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This thread has been linked to the game 'Homefront'.
In 2027, home is where the war is... provided you live in America.
I can safely say that seeing Hilary Clinton before any other person, real or in-game character, was quite a surprise. The inclusion of the Secretary of State is in the form of video footage of a press conference where she talks about the sinking of a South Korean naval vessel, which saw 46 people lose their life as a result of a North Korean torpedo strike. This forms the start of the fictional history lesson showing events leading to a very different 2027 to how most Americans imagine it will be.
The history lesson is well presented using news coverage clips, newspaper headlines and a variety of real footage which tracks the main events between the torpedo incident and the current in-game day. It is very well presented and the use of real footage makes the fictional story more creditable.
In short, North Korea and South Korea kiss and make up to form the Greater Korean Republic. Saudi Arabia and Iran are at war and burning oil pipelines cause an oil crisis and general unrest at the escalating prices. The Koreans set about a plan of world domination. The US economy collapses and the Koreans pop over for a holiday and decide to outstay their welcome. It all sounds a far-fetched but it is an introduction which far surpasses Homefront’s competitors.
The character you control is an army helicopter pilot living in one of the towns where the Koreans have taken control. The Korean army is aware of your experience and pops round for a cup of tea and a chat. You find yourself bundled on a bus for ‘re-education’ and witness the horror of the Korean invasion. Civilians are treated brutally and with little regard for their life. You see them being lined up or put into vans and you know it is game over for them shortly. The treatment is no better illustrated than witnessing the execution of a young child’s parents as he watches. You sit helpless on the bus as the 2 Koreans wander off. The imagery is more powerful than any of the military operation story scenes you see in any of the Call of Duty games. You want to fight the Koreans because of what they are doing, not just because the game tells you so.
The bus journey comes to an abrupt end, the game starts properly and all the good work of the story is ruined as you start on a run of the mill shooter with predictable objectives. Your fellow bus passengers are either dead or not far from it. Miraculously, you on the other hand are just a little dazed but within a few seconds you are on your feet, meeting the Resistance and fighting the war with them.
Visually the game is impressive with lots of detail and very busy environments. Some environments are similar to those seen in Call of Duty but they are more impressive in Homefront and feel busier. Other areas, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, will have you stopping to take in the view before being rudely interrupted by a hail of gun fire.
If you’ve played any of the Call of Duty games then you will feel instantly at home with the controls. There is a little more weight in Homefront, it doesn’t move quite so quickly but it controls identically. And you’ll feel no stranger to the gameplay if you’ve played any of the other 3 million shooters from this generation. Take cover, wipe out enemies, take cover, take out more enemies and move on to do the same again. If you can’t get enough of your shooters then you’ll be fine here, if you are a little jaded then this is not going to refresh your enthusiasm.
Through the game you are always accompanied by and AI character or 2. They tend to do a decent job of convincing they know what they are doing but as usual, they display some suicidal tendencies and at times leave themselves very exposed. Fortunately for them, the Koreans will ignore someone standing 10 foot infront of them to shoot at you, who is cowering a further 50 foot away. The majority of the objectives tend to revolve around following your companions to the next showdown. And it literally means follow. You’ll not be allowed to go up a ladder before them, you’ll not be allowed to crawl though a space before them. Get in line and wait your turn.
The stop and shoot everyone gameplay is broken up which does adds some welcome variety. Unfortunately the results are hit and miss. There is a stealth level which felt like a wasted opportunity and devoid of any tension but on the other hand there was a sniping section which played out very well. And since you are a pilot, you get to demonstrate your skills in a helicopter in some forgettable sequences.
Homefront really could do with some ideas of its own. All too often you’ll be reminded of a level from another shooter and all too often Homefront’s version will pale in comparison. There isn’t much personality in the AI characters and you’ll probably feel little affection towards them. The resistance came to get you because of your piloting skills but yet you spend most of the time with a gun in your hand.
The potential is there, Homefront just never reaches it. There is little thrill in the gameplay, little imagination in how it plays and nothing you won’t have seen many times before. You’ll see the ending sequence rather sooner than you expected when the game abruptly finishes. And sadly it is obvious the developers spent all the time on the opening sequence and pretty much ignored the ending.
But most people don’t play shooters these days for the single player component, its online that is the priority. And it is online where Homefront tries to bring in some new ideas and some variation. The usual selection of game modes are available and a generous level cap to build up to. Kills on the playing fields result in points which you can then use to buy basics like flak jackets or save up your points for something more devastating. The online mode seems competent enough but THQ are following EA’s lead with the need to purchase a code if you didn’t buy the game new. I rented Homefront and level 5 is the limit without a code, a limit I reached with 5 or 6 games so I couldn’t explore to the full so I’ll exclude the online aspect from my score.
6
I can safely say that seeing Hilary Clinton before any other person, real or in-game character, was quite a surprise. The inclusion of the Secretary of State is in the form of video footage of a press conference where she talks about the sinking of a South Korean naval vessel, which saw 46 people lose their life as a result of a North Korean torpedo strike. This forms the start of the fictional history lesson showing events leading to a very different 2027 to how most Americans imagine it will be.
The history lesson is well presented using news coverage clips, newspaper headlines and a variety of real footage which tracks the main events between the torpedo incident and the current in-game day. It is very well presented and the use of real footage makes the fictional story more creditable.
In short, North Korea and South Korea kiss and make up to form the Greater Korean Republic. Saudi Arabia and Iran are at war and burning oil pipelines cause an oil crisis and general unrest at the escalating prices. The Koreans set about a plan of world domination. The US economy collapses and the Koreans pop over for a holiday and decide to outstay their welcome. It all sounds a far-fetched but it is an introduction which far surpasses Homefront’s competitors.
The character you control is an army helicopter pilot living in one of the towns where the Koreans have taken control. The Korean army is aware of your experience and pops round for a cup of tea and a chat. You find yourself bundled on a bus for ‘re-education’ and witness the horror of the Korean invasion. Civilians are treated brutally and with little regard for their life. You see them being lined up or put into vans and you know it is game over for them shortly. The treatment is no better illustrated than witnessing the execution of a young child’s parents as he watches. You sit helpless on the bus as the 2 Koreans wander off. The imagery is more powerful than any of the military operation story scenes you see in any of the Call of Duty games. You want to fight the Koreans because of what they are doing, not just because the game tells you so.
The bus journey comes to an abrupt end, the game starts properly and all the good work of the story is ruined as you start on a run of the mill shooter with predictable objectives. Your fellow bus passengers are either dead or not far from it. Miraculously, you on the other hand are just a little dazed but within a few seconds you are on your feet, meeting the Resistance and fighting the war with them.
Visually the game is impressive with lots of detail and very busy environments. Some environments are similar to those seen in Call of Duty but they are more impressive in Homefront and feel busier. Other areas, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, will have you stopping to take in the view before being rudely interrupted by a hail of gun fire.
If you’ve played any of the Call of Duty games then you will feel instantly at home with the controls. There is a little more weight in Homefront, it doesn’t move quite so quickly but it controls identically. And you’ll feel no stranger to the gameplay if you’ve played any of the other 3 million shooters from this generation. Take cover, wipe out enemies, take cover, take out more enemies and move on to do the same again. If you can’t get enough of your shooters then you’ll be fine here, if you are a little jaded then this is not going to refresh your enthusiasm.
Through the game you are always accompanied by and AI character or 2. They tend to do a decent job of convincing they know what they are doing but as usual, they display some suicidal tendencies and at times leave themselves very exposed. Fortunately for them, the Koreans will ignore someone standing 10 foot infront of them to shoot at you, who is cowering a further 50 foot away. The majority of the objectives tend to revolve around following your companions to the next showdown. And it literally means follow. You’ll not be allowed to go up a ladder before them, you’ll not be allowed to crawl though a space before them. Get in line and wait your turn.
The stop and shoot everyone gameplay is broken up which does adds some welcome variety. Unfortunately the results are hit and miss. There is a stealth level which felt like a wasted opportunity and devoid of any tension but on the other hand there was a sniping section which played out very well. And since you are a pilot, you get to demonstrate your skills in a helicopter in some forgettable sequences.
Homefront really could do with some ideas of its own. All too often you’ll be reminded of a level from another shooter and all too often Homefront’s version will pale in comparison. There isn’t much personality in the AI characters and you’ll probably feel little affection towards them. The resistance came to get you because of your piloting skills but yet you spend most of the time with a gun in your hand.
The potential is there, Homefront just never reaches it. There is little thrill in the gameplay, little imagination in how it plays and nothing you won’t have seen many times before. You’ll see the ending sequence rather sooner than you expected when the game abruptly finishes. And sadly it is obvious the developers spent all the time on the opening sequence and pretty much ignored the ending.
But most people don’t play shooters these days for the single player component, its online that is the priority. And it is online where Homefront tries to bring in some new ideas and some variation. The usual selection of game modes are available and a generous level cap to build up to. Kills on the playing fields result in points which you can then use to buy basics like flak jackets or save up your points for something more devastating. The online mode seems competent enough but THQ are following EA’s lead with the need to purchase a code if you didn’t buy the game new. I rented Homefront and level 5 is the limit without a code, a limit I reached with 5 or 6 games so I couldn’t explore to the full so I’ll exclude the online aspect from my score.
6
My mate sent me a text a few days after this games release,it read : 'don't buy Homefront it's s***'.I like these games but think I'll be giving this one a miss.If anyone does want it I reckon they would be best off hanging on,it'll be sub £20 within a month or so.
Good review though Dav.
Good review though Dav.
Evening all.....wrong place but it's related....
we wait with baited breath ha ha....
HomeFront PC patch
EDIT: Reading this article a few words sprang to mind ... 'bolt, stable-door and horse' !
Just seems to indicate the 'high esteem' that Game Developers hold the pc gamer in, alongside our console-playing counterparts ha ha :¬D
we wait with baited breath ha ha....
HomeFront PC patch
EDIT: Reading this article a few words sprang to mind ... 'bolt, stable-door and horse' !
Just seems to indicate the 'high esteem' that Game Developers hold the pc gamer in, alongside our console-playing counterparts ha ha :¬D
Nice review, shame the game seemed to suck though. Still, one less game to worry about for me!
Sounds extremely dissapointing. Somebody's going to have to come up with something brilliant to break the CoD trend.
But most people don’t play shooters these days for the single player component, its online that is the priority. And it is online where Homefront tries to bring in some new ideas and some variation. The usual selection of game modes are available and a generous level cap to build up to. Kills on the playing fields result in points which you can then use to buy basics like flak jackets or save up your points for something more devastating like RPG's upto Apaches and more. The online mode seems competent enough but it's the usual poor delivery through Steam and on the PC front that you will really have to have a lot of patience with....one week in and 'cut offs' are a regular occurence
(But if you had spent good money on it, as PC owners have had to and not 'rented it as console owners can, then .....)
Really sorry for any 'alterations' to your original review but the truth must out.........PC1 today had 6 attempts at 'game play' following no previous connecttion problems and all failed....'You have been disconnected from Steam'.
PC 2 today ... no problems, 20 minutes of total boring and uneventful gameplay on 'Ground Control' ... out of 'zillions of servers' this was the only one with anybody on it.....ie the rest had 0/32! and by the end, it was a 2x2 match....hardly worth recommending :¬(
(The above isn't just a moan about PC connection problems either....the whole game interface is 'flawed' and 'non-functioning' at times....it cannot have been designed for 'multi-platforms' with any forethought at all.)
Game play is 'ordinary', some environments are too 'big' for the game type, controls are 'disfunctional' and the graphics aren't as good as MW2....extremely 'dated' gameplay :¬(
Total disappointment: Multiplayer 3 :¬(
(But if you had spent good money on it, as PC owners have had to and not 'rented it as console owners can, then .....)
Really sorry for any 'alterations' to your original review but the truth must out.........PC1 today had 6 attempts at 'game play' following no previous connecttion problems and all failed....'You have been disconnected from Steam'.
PC 2 today ... no problems, 20 minutes of total boring and uneventful gameplay on 'Ground Control' ... out of 'zillions of servers' this was the only one with anybody on it.....ie the rest had 0/32! and by the end, it was a 2x2 match....hardly worth recommending :¬(
(The above isn't just a moan about PC connection problems either....the whole game interface is 'flawed' and 'non-functioning' at times....it cannot have been designed for 'multi-platforms' with any forethought at all.)
Game play is 'ordinary', some environments are too 'big' for the game type, controls are 'disfunctional' and the graphics aren't as good as MW2....extremely 'dated' gameplay :¬(
Total disappointment: Multiplayer 3 :¬(
In 2027, home is where the war is... provided you live in America.
I can safely say that seeing Hilary Clinton before any other person, real or in-game character, was quite a surprise. The inclusion of the Secretary of State is in the form of video footage of a press conference where she talks about the sinking of a South Korean naval vessel, which saw 46 people lose their life as a result of a North Korean torpedo strike. This forms the start of the fictional history lesson showing events leading to a very different 2027 to how most Americans imagine it will be.
The history lesson is well presented using news coverage clips, newspaper headlines and a variety of real footage which tracks the main events between the torpedo incident and the current in-game day. It is very well presented and the use of real footage makes the fictional story more creditable.
In short, North Korea and South Korea kiss and make up to form the Greater Korean Republic. Saudi Arabia and Iran are at war and burning oil pipelines cause an oil crisis and general unrest at the escalating prices. The Koreans set about a plan of world domination. The US economy collapses and the Koreans pop over for a holiday and decide to outstay their welcome. It all sounds a far-fetched but it is an introduction which far surpasses Homefront’s competitors.
The character you control is an army helicopter pilot living in one of the towns where the Koreans have taken control. The Korean army is aware of your experience and pops round for a cup of tea and a chat. You find yourself bundled on a bus for ‘re-education’ and witness the horror of the Korean invasion. Civilians are treated brutally and with little regard for their life. You see them being lined up or put into vans and you know it is game over for them shortly. The treatment is no better illustrated than witnessing the execution of a young child’s parents as he watches. You sit helpless on the bus as the 2 Koreans wander off. The imagery is more powerful than any of the military operation story scenes you see in any of the Call of Duty games. You want to fight the Koreans because of what they are doing, not just because the game tells you so.
The bus journey comes to an abrupt end, the game starts properly and all the good work of the story is ruined as you start on a run of the mill shooter with predictable objectives. Your fellow bus passengers are either dead or not far from it. Miraculously, you on the other hand are just a little dazed but within a few seconds you are on your feet, meeting the Resistance and fighting the war with them.
Visually the game is impressive with lots of detail and very busy environments. Some environments are similar to those seen in Call of Duty but they are more impressive in Homefront and feel busier. Other areas, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, will have you stopping to take in the view before being rudely interrupted by a hail of gun fire.
If you’ve played any of the Call of Duty games then you will feel instantly at home with the controls. There is a little more weight in Homefront, it doesn’t move quite so quickly but it controls identically. And you’ll feel no stranger to the gameplay if you’ve played any of the other 3 million shooters from this generation. Take cover, wipe out enemies, take cover, take out more enemies and move on to do the same again. If you can’t get enough of your shooters then you’ll be fine here, if you are a little jaded then this is not going to refresh your enthusiasm.
Through the game you are always accompanied by and AI character or 2. They tend to do a decent job of convincing they know what they are doing but as usual, they display some suicidal tendencies and at times leave themselves very exposed. Fortunately for them, the Koreans will ignore someone standing 10 foot infront of them to shoot at you, who is cowering a further 50 foot away. The majority of the objectives tend to revolve around following your companions to the next showdown. And it literally means follow. You’ll not be allowed to go up a ladder before them, you’ll not be allowed to crawl though a space before them. Get in line and wait your turn.
The stop and shoot everyone gameplay is broken up which does adds some welcome variety. Unfortunately the results are hit and miss. There is a stealth level which felt like a wasted opportunity and devoid of any tension but on the other hand there was a sniping section which played out very well. And since you are a pilot, you get to demonstrate your skills in a helicopter in some forgettable sequences.
Homefront really could do with some ideas of its own. All too often you’ll be reminded of a level from another shooter and all too often Homefront’s version will pale in comparison. There isn’t much personality in the AI characters and you’ll probably feel little affection towards them. The resistance came to get you because of your piloting skills but yet you spend most of the time with a gun in your hand.
The potential is there, Homefront just never reaches it. There is little thrill in the gameplay, little imagination in how it plays and nothing you won’t have seen many times before. You’ll see the ending sequence rather sooner than you expected when the game abruptly finishes. And sadly it is obvious the developers spent all the time on the opening sequence and pretty much ignored the ending.
But most people don’t play shooters these days for the single player component, its online that is the priority. And it is online where Homefront tries to bring in some new ideas and some variation. The usual selection of game modes are available and a generous level cap to build up to. Kills on the playing fields result in points which you can then use to buy basics like flak jackets or save up your points for something more devastating. The online mode seems competent enough but THQ are following EA’s lead with the need to purchase a code if you didn’t buy the game new. I rented Homefront and level 5 is the limit without a code, a limit I reached with 5 or 6 games so I couldn’t explore to the full so I’ll exclude the online aspect from my score.
6
I can safely say that seeing Hilary Clinton before any other person, real or in-game character, was quite a surprise. The inclusion of the Secretary of State is in the form of video footage of a press conference where she talks about the sinking of a South Korean naval vessel, which saw 46 people lose their life as a result of a North Korean torpedo strike. This forms the start of the fictional history lesson showing events leading to a very different 2027 to how most Americans imagine it will be.
The history lesson is well presented using news coverage clips, newspaper headlines and a variety of real footage which tracks the main events between the torpedo incident and the current in-game day. It is very well presented and the use of real footage makes the fictional story more creditable.
In short, North Korea and South Korea kiss and make up to form the Greater Korean Republic. Saudi Arabia and Iran are at war and burning oil pipelines cause an oil crisis and general unrest at the escalating prices. The Koreans set about a plan of world domination. The US economy collapses and the Koreans pop over for a holiday and decide to outstay their welcome. It all sounds a far-fetched but it is an introduction which far surpasses Homefront’s competitors.
The character you control is an army helicopter pilot living in one of the towns where the Koreans have taken control. The Korean army is aware of your experience and pops round for a cup of tea and a chat. You find yourself bundled on a bus for ‘re-education’ and witness the horror of the Korean invasion. Civilians are treated brutally and with little regard for their life. You see them being lined up or put into vans and you know it is game over for them shortly. The treatment is no better illustrated than witnessing the execution of a young child’s parents as he watches. You sit helpless on the bus as the 2 Koreans wander off. The imagery is more powerful than any of the military operation story scenes you see in any of the Call of Duty games. You want to fight the Koreans because of what they are doing, not just because the game tells you so.
The bus journey comes to an abrupt end, the game starts properly and all the good work of the story is ruined as you start on a run of the mill shooter with predictable objectives. Your fellow bus passengers are either dead or not far from it. Miraculously, you on the other hand are just a little dazed but within a few seconds you are on your feet, meeting the Resistance and fighting the war with them.
Visually the game is impressive with lots of detail and very busy environments. Some environments are similar to those seen in Call of Duty but they are more impressive in Homefront and feel busier. Other areas, such as the Golden Gate Bridge, will have you stopping to take in the view before being rudely interrupted by a hail of gun fire.
If you’ve played any of the Call of Duty games then you will feel instantly at home with the controls. There is a little more weight in Homefront, it doesn’t move quite so quickly but it controls identically. And you’ll feel no stranger to the gameplay if you’ve played any of the other 3 million shooters from this generation. Take cover, wipe out enemies, take cover, take out more enemies and move on to do the same again. If you can’t get enough of your shooters then you’ll be fine here, if you are a little jaded then this is not going to refresh your enthusiasm.
Through the game you are always accompanied by and AI character or 2. They tend to do a decent job of convincing they know what they are doing but as usual, they display some suicidal tendencies and at times leave themselves very exposed. Fortunately for them, the Koreans will ignore someone standing 10 foot infront of them to shoot at you, who is cowering a further 50 foot away. The majority of the objectives tend to revolve around following your companions to the next showdown. And it literally means follow. You’ll not be allowed to go up a ladder before them, you’ll not be allowed to crawl though a space before them. Get in line and wait your turn.
The stop and shoot everyone gameplay is broken up which does adds some welcome variety. Unfortunately the results are hit and miss. There is a stealth level which felt like a wasted opportunity and devoid of any tension but on the other hand there was a sniping section which played out very well. And since you are a pilot, you get to demonstrate your skills in a helicopter in some forgettable sequences.
Homefront really could do with some ideas of its own. All too often you’ll be reminded of a level from another shooter and all too often Homefront’s version will pale in comparison. There isn’t much personality in the AI characters and you’ll probably feel little affection towards them. The resistance came to get you because of your piloting skills but yet you spend most of the time with a gun in your hand.
The potential is there, Homefront just never reaches it. There is little thrill in the gameplay, little imagination in how it plays and nothing you won’t have seen many times before. You’ll see the ending sequence rather sooner than you expected when the game abruptly finishes. And sadly it is obvious the developers spent all the time on the opening sequence and pretty much ignored the ending.
But most people don’t play shooters these days for the single player component, its online that is the priority. And it is online where Homefront tries to bring in some new ideas and some variation. The usual selection of game modes are available and a generous level cap to build up to. Kills on the playing fields result in points which you can then use to buy basics like flak jackets or save up your points for something more devastating. The online mode seems competent enough but THQ are following EA’s lead with the need to purchase a code if you didn’t buy the game new. I rented Homefront and level 5 is the limit without a code, a limit I reached with 5 or 6 games so I couldn’t explore to the full so I’ll exclude the online aspect from my score.
6