Freedom Force (2002 video game)

{{Infobox video game

| title = Freedom Force

| image = Freedom Force.jpg

| developer = Irrational Games (Windows)
The Omni Group (OS X)

| publisher = Crave Entertainment and Electronic Arts {{small|(Windows)}}
MacPlay (OS X)
2K Games {{small|(Steam)}}

| designer =

| released = {{collapsible list|title=March 26, 2002|Windows
{{vgrelease|NA|March 26, 2002|EU|July 12, 2002}}OS X
{{vgrelease|WW|December 21, 2002}}}}

| genre = Real-time tactical role-playing

| modes = Single-player, multiplayer

| platforms = Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X

}}

Freedom Force is a real-time tactical role-playing game{{cite web |url=http://www.taktikzone.de/index.php?GameID=18&content=faq |title=Freedom Force FAQ |publisher=Taktikzone}}{{cite web |author=GameSpot staff |date=July 17, 2000 |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/freedom-force-qanda/1100-2604600/ |title=Freedom Force Q&A |website=GameSpot |access-date=July 1, 2017}}{{cite web |last=Allman |first=Mark |date=October 22, 2000 |url=http://www.rpgplanet.com/features/firstlooks/freedomforce/ |title=First Looks: Freedom Force |publisher=RPGPlanet |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071217232640/http://www.rpgplanet.com/features/firstlooks/freedomforce/ |archive-date=December 17, 2007 |url-status=dead |access-date=November 26, 2007 }} developed by Irrational Games and published by Electronic Arts and Crave Entertainment in 2002.{{Cite web|title=Freedom Force|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/freedom-force/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|access-date=2022-01-28|website=Metacritic|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Freedom Force Review|url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/freedom-force-review/1900-2859351/|access-date=2022-01-28|website=GameSpot|language=en-US}} The player guides a team of superheroes as they defend Patriot City from a variety of villains, monsters, and other menaces. The game's budget was around $2 million.{{cite web |last=Grant |first=Christopher |date=May 8, 2009 |url=https://www.engadget.com/2009/05/08/ken-levine-next-project-will-cost-a-fair-amount-of-money/ |title=Ken Levine: Next project will cost 'a fair amount of money' |publisher=Engadget (Joystiq) |access-date=July 1, 2017}} A sequel, Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich, was self-published in early March 2005.{{Cite web|title=Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/freedom-force-vs-the-3rd-reich/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|access-date=2022-01-28|website=Metacritic|language=en}} The games were made available on Steam on May 29, 2009.{{cite web |url=http://store.steampowered.com/news/2550/ |title=Freedom Force - Now on Steam - Save 10% for one week! |publisher=Steam |date=May 29, 2009}}

Setting

Players control the character Mentor across a series of locations and time periods in pursuit of and in contest with the game's primary antagonist, Lord Dominion. The game begins with a fight between Lord Dominion and Mentor resulting in the latter's ship exploding, releasing a substance named "Energy X" over the game's primary setting, Patriot City. The substance acts as a context specific agent that grants an individual superpowers based upon their personality or the environment wherein they made contact with the substance. This substance, "Energy X" acts as the driving plot device for the game as it generates allies for Mentor along with new environments for the player to pursue and fight Lord Dominion. Mentor's first ally and the first playable hero is Minuteman a.k.a. Frank Stiles, who seeks to protect the city from the Red Menace before becoming involved in the real plot.{{Citation needed|date=October 2024}}

Development

The game used the NetImmerse game engine.{{cite web|url=http://www.ndl.com/freedom2.htm|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010204225900/http://www.ndl.com:80/freedom2.htm|title=A Freedom Force Update|website=ndl.com|archivedate=February 4, 2001|date=September 2000|accessdate=January 29, 2024}}

Comic book tie-in

File:Freedom Force 01 cover.jpg

From January to June 2005, the story of the first Freedom Force game was retold in a six-issue comic book miniseries published by Image Comics.{{Cite web|title=Freedom Force (Volume)|url=https://comicvine.gamespot.com/freedom-force/4050-22698/|access-date=2022-01-28|website=Comic Vine|language=en}} This series was scripted by Eric Dieter{{Cite web|title=GCD :: Issue :: Freedom Force #6|url=https://www.comics.org/issue/369744/|access-date=2022-01-28|website=www.comics.org}} and featured Jack Kirby{{Cite web|title=On the Irrationality of 'Freedom Force', Gaming's Forgotten Superhero Series|url=https://www.vice.com/en/article/7ba77z/on-the-irrationality-of-freedom-force-gamings-forgotten-superhero-series-145|access-date=2022-01-28|website=www.vice.com|date=June 23, 2015 |language=en}}-influenced artwork by Tom Scioli.{{Cite web|title=GCD :: Issue :: Freedom Force #1|url=https://www.comics.org/issue/273266/|access-date=2022-01-28|website=www.comics.org}} Dieter also wrote the series "Bible" and served as community manager for the official website's forum, "Freedom Fans".{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}}

Reception

{{Video game reviews

| MC = 90/100{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/freedom-force/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Freedom Force for PC Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=July 1, 2017}}

| Allgame = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |last=Deci |first=T.J. |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=31418&tab=review |title=Freedom Force - Review |publisher=AllGame |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114232841/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=31418&tab=review |archive-date=November 14, 2014 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 1, 2017}}

| CGW = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite magazine |last=Coffey |first=Robert |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_215.pdf |title=Freedom Force |magazine=Computer Gaming World |issue=215 |date=June 2002 |pages=80–81 |access-date=July 2, 2017}}

| Edge = 7/10{{cite magazine |author=Edge staff |title=Freedom Force |magazine=Edge |issue=110 |date=May 2002}}

| EuroG = 9/10{{cite web |last=Taylor |first=Martin |date=August 2, 2002 |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_fforce |title=Freedom Force |website=Eurogamer |access-date=July 2, 2017}}

| GI = 8.75/10{{cite magazine |last=Brogger |first=Kristian |url=http://www.gameinformer.com:80/Games/Review/200205/R03.0731.1540.44264.htm |title=Freedom Force |magazine=Game Informer |issue=109 |date=May 2002 |page=92 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050225214912/http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200205/R03.0731.1540.44264.htm |archive-date=February 25, 2005 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 1, 2017}}

| GamePro = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite magazine |author=The D-Pad Destroyer |date=March 27, 2002 |url=http://www.gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/22040.shtml |title=Freedom Force Review for PC on GamePro.com |magazine=GamePro |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050207044750/http://www.gamepro.com/computer/pc/games/reviews/22040.shtml |archive-date=February 7, 2005 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 2, 2017}}

| GSpot = 9/10{{cite web |last=Dulin |first=Ron |date=March 29, 2002 |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/freedom-force-review/1900-2859351/ |title=Freedom Force Review |website=GameSpot |access-date=July 1, 2017}}

| GSpy = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |last=Chick |first=Tom |date=March 15, 2002 |url=http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/freedom-force/548642p1.html |title=GameSpy: Freedom Force |publisher=GameSpy |access-date=July 2, 2017}}

| GameZone = 8.9/10{{cite web |last=Lafferty |first=Michael |date=April 10, 2002 |url=http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r15847.htm |title=Freedom Force Review |publisher=GameZone |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081231224448/http://pc.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r15847.htm |archive-date=December 31, 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 2, 2017}}

| IGN = 9.3/10{{cite web |last=Sulic |first=Ivan |date=March 26, 2002 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/03/26/freedom-force |title=Freedom Force |website=IGN |access-date=July 1, 2017}}

| PCGUS = 94%{{cite magazine |last=Osborn |first=Chuck |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2005/07/freedom_force.html |title=Freedom Force |magazine=PC Gamer |date=May 2002 |page=58 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060315140456/http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2005/07/freedom_force.html |archive-date=March 15, 2006 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 2, 2017}}

| rev1 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev1Score = A{{cite magazine |last=Brooks |first=Mark |url=http://ew.com/article/2002/05/10/freedom-force/ |title=Freedom Force |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |issue=653 |date=May 10, 2002 |page=84 |access-date=July 1, 2017}}

| rev2 = Maxim

| rev2Score = 6/10{{cite magazine |last=Steinberg |first=Scott |date=March 26, 2002 |url=http://www.maximonline.com/entertainment/reviews/review_games_2948.html |title=Freedom Force |magazine=Maxim |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020606014637/http://www.maximonline.com/entertainment/reviews/review_games_2948.html |archive-date=June 6, 2002 |url-status=dead |access-date=July 1, 2017}}

}}

The game received "universal acclaim" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. GameSpot named it the best computer game of March 2002.{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020603043131/http://gamespot.com:80/gamespot/features/pc/gotm/040502/index.html | url=http://gamespot.com:80/gamespot/features/pc/gotm/040502/index.html | title=PC Game of the Month, March 2002 | author=((The Editors of GameSpot PC)) | date=April 5, 2002 | work=GameSpot | archive-date=June 3, 2002 | url-status=dead}}

Freedom Force won Computer Gaming World{{'}}s 2002 "Strategy Game of the Year" award.{{cite magazine | author=Staff | magazine=Computer Gaming World | title=Computer Gaming World{{'}}s 2002 Games of the Year |date=April 2003 | issue=225 | pages=83–86, 88, 89, 92–97}} The editors of Computer Games Magazine named it the ninth-best computer game of 2002 and called it "the superhero game fans have been waiting for". It also received the magazine's "Best Voice Acting" award.{{cite journal | author=Staff | journal=Computer Games Magazine | title=Best of the Year 2002; 12th Annual Computer Games Awards |date=March 2003 | issue=148 | pages=58–61}} GameSpot presented it with its annual "Best Story on PC" prize. Freedom Force was also nominated for PC Gamer US{{'}}s "2002 Best Roleplaying Game",{{cite journal | date=March 2003 | title=The Ninth Annual PC Gamer Awards | volume=10 | number=3 | pages=48–50, 54, 58, 60, 66, 68, 70 | journal=PC Gamer US | author=Smith, Rob}} The Electric Playground{{'}}s 2002 "Best Strategy Game for PC" and GameSpot{{'}}s "Best Music on PC", "Biggest Surprise on PC" and "Best Graphics (Artistic) on PC" awards.{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030207155400/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2002/ | url=http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2002/ | title=GameSpot{{'}}s Best and Worst of 2002 | author=GameSpot Staff | date=December 30, 2002 | work=GameSpot | archive-date=February 7, 2003 | url-status=dead}}{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030308163735/http://elecplay.com/feature.html?article=10626#mr_toppy | url=http://elecplay.com:80/feature.html?article=10626#mr_toppy | title=Blister Awards 2002 | archive-date=March 8, 2003 | author=Staff | work=The Electric Playground | url-status=dead | access-date=December 21, 2019}} During the 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, Freedom Force was nominated for "Computer Role-Playing Game of the Year" by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.{{cite web |url=https://www.interactive.org/games/video_game_details.asp?idAward=2003&idGame=465 |title=D.I.C.E. Awards By Video Game Details Freedom Force |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |website=interactive.org |access-date=26 July 2023}}