It’s becoming a pretty competitive market for first-person shooters, especially with Call of Duty: Black Ops dominating the sales chart. Still, THQ is giving it the old college try with Homefront, a remarkable entry in the genre that pushes forward with some awesome gameplay segments and a story that actually has some relevance behind it. It’s good stuff, even if you think you’ve worn out on “war games”. The story in itself will really draw you in. It’s the year 2027, and Kim Jong Il’s son has risen to power, uniting North and South Korea into one strong nation. It isn’t long before they’re stomping all over Earth, dominating everything in their path. After wiping out American technology with an EMP blast, they begin taking over our territory, executing those who fall out of line and wielding democracy with an iron grip. As one of the last resistance fighters left, you manage to escape their custody and work with a few brave others to try and turn the tide, taking back the country that was once yours.
A lot of gameplay elements are similar to previous first-person shooters, but Kaos Studios, the developers behind the enjoyable Frontlines: Fuel of War, does very well by them. Aiming and shooting feels like a breeze, and the melee kills are up-close and personal, even if they’re not as vivid as Killzone 3’s. A better cover system would’ve been nice, as we’ve been killed a few times by not finding the proper place to squat and shoot, but overall it handles superbly. What really makes Homefront stand out, however, are the use of vehicles. In one stage, you’re blowing enemies into oblivion with a heavily armed helicopter; the next, you’re controlling a remote control vehicle called the Goliath, a roving tank that targets whatever you indicate. Having it around is really useful, even though it’s too wide open for EMP missile attack. (Luckily, you can take out the rocket launchers in a timely manner.)
The story wraps up in a matter of hours, but you can play through Homefront again to unlock Achievements and other goods, and then move on to multiplayer. Here, up to 32 players can take part in traditional team deathmatch, Ground Control, and Battle Commander modes. Deathmatch is fun, but if you really want to get the best out of your Xbox Live, you’ll check out the other modes. Ground Control is an excellent mode where you take control of ground points, and once you conquer them, new points will pop up. It’ll keep you busy throughout each round. Battle Commander is equally intriguing, as you work to boost a star rating by gaining a kill streak or completing missions. You’ll earn points through these modes, which you can turn around to buy superior goods, such as a helicopter (hell yes!) and a rocket launcher, among other things. There are eight maps in all, with the “Suburbs” map being an Xbox Live exclusive. They’re all great.
This feature review concludes on the next page, please click Page 2 below to see our final thoughts on THQ's Homefront.
