Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich is a tactical role-playing game and the sequel to the very successful Freedom Force that came out in 2002. For those who don't know about the title, it is a superhero RPG that is styled after Silver Age comic book characters. This sequel picks up right where the original left off, so while there is a very nice intro to get players up to speed, it would be very beneficial to play through the original game to fully appreciate this one. Fans of the first game can rejoice, since the gameplay, style, voices, and characters have all been brought over to this long-awaited sequel!

Even with the new graphics engine, which makes great use of lighting, reflections, and shadows, Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich is very much the same as its predecessor. Practically nothing has changed, yet it is still as fun as ever, which is a testament to how good the original game was and how its design can withstand the passage of time. Players go through a single player campaign that involves a totally over-the-top storyline with the ability to select up to four characters to go through each mission. Characters gain experience points as the story progresses (they'll earn them faster if they go on missions), which can be used to purchase additional powers and abilities, or upgrade current ones. This sequel offers a handful of new characters to choose from, most notably ones that are stylized after Golden Age comics, meaning that they are human heroes without superpowers. These characters add some new flavor to the game and compliment the existing group of superheroes.

This new episode in the Freedom Force series once again captures the feel of Silver Age comics. Even though it is a tactical RPG, the game plays out very quickly. The enemies are as tough as ever, and players are able to change difficulty settings at any time. There is a great sense of open-endedness to the game, since the player has a choice of which characters they want to do a mission, leading to many different approaches to winning. The selection of heroes also influences the little anecdotes that happen while the missions play out. The voice actors who brought so much personality to the first games all reprise their roles and do the same great job in making this new Freedom Force just as enjoyable. Villains have tons of variety, from standard Nazi soldiers, to brain-in-jar mutants, to ape/human hybrids. Some are especially tough to defeat, especially the bosses, but everything seems appropriately balanced since your heroes are no slouches either. All the heroes are powerful in their own way, and the extent of their abilities is managed by the player. Bumping up the difficulty will increase villains' hit points and damage potential, and possibly add a few more mission objectives, but it doesn't really do much for the overall A.I. except give them the tendency to run away when they need to. While, naturally, some villains are easier to beat than others, there is no sense that any of them are actually "smart," and their tactics are more based on overwhelming than coordinating. However, the generic A.I. does very little to detract from the enjoyment of the game.

The missions are pretty well-paced and are broken up between seeking out super-villains, protecting party members, or playing against the clock. This minimizes the sense of redundancy and keeps the flow of the game going very nicely. The one problem we encountered was with Green Genie who, due to her magic carpet, has a tendency to get stuck on walls in missions that have narrow hallways.

What really sets FFvTTR apart from its predecessor is its multiplayer features. While the multiplayer in the first game was sparse, it is nicely fleshed out in this sequel. Players will have the opportunity to play a balanced game, where characters are limited to heroes worth up to about 6000 points, or an all-out brawl between super-powered titans. Multiplayer is significantly faster paced than the single-player experience, since there's no pause, and creates a different gaming experience because of this. Additionally, there is a story mode, where players can build themed missions to play through. Every character and villain type, including those that were specific to the first game, are available for inclusion or modification. Other modes of play include a single player skirmish, where a team plays a survival game against waves of oncoming minions.

Complimenting the new multiplayer features is the classic hero builder that was so successful in the first game. While it's great to custom-make a superhero using all the available powers and attributes, it's hard to improve on the variety of characters that are readily available. The variety of pre-made characters is probably enough to fit most preferences and styles of play, but that probably won't stop many people from experimenting. Custom-made heroes can be made available in both the single and multiplayer modes, including the single player campaign.

Freedom Force vs. The Third Reich proves once again that Freedom Force has got what it takes to create a great gaming experience that will please eager audiences. There is a lot to love in this game. The characters are easy to connect with, the wit is sharp, and the writing is fantastic. This is a game that isn't afraid to poke fun at itself once in a while, but pays great attention to sticking to its stylistic origins. Comic book lovers in particular will probably have a special joy in playing Freedom Force. Not much has changed from the first game, but luckily, nothing really has to. This is a sequel that is definitely worth picking up, and hints toward another upcoming sequel will keep fans on the edge of their seats in anticipation!