Review: Homefront

The year is 2027. The world has suffered a decade-long energy crisis, and economies have crumbled. Reduced to a mere shadow of the super power it once was, the United States became the target of a North Korean takeover.

Release Date: March 15, 2011
Also on: PS3, PC
M for Mature: Blood, Strong Language, Violence
Genre: First-Person Shooter 
Publisher: THQ
Developer: Kaos Studios
Online Play: 32 Versus

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Gameplay:
Homefront's gameplay has been completely reworked from its origins in Frontlines: Fuel of War, focusing on a more cinematic, character driven experience.

David Votypka, the design director of Homefront, stated in an interview with G4TV that the gameplay will be based around guerilla style tactics, inspired by Half-Life 2.[12] The same interview also contained information stating that one of the important facts concerning your surroundings is that they are built to try and build a connection with the user by using real companies and brands. The campaign is said to be 5–10 hours long depending on experience.

The multiplayer component of Homefront is focused on large-scale vehicle based combat reminiscent of Kaos' first title, Frontlines: Fuel of War. The defining innovation of Homefront's Multiplayer is its battle points system, which is an in-game currency that allows player to purchase weapons, gear and vehicles. Players earn points by taking objectives and getting kills and are forced to choose between many small purchases such as weapons versus larger, higher cost items like helicopters and tanks. It has been confirmed that the multi-player will support up to 32 players in one match, with 16 players on each team. According to rumors, there will be 7 maps for the PS3 and PC and there will be 8 maps for the Xbox 360. Nothing has been confirmed. Homefront on Xbox 360 will be getting a limited exclusive map called "Suburbs", which will be set in the Suburbs of America and will be infantry / drone only.

The Multiplayer takes place in the period before the U.S. Armed Forces were completely scattered.

Each new copy of Homefront contains an online pass, enabling users the full multiplayer experience. Although the online pass is not required to play multiplayer, those who play without an online pass will be capped at level 5 (out of 75).

Final Thoughts:
Homefront is certainly one of the most unique shooters, driven by an ingenious and surprisingly well-fleshed out plot and a dark and dreary, realistic setting. But it also controls and feels like a typical shooter, looks like a game that’s several years old, and most importantly, has an inexcusably brief campaign. Multiplayer is Homefront’s redeeming quality, and those gamers out there who are like me and swoon for alternate/future history settings should certainly look into it. 

Rating: 3.5 = Average
Recommendation: Least Buy