Freedom Fighters (video game)

Freedom Fighters is a third-person shooter in which the player takes the role of American guerrilla leader Christopher Stone, a plumber who has to stop the Red Army from taking control of the United States. The video game was published by EA Games and developed by IO Interactive. It uses a modified version of the Hitman 2: Silent Assassin game engine.

Plot

In an alternate present time, the Cold War never ended. The Soviet Union has beaten the United States of America in dropping the first Atomic Bomb, on Berlin, bringing an end to World War II. As a result the Soviet Union never collapsed, but has instead expanded the Iron Curtain to encompass the entire world, engulfing Europe and sending in "military advisors" throughout the Third World. Finally, the Soviet Union starts a war with the US by turning to American shores to expand its empire. The general concept and plot of the game were greatly inspired by the 1984 movie; Red Dawn.

On a regular day; plumbers/brothers Christopher and Troy Stone are on the job in the apartment of Isabella Angelina, leader of an anti-Soviet group, when all of a sudden helicopters start shooting into buildings and into the streets. Troy is taken prisoner by the Soviets, mistaken as Isabella's boyfriend, however the Soviets leave without finding Chris. He is promptly recruited by an elderly resistance fighter, Mr. Jones, who leads him into a hiding place (in the cavernous sewer system beneath the city streets).

Back on the surface, New York is now controlled by the Soviets. Regular newscasters and other citizens are sent to Alaska for re-training and are replaced by Tatiana Kempinsky, a Soviet-friendly propaganda reporter. Areas in New York are made into make-shift bases for the Soviet forces (police station, harbor, theater, etc.). Civilians go into hiding. The US military has been routed, and the federal government, including the President, is arrested and tried on trumped-up charges of "crimes against humanity". They are promptly replaced by a pro-Soviet government, led from New York's Governors Island by General Tatarin of the Red Army and Colonel Bulba of the KGB.

Christopher Stone is enlisted into Isabella's rag-tag resistance movement, which he aides in rescuing his brother Troy as well as Isabella herself. Chris' actions cause him to be dubbed "the Freedom Phantom" by the Soviet-controlled press. To the Soviet army he becomes the nation's most wanted terrorist, while to the repressed masses he is seen as a symbol of America's continuing struggle against foreign oppression. Chris continues to liberate areas of the city, while disrupting Soviet supply lines and bases of operation. The freedom fighters decide that it is eventually time to assassinate the head of the Red Army, General Tartarin, who resides on Governor's Island.

Chris infiltrates Governor's Island and succeeds in assassinating Tartarin. However, when he returns, he has found that Mr. Jones is really the head of the KGB, Colonel Bulba, and has flooded the rebel sewers with Soviet troops, taking the other freedom fighters and his brother prisoner. The assassination was merely a decoy to allow him to capture the rebel base. Chris manages to escape the soldier-filled sewers alone, and moves the freedom fighter base to an abandoned subway terminal. Troy is forced to make a public service announcement that it is okay for Chris to give up, and that the Soviets will treat them nicely. However, Troy blurts out that they the Soviets are lying and that it is a trap. The Soviets then kill Troy for his actions.

The freedom fighters retaliate by freeing the prisoners, and taking the news propaganda station. They use the cameras to spark a civilian rebellion. The freedom fighters move on to attack and capture Governor's Island. The ambush is discovered and botched, but Chris eventually destroys the vents to allow freedom fighters to flow in from the sewers. Then he succeeds in capturing the areas around Governor's Island, disrupting supply lines, destorying ammo caches and artillery, and destorying the helicopter refueling station. Chris leads a final raid on Fort Jay, and raises the American flags over the fort. Isabella and Chris share a moment, and reflect on their victory. Chris then specualtes whether the victory was worth it, and worries about the inevitable Soviet retaliation.

Game play

Freedom Fighters is a third-person shooter, in which the player navigates through the streets of New York while fighting the Soviet forces. Unlike other third-person shooters, the game has a charisma meter. The player gains charisma by performing heroic deeds in the resistance movement against the invading forces. The more charisma that is gained, the more people the character can recruit, including Urban Guerrillas and wounded Russian soldiers, up to a maximum of 12.

Freedom Fighters is often credited in game reviews as having brought squad games "to the masses", by introducing a simple method of controlling recruits in battle. In the game, the player can command recruits by giving them simple orders such as "defend", "attack", and "follow", but in most situations, they take care of themselves to a remarkable degree. A sequel was announced by Eidos after the release of the first outing but according to IO Interactive none is in production.

Characters

Here are the characters of the game.

Christopher Stone, also known as "The Freedom Phantom"

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Chris is just a blue-collar New Yorker with a shelf full of football trophies and a stack of monthly bills. At 32, Chris's biggest influence in life is still his family. His dad is an Irishman, a retired rescue worker who calmly saved lives for years, but has just as calmly put a handbag thief into the hospital. His mother is a Native American schoolteacher. Her father taught the old Indian ways to Chris and his brother Troy. By the end of the game in February of 2004, he is depicted to have been "burnt out" by the sustained combat and loss of his brother, Troy.

Troy Stone

The younger of the Stone brothers, Troy, is a real handful. At 30, he still hasn't decided what he wants to do, but whatever it is he wants to do it fast. He builds custom cars with the local car club, the Brooklyn Rats, in his ample spare time. He often helps his brother Christopher with plumbing jobs. He was captured late fall of 2003 and personally executed by General Tatarin on Governor's Island.

Mr. Jones, also known as Colonel Bulba

At 60 years of age, Mr. Jones is still nimble enough to train newcomers in the art of urban guerilla fighting. Years of military life have given him an exceptional understanding of strategy, along with a cynical edge that keeps even friendly folks at a distance. He has never developed as a great soldier in the field, but his networking and planning skills make him a real assest to the resistance. Mr. Jones is found out during the middle of the game to be a traitor and really Colonel Bulba, head of the KGB, in disguise. His ultimate fate is unknown.

Isabella Angelina

If Christopher Stone is the muscle behind the Manhattan Resistance, then Isabella Angelina is both the brains and the beauty. Clear eyes and a ready smile make Isabella, 29, a real threat to the men of New York. Strong political views, a cunning intellect, and a knack for public speaking make her a threat to the Soviets. Born in the U.S., Isabella traveled extensively while studying ethnography and completing her thesis on Inuit people. Her studies took her through Canada and Greenland, all the way to the arctic Soviet Union. Her experiences there turned her into a political activist protesting Soviet aggression worldwide. Isabella is a fast learner and a survivor quick to adapt to new conditions. Together with Christopher she leads the Manhattan resistance. She was captured when the Soviets stormed the resistance base and brought to Fort Jay. She was later rescued when the fort fell into American hands.

Phil Bagzton

"Talk is cheap," says Phil Bagzton, "that's why I do it constantly, dude." Phil, to hear him tell it, has been kicking Soviet ass for ten years, even though the invasion just began. He's a man of many, many, words whose fighting efforts, despite their ineptitude, are appreciated by the resistance. Phil began boxing at the age of 13, not as a form of athletics but in self-defense from his abusive father. His fists never served him well, and he eventually learned to talk his way out of most situations. The rest of Phil's family fled to California at the start of the invasion.

The Kid

The streets of New York are not kind to orphans, especially not during a full-scale Soviet invasion. But this skinny 15-year-old, known on the streets as The Kid, lets it all roll off of his back. The invasion is tough on everybody, but the truth is that The Kid's never really had it much easier. The Kid's real name is Dinh Nguyen. He knows every corner of the city and his graffiti can be found on almost every block. He's no gang member, but he's had issues with the local authorities and he can recognize any neighborhood thug by silhouette on the darkened streets. The Kid lived at a boarding school until recently, but it was closed down because the schoolmaster refused to teach Soviet principles. The Kid's street wisdom is a valuable asset to the resistance. He often warns Christopher of dangers hiding further up the block.

General Vasilj Tatarin

Tatarin does not believe in sending soldiers into battle to kill and maim. He believes in leading the soldiers in himself so that he can kill and maim along with them. Born in 1958 in the Asian Soviet republic of Uzbekistan, General Tatarin is a field warrior of the highest echelon. He was brought up in the Soviet army by a family of soldiers, and still lives by the sword today. His father and grandfather both died in battle as war heroes, and he carried on the family tradition by graduating at the top of his class from military school. Tatarin was stationed in Guatemala in 1976 as a military advisor. He became the youngest Soviet General ever appointed in 1995, after establishing military bases in Mexico during his "recovery efforts" following a massive earthquake. Tatarin is extremely popular among the soldiers in his command. He was assassinated by Christopher Stone.

Tatiana Kempinsky (Russian newscaster)

How do you win over millions of people in just minutes? A pretty face and an innocent smile broadcast over television. Tatiana has the looks and the voice, but her innocent smile is a fake. The "news" she delivers is imported directly from the Kremlin. Tatiana was born in Krakow, where she studied journalism before transferring to the U.S. to finish her degree. She developed fluency in American English during her time in the U.S., but in her heart she remains a loyal member of the Communist party. Her ultimate fate is unknown.

Freedom Fighters (Includes Soviet deserters)

There are two kinds of freedom fighters. The men and women who join the Manhattan Resistance know all too well what they're up against: the largest, best equipped army in the world. With little more than raw determination and intimate knowledge of their neighborhoods, these dedicated Freedom Fighters intend to put up a ferocious fight and send the Soviets packing. Freedom Fighters represent all walks of life -from stock brokers to shoeshine boys- but they are united in their willingness to make any sacrifice to preserve New York City's freedom. These men will do anything to stop the invaders, including spending long hours in the sewers of the city. Although formal combat training does not exist in the Resistance, the Freedom Fighters have learned quickly through intense on-the-job training. Freedom Fighters are quick to duck for cover when shots are heard, and they never question orders.

The other kind are the Soviet deserters. These soldiers will join the resistance if they are injured and you heal them. These soldiers differ from the insurgents in little way. Basically, how they look and talk.

Soviet Soldiers

These soldiers are part of the fearless and powerful Red Army, they are well trained and determined to take over the United States and quell the resistance that has claimed many of their comrades' lives. They speak Russian, and apparently have a hate for all Americans.

Walkthrough

There are several chapters in Freedom Fighters, each one with a different time frame. The first cahpter has you getting to know the basics, including character movement, weapons training, and command skills. Although the missions are easy in the beginning, they ramp up in difficulty, culminating in the Fort Jay raid, or in the bonus Liberty Island mission. The first mission is quite easy. All you really have to do is follow the on-screen instructions and listen to your guide and leader, Mr. Jones. The first thing a player should usually do in the first mission titled 'Manhatten invasion' is to go to the wall in front of them pronto, as a Soviet helicopter comes and fires its machine guns into the windows. Once the helicopter goes away, go to the door of Isabella's apartment. You see a Soviet officer hitting a civilian, and you are told to attack him. Do so, hitting him with your wrench. The officer will do nothing except turn around and ask questions. Eventually, he will die. The civillain you recused turns out to be Mr. Jones, an old friend. He takes out a revolver and tells you to follow him. Once he opens the door at the far end of the hallway, he will shoot a soldier and kill him. Once you take his pistol, you are told to go to the nearby roof. With Mr. Jones leading the way, shoot the two soldiers on the roof guarding a helicopter transporting Chris's brother, Troy. Do not waste bullets on the helicopter. You can only take one down with a fixed machine gun or an RPG, and you do nat have on of those handy. Once the soldiers are dead, grab thier ammo worry-all soviet soldiers use the same type of pistol Follow Mr. Jones until he stops and says, "We are not as well armed as the enemy, and so must use our surroundings. Shoot those fuel barrels near the soldiers below." Use the Aim System to target the fuel barrels below, and fire two bullets into any barrel. The barrel will explode, as will the others, sending the Soviets flying. Once you get to the ground, following Mr. Jones, an airstrike hits your position, sending your health way down. Head over to the ambulance and grab the medical kit. Once you have it, use it to heal yourself. Once you are done, follow Mr. Jones, grabbing the other medical kits along the way. Follow him onto the street, and avoid the tank firing down the street. Be careful-if agitated, the tank will shoot at you. Once you get to a wounded man, Mr. Jones will tell you to heal him. Use a medical kit

Weapons

This is a list of weapons in the game.

Heavy

RPG-7
Mounted PKM
Man-portable PKM
C-4

Light

Handheld

Notes

External links

Freedom Fighters | Freedom Fighters | フリーダム・ファイターズ | Freedom Fighters | Freedom Fighters

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