Why So Blu?

Homefront (PS3 Game Review)

Imagine in the year 2027 we are living in a country where all the freedoms we have fought so hard for were eliminated by a unification of North and South Korea.  Then imagine being forced into camps similar to those used in WWII by the Germans.  If you are lucky enough to not be in one of these camps, then you have to live with the fear of knowing that any moment one of the newly empowered Korean soldiers could kick in your door and take you into custody.  How do you feel about that?

John Milius, who co-wrote Apocalypse Now and wrote and directed Red Dawn, brings us the story for this first-person shooter.  THQ and Kaos Studios bring his story to life.  As far as stories go, this is one of the best concepts I have seen in recent years.  In most shooters it is either America or the world falling captive to some alien race.  This is the first story I have seen that has put America in a state of servitude under another country.  When I heard about this game, I was excited to say the least.  Who doesn’t love being the underdog and then end up coming out on top?

The action starts out right away as your character, Robert Jacobs, is in his home and the Korean Peoples’ Army (KPA) kick in your door.  They knock you into a concussive state as they transport you to a “re-education” camp.  On the way your transport gets interrupted by a group of resistant soldiers looking to free Jacobs who you find out is an ex-marine pilot.  The resistance has plotted your escape because Jacobs is a key component in their plan to try and take back the country.

The game play is very realistic as far as supplies go.  You are not heavily funded by the government so supplies are scarce and you must make do with what is available to you.  When looking for ammo it is best to take that of your fallen enemies because this game only allows you to carry what a normal civilian could carry.  Also, your resistance team members are not highly trained soldiers.  They are just people trying to fight to survive.  Your A.I. help in this game is lacking, meaning most of the enemies you encounter you will have to kill yourself.

The missions in the game all have great significance.  While you are out on the battlefield not only are you fighting for yourself, but you are fighting for the freedoms this great country once had.  Many of the missions involve you and your team pulling together supplies for a monumental finale that takes place on The Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.

The campaign mode is very exciting and filled with action from start to finish.  The only problem that I have with the campaign is that the end came too quickly.  I managed to fight off the KPA and start taking back the country in only 5 or 6 hours.  Luckily, I have heard that 3 new missions will soon be available as downloadable content (DLC).  Considering that a resistance to take out country back would not just take place in one region of the country, I would not be surprised if the Southeast, Northeast, and Midwest regions of the country would have their own story arcs.

Multiplayer is an exciting experience.  This has a similar leveling system as COD: Black Ops however; it is much more difficult to level up.  Unlike Black Ops, the “Battle Points” you earn for kills and various challenges not only help you level up but also allow you to use bonuses that are selected for your specific class.  If you have enough points you can take control of a small drone and shoot your opponents while you are a safe distance away from the action.  You can also pull out a rocket launcher and destroy opponents’ vehicles.  There are two main game modes, one is a domination type where you must take control of specific areas and the other mode is a death match where your team gets pints for each kill you get on your opponents’.

Overall, I like the game and the concept.  However, I feel it should have been longer.  Just when the story was getting good it ended like a bad movie that leaves you saying “What, its’ over already?”  If the game had been longer, it would have gotten a much higher score than what I am giving it.  I sure hope that the DLC comes out soon because I want more of this story.