Thursday, May 5, 2011

'Homefront' tells of a chilling, near-future premise

Thursday, May 5, 2011








What would happen if the U.S. was invaded? This is the premise behind "Homefront," a new first-person shooter from THQ penned by John Milius, writer of such classic war films as "Red Dawn" and "Apocalypse Now."





  • By Gannett


    "Homefront" is a new first-person shooter from THQ penned by John Milius, writer of such classic war films as "Red Dawn" and "Apocalypse Now."



By Gannett


"Homefront" is a new first-person shooter from THQ penned by John Milius, writer of such classic war films as "Red Dawn" and "Apocalypse Now."






Set in the year 2027, the game's "speculative fiction" forecasts the unification of North and South Korea, which later leads to the takeover of Asia and an attempt to occupy the United States. Gamers play as Robert Jacobs, a civilian-turned-freedom fighter who fights back against the Korean occupation with other American citizens in and around San Francisco.


The intro sequence sets the disturbing tone for the game, as you witness Korean soldiers marching along streets lined with barbed wire, handcuffed American civilians shoved along by troops and even the execution of a man and woman in front of their screaming young son. You're watching these events unfold while peering out of the window of a bus — until it's rammed by a truck and you manage to escape with others.


When it comes to the action, "Homefront" is a good — but not exceptional — first-person shooter. The story and large set pieces set in familiar environments (such as a standoff on the Golden Gate Bridge) are two of the game's strongest assets, but the use of weapons is about average compared to other titles. You'll pick up sniper rifles, assault rifles, grenades and more as you battle enemy forces in mostly outdoor locations. Early on in the game you'll move through alleys, exchange fire on city streets, engage in a shootout near a gas station and even climb up into a treehouse in a residential neighborhood to peg invaders.


The Mature-rated game's control scheme is decent, so maneuvering Jacobs around the various environments should feel intuitive and responsive. Mission design, artificial intelligence and graphics are also so-so — certainly not cutting-edge, but not disappointing either.


But at about five hours or so, the single-player adventure is short for a first-person shooter. Being able to finish a $60 game in one or two sittings isn't good — and because of the linear nature of the game there's little ability to replay — but at least there are a couple of online modes to battle others in cyberspace. Up to 32 people can play online in various team-based modes.


Overall, "Homefront" is a solid B-grade title that succeeds in its compelling story and setting, and delivers a fun and frantic but brief single-player action experience.



Homefront


Platform: Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PlayStation 3 and PC


Genre: First-person shooter


Developer: Kaos Studios


Publisher: THQ


Website: www.homefront-game.com


Price: $59.99


Rating: Mature


Score: 3.0 stars (out of 4)


Contact Saltzman at gnstech@gannett.com





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