Freedom Force (2002 video game)
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| above = Freedom Force
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| label2 = Developer(s)
| data2 = Irrational Games (Windows)
The Omni Group (OS X)
| label3 = Publisher(s)
| data3 = Crave Entertainment and Electronic Arts Template:Small
MacPlay (OS X)
2K Games Template:Small
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| label10 = Composer(s) | data10 = Template:If first display both
| label11 = Series | data11 = Template:If first display both
| label12 = Engine | data12 = NetImmerse
| label13 = Platform(s) | data13 = Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X
| label14 = Release | data14 = Template:Collapsible list
| label15 = Genre(s) | data15 = Real-time tactical role-playing
| label16 = Mode(s) | data16 = Single-player, multiplayer
| label17 = Arcade system | data17 = Template:If first display both
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Freedom Force is a real-time tactical role-playing game<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> developed by Irrational Games and published by Electronic Arts and Crave Entertainment in 2002.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The player guides a team of superheroes as they defend Patriot City from a variety of villains, monsters, and other menaces. The game's budget was around $2 million.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> A sequel, Freedom Force vs The 3rd Reich, was self-published in early March 2005.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The games were made available on Steam on May 29, 2009.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
SettingEdit
Players control the character Mentor across a series of locations and time periods in pursuit of and in contest with the game's primary antagonist, Lord Dominion. The game begins with a fight between Lord Dominion and Mentor resulting in the latter's ship exploding, releasing a substance named "Energy X" over the game's primary setting, Patriot City. The substance acts as a context specific agent that grants an individual superpowers based upon their personality or the environment wherein they made contact with the substance. This substance, "Energy X" acts as the driving plot device for the game as it generates allies for Mentor along with new environments for the player to pursue and fight Lord Dominion. Mentor's first ally and the first playable hero is Minuteman a.k.a. Frank Stiles, who seeks to protect the city from the Red Menace before becoming involved in the real plot.Template:Citation needed
DevelopmentEdit
The game used the NetImmerse game engine.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Comic book tie-inEdit
From January to June 2005, the story of the first Freedom Force game was retold in a six-issue comic book miniseries published by Image Comics.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> This series was scripted by Eric Dieter<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> and featured Jack Kirby<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>-influenced artwork by Tom Scioli.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Dieter also wrote the series "Bible" and served as community manager for the official website's forum, "Freedom Fans".Template:Citation needed
ReceptionEdit
The game received "universal acclaim" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.<ref name="mc"/> GameSpot named it the best computer game of March 2002.<ref name=gotm>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
Freedom Force won Computer Gaming WorldTemplate:'s 2002 "Strategy Game of the Year" award.<ref name=cgwpremier2002>Template:Cite magazine</ref> The editors of Computer Games Magazine named it the ninth-best computer game of 2002 and called it "the superhero game fans have been waiting for". It also received the magazine's "Best Voice Acting" award.<ref name=cgm12th>Template:Cite journal</ref> GameSpot presented it with its annual "Best Story on PC" prize.<ref name=bestworst2002 /> Freedom Force was also nominated for PC Gamer USTemplate:'s "2002 Best Roleplaying Game",<ref name=pcgamerusawards2003>Template:Cite journal</ref> The Electric PlaygroundTemplate:'s 2002 "Best Strategy Game for PC" and GameSpotTemplate:'s "Best Music on PC", "Biggest Surprise on PC" and "Best Graphics (Artistic) on PC" awards.<ref name=bestworst2002>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=blister2002>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> During the 6th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, Freedom Force was nominated for "Computer Role-Playing Game of the Year" by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
SequelEdit
Freedom Force was followed by a sequel, Freedom Force vs. the Third Reich, which released three years after the original game.