to not render.
Special FX: 7.5
Implementation: 9.0
Total: 8.25
Audio
Dramatic music, strong sound effects, and perfect ambient music all lend itself to a wonderful Audio performance by Homefront. Throughout my play-through, the quality and attention to detail given to sound and music by the Audio Team was clear.
Guns have unique and distinct sounds, and while they definitely weren't the kind you'd expect from modern guns, it gave a different futuristic sound; the kind where you could nod and think an M4 might sound that gruff in a war-torn US.
Music was also wonderfully composed and incorporated. While the traditional sounds of bass and brass for military shooters were prevalent, the addition of orchestral rock was inspiring and heart-pumping. If I had this music playing behind me in real war, I'd be doing Kung-Fu backflips shooting an M4 like Rambo all day long.
Audio: 9.0
Implementation: 9.0
Total: 9.0
Final Overview:
Design: Story
Unique and Fresh: 9.2
Implementation: 5.5
Total: 7.35
Design: Game Mechanics
Mechanics (Both SP & MP): 8.0
Implementation: 9.5
Total: 8.75
Programming: Performance/Functionality
Online: 8.0
Performance: 9.0
Implementation: 9.0
Total: 9.0
Art: 3D Graphics
3D Graphics: 6.0
Implementation: 8.5
Total: 7.25
Art: Special FX
Special FX: 7.5
Implementation: 9.0
Total: 8.25
Audio: General
Audio: 9.0
Implementation: 9.0
Total: 9.0
Closing Thoughts:
It's a game that any Game Designer can look at and say, that's a solid game. Though, in the processs of trying to push the envelope in story, the Designers weren't able to capitalize on the unique backdrop. Whether due to poor Designers or rushed production, it felt as if the latter hours of the game were made without real thought. This game is definitely not one you buy for the single-player.
As for multiplayer, this game shines in a variety of ways, from it's introduction of Battle Points and Battlefield Commander mechanics that emphasizes a player's participation in battle, to the Level Design scale that fits just neatly in-between Call of Duty and Battlefield. If anything, this game is worth picking up for the value of MP, it is fun, a refreshing break from CoD and Battlefield, and definitely offers a unique perspective on the direction of Multiplayer FPS Design.
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