The story of the fall of the USA is likely the most impressive thing about this game. After gaining a new leader, and the power of nuclear weapons, North Korea begins an aggressive campaign of occupation throughout South Asia. Unable to stand against North Korea's overwhelming military might, most small countries in the area, including South Korea, join with the North Koreans to form the Greater Korean Republic.
Soon after the formation of the GKR, nuclear war breaks out between Iran and Saudi Arabia, destroying a huge portion of the world's oil supply. Gas prices skyrocket in the US, creating huge demand for crude oil and beginning a period of serious economic turmoil for the country. This trouble at home causes the USA to recall most of their foreign-stationed troops, leaving much of the world un-reinforced against the growing GKR army. Soon, even Japan falls to the massive Republic's army.
Things go from bad to worse for the USA as a massive outbreak of a deadly strain of Avian Flu strikes the country, killing a large portion of its population. Things get so bad for the USA that Mexico and Canada close their borders to the USA, effectively quarantining the country. Under the pretense of aid, the Greater Korean Republic launches a "GPS Satellite" into orbit above the USA. Un-surprisingly, the Korean Republic uses the satellite to launch an EMP device into the atmosphere above the country, crippling all electrical devices. The GKR armies then begin dropping paratroopers into the weakened United States, and begin methodically taking over the country.
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| I hope you like Asian food... |
As you can see, a lot of thought went into orchestrating the downfall of what many would call the greatest nation on earth. Even more detailed back story can be uncovered in the form of collectible newpapers strewn throughout the game's levels. These articles give little tidbits of information about the actual invasion and the resistance that springs up in the United States.
Unfortunately, it becomes obvious that Kaos Studios spent so much time on their back story that they had very little time left to write anything close to a compelling story for the actual game. The single player campaign sees protagonist and ex-military pilot Robert Jacobs captured by the Korean army and put on a bus in Colorado on its way to a "re-education" camp in Alaska. Before the bus reaches its destination, however, the Resistance attacks and rescues Jacobs. On the run from the GKR, Jacobs has little choice (not that he's at all against the idea) but to join up with the rebels.
From this point on, the game's story is basically this: Jacobs meets up with the Resistance at their base, the resistance shoots up a couple minor Korean military targets, and the resistance seeks to aid what's left of the US army in California. If that sounds short and uninteresting, well, that's because it is.
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| Ok, so this is where the GKR keeps their chopsticks. Boy are they going to be mad when we burn all of their eating utensils! |
Homefront is a short game with a short story. There are a mere 7 levels to the single player campaign. Sure you can make the argument that a game should only be as long as it takes to tell a strong, complete story, but this game falls short on both accounts. Characters are introduced in the game and are treated as though they should be important to the player, as they should be in a character driven story. When tragedy strikes, as it tends to do in war, dramatic scenes unfold in which these "friends" struggle with the horrors and losses of battle. Due to a complete lack of character development, and really, the brevity of your time spent with these characters, these "emotional" scenes have very little impact on the player and the drama comes off as worthless cheesyness. The character development is so bad in this game that the other characters literally tell you the stereotypical personalities of the other soldiers you meet. You have the conservative leader who cares more about his friends than absolute victory, the wild and unpredictable maverick who just wants to kill Koreans, and you have the more reserved, calculating femme fatale who seems to be struggling with inner demons. That's all you get as far as development.
In lacking good characters, Homefront misses an amazing opportunity to create a heart-wrenching tale of rebellion against a larger power. One of the coolest things about the game is its setting. If you're playing this game as an American and you don't feel an eerie fear and anger of/at the Korean occupiers, there is probably something wrong. Honestly, this is highly emotional stuff here that could have made Homefront a story to remember, it's just too bad that it falls flat on its face.
One thing that Homefront does do well is showing a less glorified version of war. Most military games show soldiers as mighty heroes, fighting a justified enemy without fear of death. Homefront does not shy away from the more grisly facts of war. From civilians being executed in the beginning of the game, to Korean soldiers set aflame, screaming and flailing horribly before succumbing to death, the game makes clear that war is not in the slightest bit glamorous. The game also uses an interesting tactic to make the levels seem more like the USA we all know. Advertisements are EVERYWHERE in the game. During my short, 5 hours time playing the game, I saw at least 7 different, real-life, companies advertised in the levels. While the familiar logos do lend a good bit of verisimilitude to the game, they are also extremely tacky and distracting.
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| Oh no! Not our national treasures White Castle and Hooters!? THOSE BASTARDS MUST PAY! |
Gameplay in Homefront is very familiar to anyone who has played one of the myriad FPS games in recent years. There is nothing different here other than the ability in some levels to command an unmanned vehicle, and to fly a helicopter in another level. The aiming, movement, and shooting in Homefront all feel very stiff compared to other games in the genre. Enemies tend to take way more damage than they should before dying as well, reducing the realism of the game. Further hurting any semblance of reality, guns sound extremely strange in the game. Most of them sound like you are firing a jack-hammer, but more muffled, as though you are the construction worker using the hammer and wearing protective earmuffs. This sound issue as well as the bullet-sponge enemies cause the weapons to feel as though they have no power behind them, and very unsatisfying.
The game's level design is fine, actually. While there are very few levels, each one offers something different. The game's graphics get the job done, and little else though. There is nothing mind-blowing about the game's visuals, and if anything, the graphics come off as almost comic book-like.
According to Homefront's case and manual, there used to be online multiplayer for the game. Apparently, however, THQ shutdown the game's servers, eliminating the mode from the game, when the company declared bankruptcy earlier this year.
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| Oops, looks like Homefront destroyed THQ. Put a fork in them... |
Homefront's achievements are spread between single-player campaign achievements, and now unobtainable multiplayer achievements. Campaign achievements include those for beating each level, as well as completing them on the hardest difficulty setting. There is also an achievement for each level being completed without dying. Other than these completion achievements, random tasks such as shooting down enemy snipers who are attempting to destroy your unmanned vehicle finish out the list.
I really wanted to like this game. The setting and back story were so amazingly well done that the game fell much farther from grace than it would have otherwise. From what I have read, my opinion of the game is quite similar to the majority of others who have played it. I feel that it is safe to say that Homefront put the final nails in THQ's coffin. There is nothing broken about the game, though I have touched on its many flaws. I would highly recommend that this game solely be rented or bought very cheaply if you find that you would like to try it for yourself.
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