Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich Review

The game also brings several slight changes to the original and introduces several new heroes. Apart from the well-known faces such as Mentor, El Diablo, Alchemiss, and Man-Bot, we are granted three heroes from the Forties that appear during the main part of the campaign versus the Third Reich. They are Black Jack, Tricolour, and the Sky King. Of course, you have a chance to find out more about them as tales of their secret origin are present in the game. In case you haven't played the original, the detailed info and the secret origin of the other superheroes are also available in the game and are very fun to watch.

This bloke's motto: 'I'm ugly and stupid, and hey, guess what? I'm not getting any younger either!'

I was never a huge fan of music myself, so I feel this sudden urge to kill you, you fucking opera freak.

As far as combat is concerned, this segment of the game has also stayed pretty much the same: your superheroes are easily controllable and they move with ease through the beautifully designed levels thanks to the fully controllable camera, which follows their every step. Zooming out of the game makes your heroes much smaller and more difficult to select, but it is also possible to select them from the icons in the lower left corner of the screen or by shortcuts so this is never a problem. The AI has obviously been significantly improved - in the original you had to watch your superheroes closely and pay attention to their every move. In the sequel, you can relax and simply concentrate on the important stuff, like winning the fight. Your heroes are quite capable of defending themselves, so even if you neglect them for a while and pay attention to one hero only, they will often display a considerable amount of intelligence. If they do not feel they are able to cope with the enemy they are sure to call for your attention, so you will know if your heroes are in trouble. Though they are much smarter, the heroes are still prone to do something stupid every now and then. Like follow a single enemy unit until they run into its buddies, at which point they are as good as dead.

Speaking of the problems I've had with the game, once again, the developers have decided not to include a mini-map, which can be a real pain in the ass sometimes. Some levels are rather large and you'll often be left wondering as to where you have to go. I am aware that big red arrows pointing at the direction of your primary task are most helpful, but not having a mini-map will prevent you from knowing the location of your enemies or the important power-ups.

As for the graphics and the sound, I honestly don't know which is more impressive. The graphics have been improved, featuring some beautifully designed objects and levels, which are simply bursting at the seams with visual details. The game features hi-res textures, truly breathtaking special effects, impressive explosions and magic effects, and character models, which are rendered and animated superbly. Every unit in the game has a distinctive look, and the environments are gorgeous and once again fully interactive. It is possible to take down entire buildings or throw lampposts, cars, and inflammable canisters at your opponents. The physics model is excellent and very believable, relatively speaking of course, as you'll be able to perform some outrageous superhero stunts. The sound adds to the experience, featuring catchy tunes, and excellent voiceovers and ambient sounds. We're talking about actually feeling like you're a part of an interactive comic book.

In short (for all those who didn't bother to go through the entire article), Freedom Force Vs. The Third Reich is an excellent game that retains all the qualities of the original while managing to polish some of its minor flaws and build on the technological aspect of it. I am sure that this game isn't perfect, only I cannot think of any possible flaws that could significantly mar my overall impression. Furthermore, even once the single-player campaign is over, you'll be able to play online or via LAN with your friends and therefore extend the life of this excellent product.

I loved the often witty and colorful comments of my superheroes and enjoyed the comic book feel of the game. It helped me wear my underpants over my regular clothing with no shame. Go and buy the damn game, you'll thank me later. If you don't like it, you're an ass. In other words, kind reader, "Thwack!"