Freedom Fighters (video game)

Freedom Fighters
Developer(s)	IO Interactive
Publisher(s)	EA Games
Platform(s)	PC, GameCube, PS2, Xbox
Release	October 2003
Genre(s)	Third-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single player, Multiplayer* * (console versions only)

Freedom Fighters is a 2003 video game, a third-person shooter available for the Playstation 2, Gamecube, PC and Xbox, that is set in an alternate present. The player takes the role of Christopher Stone, a plumber turned American resistance leader who fights against the Red Army that invades and occupies New York City. It was developed by IO Interactive, using a modified version of the Hitman 2: Silent Assassin game engine, and published by EA Games.

Plot

In an alternate present time, the Soviet Union brings an end to World War II by dropping the first atomic bomb on Berlin, redefining history. As a result, the Soviet Union would never collapse, instead using its newfound clout to expand the Iron Curtain across all of Europe and most of the Middle East. After the Soviets send "military advisors" throughout the Third World and succeed in placing mid-range nuclear missiles in Cuba, they set the stage for the invasion of the United States.

Plumbers and brothers Christopher and Troy Stone are on the job in the apartment of Isabella Angelina, the leader of the anti-Soviet group "Warning Against Reds". Helicopters suddenly appear and begin shooting into buildings as they fly through the streets and the apartment is broken into by Soviet soldiers. Troy is taken prisoner by the Soviets, mistaken as Isabella's boyfriend; however, the soldiers leave without finding Chris. He is promptly recruited by Mr. Jones, whom he rescues from a Soviet officer. Mr. Jones leads him, along with a talkative man named Phil Bagzton, to a hiding place within the cavernous sewer system beneath the city streets.

Back on the surface, New York has fallen to the Soviet invasion. Newscasters and other undesirables are sent to Alaska for "reeducation". Tatiana Kempinsky, a Soviet propaganda reporter, replaces their newscasting with broadcasts from the Soviet Armed Forces Network (SAFN), a Soviet-run news channel. New York police stations, harbor facilities, schools, and other government buildings become make-shift bases for the Soviet forces. Civilians largely 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 Soviet occupational government led from New York's Governors Island by General Tatarin of the Red Army.

Christopher Stone is enlisted into Isabella's rag-tag resistance movement which he aids in rescuing his brother Troy, as well as Isabella herself. Chris's actions cause him to be dubbed the "Freedom Phantom" by both the Soviets and Americans. 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 the occupation. Spanning from mid-2003 to the beginning of 2004, Chris leads many successful attacks on Soviet bases in New York, disrupting supply lines and taking control of Soviet bases outright. However, in late fall, the Soviets locate Troy and capture him, forcing him to appear on live television and give a prepared speech, claiming that he and his brother are criminal misfits who had played "video games - violent ones," and asks Chris to surrender to the Soviets, promising be will be treated properly. However, as he is being lead off stage, Troy quickly commandeers the podium, denouncing his speech as lies and urging Chris to continue the fight. Troy is later brought to Governor's Island and executed by General Tatarin.

Coming to the conclusion that assassinating Tatarin is the only measure left that will hurt the Soviets, Jones and Isabella send Chris to infiltrate Governors Island and kill Tatarin. After succeeding, Chris narrowly escapes the wrath of the Soviet army, which launches a massive attack against the resistance. When he returns to the base, he learns it has been attacked and many freedom fighters are captured, including Isabella. The attack was orchestrated by Colonel Bulba, the head of the KGB, who was disguised as Mr. Jones from the beginning. Chris manages to escape the soldier-filled sewers and stumbles across Bagzton and the Kid. They retreat to an abandoned subway station that is unknown to the Soviets.

On national television, the Soviets declare the resistance in New York City defeated, despite Chris's escape. At Tatarin's funeral service on Governor's Island, Bulba, now promoted to general, assumes command of the Soviet armed forces in America, and vows to hunt down Chris and whatever freedom fighters remain loyal to him. Several months pass without incident. However, in February of 2004, The Kid reveals to Chris that he possesses a captured Soviet computer that contains the floor plans for the SAFN studio building near Times Square. After swelling his ranks with former POWs and Soviet defectors, Chris leads a frontal assault on the television studio. The resistance destroys a Soviet tank protecting the site before storming into the building and capturing it after a fierce firefight. With temporary control of the Soviet civilian communications hub, Chris goes on live television across Soviet-occupied America and rallies the country to his cause.

Working in coordination with other organized resistance groups all across the United States, Chris leads an amphibious assault on Governor's Island with captured fishing trawlers and yachts, some bearing the ensign of the former United States Navy. The assault is nearly routed when Soviet Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters attack the soldiers advancing across the ice with explosives, breaking the ice up. Overcoming these major setbacks, Chris and a group of fighters successfully break through to the island and destroy the air vent for the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel, allowing reinforcements to swarm onto the island from Manhattan and the mainland. After capturing the island's primary support facilities, Chris assaults Fort Jay, breaking through its defenses, rescuing Isabella, and raising the Stars and Stripes over the fortress. However, in the end, Colonel Bulba is nowhere to be found.

With their struggle ending, Chris reflects upon this new American revolution amidst a massive victory celebration and is soon visited by Isabella. Isabella invites him to the festivities, which Chris disdains, saying the Soviets will be back with "bigger guns and more soldiers", and blaming himself for the destruction that occurred in the city. Isabella tells him not to worry and they start to kiss before being interrupted by Bagzton, who responds in his typical over-the-top manner, leading the two would-be lovers back to the party. The sequence and the game end, leaving the Soviet response an enigma.

Gameplay

File:Freedom2.jpg

In-game screenshot of Freedom Fighters

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 also contains squad-based elements, having a unique charisma meter. The player gains charisma by performing heroic deeds in the resistance movement against the invading forces, like capturing a base or destroying vital supplies. The more charisma that is gained, the more squadmates the character can recruit, including leader-less guerrillas and wounded Russian soldiers, up to a maximum of twelve.

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. The Soviet soldiers, however, follow predictable patterns for the early stages of the game. For example, when the player acquires a sniper rifle and shoots from far away at a squad, the Russians will run for cover when the first soldier goes down. If the player fires no more shots, then the soldiers will spread out, and advance down the street or alley in a crouch, with their weapons at port-arms so that they can fire almost instantly if fired upon. Given the terrain of New York City after the initial invasion, the Resistance usually stations its soldiers in covered positions like trenches and buildings. It is in positions like these that a player can find freedom fighters and wounded Russian soldiers.

Multiplayer

Multiplayer in Freedom Fighters revolves around securing flags and bunkers. The flag that a player needs to capture and hold is usually in the center of the map. Bunkers are positioned around the map, and spawn either Soviet soldiers or American Freedom Fighters. Players can know who the bunkers belong to because of a star above each one. A Soviet bunker is marked by a red star, while an American bunker is marked by a blue star. In each game, there can be up to four players, and can choose between the Soviet and American sides. The Soviet players have typical Soviet/Russian weaponry encountered in the single player game-i.e., AK-103s, RGO grenades, Bizon SMGs. The American player(s) receive the Franchi SPAS-12, a revolver, Beretta M9, Molotov cocktails etc. The players can switch weapons on the fly in battle. In each map, there are several areas where weapons and ammunition are stored. Examples of these weapons include the Bizon submachine gun, the PKM, and the Sniper Rifle. Each bunker also has one medical kit and one ammunition can, so every bunker is vitally important. Each player also has their charisma meter maxed out, so each player can have twelve soldiers under their command; however, if it is a four player battle, each player can control a maximum of four soldiers. In most of the maps, having control of three out of the four bunkers guarantees victory, but this leaves the player holding the last bunker a wide range of tactical options. The player that owns the three bunkers will have more difficulty defending the bunkers since some will have more or less soldiers from dividing up the defending troops, while possessing one bunker will guarantee many soldiers guarding that one bunker. If the player on the defensive assigns three of his men to defend his last bunker, and then attacks one of the advancing player's bunkers, the tide can turn very swiftly. The players can select a map to fight in: Greenwich Village, where there are four bunkers surrounding the flag; Brooklyn Rooftops, with four adjacent bunkers with the flag between the middle two bunkers on a building; and Fort Jay, a nighttime scene with four bunkers at the edge of the map with the flag in the middle.

Characters

• Christopher Stone AKA "Freedom Phantom" - Co-Leader of the Manhattan Resistance

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Chris is just a blue-collar New Yorker. At thirty-two, 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. It is interesting to note that over the course of the game, Christopher's appearance goes from being well-groomed with short hair to an unshaven and unkempt mess, reflecting the toll exacted by the constant fighting.

• Isabella Angelina - Co-Leader of the Manhattan Resistance

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.

• Troy Stone - Manhattan Resistance member

The younger of the Stone brothers, Troy, is a real handful. At thirty, 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. Departed from the group to establish a national resistance movement, but is captured by Soviet forces and, after a failed forced propaganda speech, is said to be executed personally by General Tatarin

• Mr. Jones - Manhattan Resistance Military and Intelligence Advisor

At sixty years of age, Mr. Jones is still nimble enough to train newcomers in the art of urban guerrilla 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 asset to the resistance. As mentioned in the dialogue, Jones' background before the Soviet invasion is an unknown. Phil and Isabella knew him through Chris, who in turn only met him in the beginning of the invasion. His extensive experience in military and intelligence is puzzling.

• Phil Bagzton - Manhattan Resistance Munitions Expert

Phil is another freedom fighter who claims that he has been fighting the Soviet army for "'Round about 10 years" even though the occupation just started. After being wounded during the original occupation of New York, Chris patched him up and helped him defeat a squadron of Soviet troops using Molotov cocktails. Afterwards he lead Chris into the back alleys to the nearest manhole and they escaped to safety in through the sewers

• The Kid - Manhattan Resistance supporter

The Kid is an orphan who serves as an informant of sorts. Since his boarding school was shut down due to the Soviets, The Kid is on a crusade along with the rest of the Freedom Fighters. He is first seen spray-painting a wall.

• General Vasillj Tatarin - Commander of Soviet Occupation Force in U.S.

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 adviser. 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 lead a successful U.S. invasion and is the commander of the invasion force. He is the highest ranking Soviet officer in the America. Chris later killed him with a sniper rifle.

• Tatiana Kempinsky - Soviet propaganda newscaster

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. It is widely believed in the Resistance that Kempinsky died during the assault on the SAFN studios, yet there is no mention of her fate in the game, nor does she appear in the raid on the SAFN building.

• Colonel/General Bulba - KGB Director/Commander of Soviet Occupation Force in U.S.

A ruthless colonel in the Soviet military who is Tatarin's second-in-command and head of the KGB. Colonel Bulba is promoted to general following Tatarin's death. He vows to hunt down every single rebel. Following the Soviet's defeat, his ultimate fate is unknown.

• Freedom Fighters

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 and women will do anything to stop the invaders, including spending long hours in the sewers of the city, their base of operations. Although formal combat training does not exist in the resistance, these 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 second type are the highly trained and effective Soviet infantry. These soldiers, badly wounded and thoroughly disillusioned with the war of occupation, are often left to die by their comrades. The resistance fighters meet many of them along the way, giving them medical aid, an act of kindness which often causes them to switch allegiances and aid the New Yorkers in their quest to take back their city from their former comrades.

• Civilians

Seen very little in most areas after the game begins, civilians hold little hope after the Soviet attack but some will give information to the fighters. In the Police Station mission, the player can look though a barbed wire fence and see Civilians walking pass, oblivious to the combat occurring on the other side.

Weapons

Heavy

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

Light

• AK-103 assault rifle with gray polymer furniture.
• Dragunov SVD
• Franchi SPAS-12 shotgun.
• PP-19 Bizon submachine gun

Handheld

• .44 Magnum revolver
• RGO hand grenade
• Molotov cocktail
• Pipe wrench
• M9 Pistol

Vehicles

With the American military out of commission, all vehicles are Soviet. Mostly military URAL_4320 trucks

• Mil Mi-24 Hind Attack Helicopter.
• Kamov Ka-27 Transport Helicopter
• T-90 Main Battle Tank.
• BTR-90 Armored Personnel Carrier (as seen in SAFN broadcasts of Soviet armored vehicles rolling down the streets during the conquest of New York City. Two of them are also shown in a screenshot of Soviet-controlled Fort Jay in SAFN during Colonel Bulba's address of the Freedom Phantom to the broadcasting station.
• GAZ-3937 "Vodnik" Armored Vehicle - main transport for soviet reinforcements.
• Sukhoi Su-47 Jet Fighter (as seen flying over New York City in the opening cinematics of the game}.

Soundtrack

Untitled

The soundtrack to Freedom Fighters was released by Nano Music in 2003 and was composed, produced and performed by Jesper Kyd. The album was Gamespot's "Best Game Soundtrack of the Year 2003" and Game Reactor Magazine's "Best Game Music of the Year".

Track Listing

1. "Main Title" (5:02)
2. "Invasion of the Empire" (0:56)
3. "March of the Empire" (5:12)
4. "Isabella - Leader of the Resistance" (4:47)
5. "Betrayal at Rebel Base" (1:53)
6. "The Battle For Freedom" (4:07)
7. "Nightfall" (3:53)
8. "Flag of Freedom" (1:03)
9. "Freedom Fighters" (5:11)
10. "Choir of Liberty" (0:37)
11. "Rebel Base" (4:18)
12. "Infiltrator" (4:51)
13. "Sabotage" (5:52)
14. "Snow Battle" (3:08)
15. "Governor's Island" (3:56)
16. "Final Battle" (4:01)
17. "Zero Hour" (4:36)
18. "Flag of Freedom (Original Version)" (2:04)

Tracks 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, 14 and 16 are performed by The Hungarian Radio Choir.

Military accuracies and notable events

Freedom Fighters is based around an insurgency, and the game designers worked on this very carefully. When the player fights the Soviets in built up areas like the 'High School' and 'Harbor' levels in the game, the Freedom Fighters are usually seen taking cover behind buildings, makeshift walls made of sign posts, and hiding in rooms. The idea of using the sewers of New York for a transportation network is very reflective of military tactics. When fighting in built-up areas, soldiers sometimes blast holes in the walls of adjoining houses in order to get from point A to point B without exposing themselves to sniper fire. The way the Americans fight also resembles insurgency tactics-retreating when the fighting becomes too much, then flanking the enemy and crippling the attack. Finally, the Rebel base for the majority of the game is also worth noting because of what happens over time. When the player begins the game with Mr. Jones and Bagzton, there are no fighters, tents or fires to be seen around the base area. Over time, the base begins to fill up with weapons-sniper rifles, Kalashnikov assault rifles, submachine guns, etc., and something interesting happens along the walls of the perimeter of the base. Fighters establish small 'tent cities' along the upper reaches, and post guards around the entrances and walls at even intervals. This does not usually happen in an insurgency, but there is one notable exception. Tito's Partisans built mountain bases in Yugoslavia and usually concentrated their forces in and near these strongholds.

Conspiracy

Mr. Jones is the undercover alias of Colonel Bulba. After the assassination of General Tartarin, Bulba revealed his alias to Chris by speaking in Mr. Jones voice. Mr. Jones and Colonel Bulba are voiced by voice actor Nicolas Worth

Although it is not directly mentioned in the game, Colonel Bulba intended to kill General Tartarin because (1) as Mr. Jones, Bulba suggested the assassination of Tartarin to the freedom fighters, (2) gave out the real location of Tartarin, and (3) Bulba did not warn Tartarin. Given that the assassination plot was based on infiltration, the plan could have been easily foiled by Colonel Bulba. From these, it is clear that Bulba views Tartarin as a greater threat to himself than the American resistance movement.

It is very possible that Bulba intended to "build-up" the American resistance to only destroy it later to become a war hero. Bulba infiltrated the freedom fighters and earned their trust from the very beginning. He could have destroyed the Manhattan resistance movement when it was new and weak. Instead, he fed Soviet intelligence to the freedom fighters and coordinated attacks on the Soviet force. Bulba is responsible for much of the early success for the Manhattan resistance, not to mention the assassination of Tartarin.

As stated, Bulba could have attacked the resistance headquarters from the beginning, but he chose so after Tartarin is assassinated. Had Bulba attacked the resistance base much earlier, he may not be promoted and certainly will not replace Tartarin who is a war hero even before the American invasion. Had Bulba let Tartarin die without accomplishing a great deed, Kremlin will assign an existing general to replace Tartarin, which is a common practice. Bulba's successful attack on the resistance headquarters immediately after Tartarin's assassination is viewed as a great intelligence and military accomplishment and as a rightful revenge for Tartarin. This solidifies his raise of rank to a general and as a natural successor to Tartarin.

Also when Bulba first appeared as Mr. Jones, a Soviet was beating him outside Isabella's apartment, suggesting two possibilities, Bulba ordered the Soviet officer to pretend to beat him or the Soviet officer didn't know that he was a Soviet Colonel in disguise and started to beat him before Bulba could say anything.

Sequel

On April 6, 2004 Eidos UK revealed plans for the sequel of Freedom Fighters. Eidos (as opposed to EA) announced it would distribute the sequel in the first half of its financial year 2006, which would mean the latter part of 2005. However IO Interactive has announced development of a new intellectual property, Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, casting the future of a Freedom Fighters sequel in doubt.

Trivia

• Many landmarks appear in the game. The Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building are visible in several missions.
• Many downed traffic signs display routes to New Jersey.
• On many of the billboards, Agent 47 from the Hitman series can be seen advertising men's clothing.
• Hitman 2: Silent Assassin is referenced, when the guerrilla leadership are discussing how to assassinate the leader of the Soviet army in New York, Bagzton sarcastically suggests having him over for dinner and poisoning his vodka. This is similar to the mission "Invitation To A Party" in that game, where the target is a Russian general and can be killed in this fashion.
• The 1984 movie Red Dawn is clearly a very strong influence on the game, with many similarities in the storyline and aesthetic.
• Su-47 Berkut fighter aircraft are seen flying over New York City in the opening cinematic of the game, suggesting that the aircraft was put into operational service with the Soviet Air Force and/or the Soviet Naval Aviation of the Soviet Navy within the alternate timeline.
• Several Typhoon class submarines with nuclear missiles are seen in opening cinematic of the game, and with the rumours in the game, we can suggest that fear of their nuclear missiles defeated the American government.
• Another interesting factor is that if you look closely, one of the Typhoon class submarines has a symbol that is very similar to the one on the flag of Mozambique (AK-47 assault rifle, a hoe, a white book and a yellow star) painted on it.
• Mario Brothers is also referenced, as Troy and Chris are brothers and plumbers, (although not of Italian stock) hailing from the Big Apple, much like Mario and Luigi. Another interesting point is that they also reflect the stature of the brothers, with Chris being tall and fit (like Luigi), and Troy being shorter and round (akin to Mario).
• On the cover art Chris is pictured holding an AK-47 type III (circa 1950s), and Isabella is holding a Desert Eagle handgun. Neither gun is in the game, although the AK-103 featured in the game is an up-to-date version of the original AK-47.
• Game was originally called "Freedom: The Battle For Liberty Island", but this title was changed.
• This was Nicholas Worth's second appearance as a Soviet commander: he portrayed Premier Romanov in Command & Conquer: Red Alert 2, also produced by EA
• NYPD officers portrayed in the game still don the light-blue uniforms that were scrapped for a darker design in the real world in 1995, and the city's taxi fleet sports a radically different livery than those in actual modern-day New York.

External links

• EA Games Freedom Fighters webpage
• EA Games
• IO Interactive
• Freedom Fighters at MobyGames
• Freedom Fighters at IMDb
• Freedom Fighters at Gamespot.com