by Robert Workman on Monday, March 10, 2008
THQ blends first person shooting with a political twist in Frontlines: Fuel of War. The game takes place a few years into the future, with two armies battling for control over remaining oil resources. China's teamed up with the former Soviet Union to create the Red Star Alliance, while the remaining countries (including the U.S.) combine their forces to fight back as the Western Coalition. However, don't expect the game to go overboard with news updates. It's all about the action.
Death from above!
What good action it is, too. Kaos Studios, consisting of team members that worked on Battlefield 2 and Desert Combat, has put together a fun first-person shooter that'll hold your attention long after you complete the meager but well-structured single-player campaign. The story mode consists of seven missions, and will only take a few hours to complete. However, it's a great time as you slowly push back Red Star, regaining the land in the name of resource possession. It's also in this mode that you'll gain access to a number of vital tools for survival, including several high-tech weapons, numerous vehicles and a few awesome gadgets.
Weapons are routine, but bring results in the thick of battle. You've got a grenade launcher, assault rifle, frag grenades, demolition charges and a rocket launcher specifically built for shredding pesky enemy tanks. However, don't be surprised if you find yourself using gadgets more often than expected. The hovering explosive drone and machine gun-packing remote control car work brilliantly when it comes to wiping out groups of enemies. Our personal favorite, however, is the remote-controlled helicopter, packing enough rockets to level a couple of small towns.
Frontlines' presentation doesn't go overboard, but it fits the theme. The graphics are a few steps down from the bar setting Call of Duty 4, but they still look very good. The lighting in particular shines, along with smoke effects and explosions. The animation is smooth and the Middle Eastern maps spread out to a great distance. The game stalls from time to time with frame rate problems, but not enough to make you lose your thirst for combat. Furthermore, the audio draws you in, with great background music, brief but strongly acted voice snippets and riveting weapon effects. Hearing the "clank" of a torn-apart enemy tank never sounded so good.
So, where's the fuel pump?
While the lack of single-player depth may be a letdown, this doesn't mean the game ends. In fact, Frontlines: Fuel of War's multiplayer options are put to excellent use. You can modify a number of rules throughout each match, putting together specific teams or taking control of particular soldiers and/or vehicles over the course of the stage. The ability to modify your matches for friends is a viable option, but you'll want to hop into larger matches to see the effectiveness of Frontlines at work. It supports up to thirty-two players, depending on the map and the match set-up. The action gets frenetic, barely stopping unless it's a mild frame rate issue or, as expected, you get killed. It's quite addictive, as you'll seize (and defend) points on the many maps for hours at a time.
This game doesn't change the course of the first-person shooter as we know it. The controls don't really innovate ground combat, and the set-up takes getting used to. To zoom in, instead of holding the left trigger, you press down on the right analog stick (R3) to activate it. Fortunately, these controls are still very good, and you'll snipe enemy soldiers in a matter of minutes. It's also commendable that the game paints objectives clearly on the screen, although you still have to map out your own course and plow down Red Star forces to get there.
Frontlines: Fuel of War provides a surprisingly fresh dose of multiplayer action and a story that's strong enough to lean on whether you flying solo or take on friends. It could've been touched up a bit visually and given some more single-player missions, but overall, it's a gas.
Frontlines: Fuel of War Game Guide
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