HomeFront: The Revolution – as if the first part was not

HomeFront Born complete contradictions that almost ruined it. The unbearable game about the occupation of peaceful America with evil Koreans, if she did not pull on the laurels Red Alert , that could get closer – if the authors have more gunpowder. But the nightmare of totalitarian management was depicted brightly and convincingly.

But it was played, alas, simple: a linear militant about the indestructible hero fits weakly with the theme of underground struggle (Bie-Blaskovitsa, we forgave this for a lot of other merits). Therefore, the KaOS studio did not last long: and for six months did not pass after the release when the Publishing house ThQ closed KaOS, accusing the game of failure. ThQ, as you recall, went on the last journey after, and the rights to Homefront fell into Crytek caring hands. Then Crytek's affairs went so -so, and the German office sold the Homefront brand to its fellow countrymen – Deep Silver.

Together with the rights from Crytek, priceless shots flowed: the development studio Free Radical Design, which in recent years called Crytek UK, transferred all employees to the recently open Dambuster Studios under the start of the same deep Silver. They were entrusted with work on the new Homefront.

The internal revolutions were almost killed, which we waited – restarted HomeFront: The Revolution Saved only the plot from the old game, reinforcing almost everything else. What is such a revolutionary in it compared to the first part?

Partisan, not Rambo

► the protagonist bravely die for the fatherland, if he tries to take the enemy with a raid. Now you have to play thinner.

In the first Homefront, we managed Robert Jacobs, nominally – a former military pilot, but, in essence, was a classic hero of the movie unit. A machine gun in one hand, a star-striped flag-in the other, and ayd to put his asses, chewing at a cigar angrily.

The new fighter for freedom – Ethan Brady – does not climb into the wolf. Not because a coward, but because they will tease into pieces in a moment. Behind the Army of the DPRK, a numerical, technical and tactical advantage, behind the rebels – only the effect of surprise and the rage of noble, which boils like a wave. So we are fighting: we roll on the Koreans, like snow on the head, we quickly burn the patrol and disappear in the darkness of the night. This is the only way to count on success: Korean invaders are better armed and numerous, and other patrols are always ready to come to the rescue. True, the frontal attack can still work, being quite sudden, mass and fleeting.

And when Itan and his friends are brought in in peaceful areas, they are forced to behave carefully, not to shoot themselves with smartphones (they are prohibited) and carefully come to contact with sympathetic.

World Hegemon – DPRK, not the USA

► Revolution authors rewrite history from scratch. Any ties with the first HomeFront – categorically rejected.

Last time, we were treated to the same cranberry: supposedly in fifteen years, from 2012 to 2027, the United States twisted three deaths from crises and an incomprehensible illness, and the DPRK suddenly ran in a gallop along Southeast Asia, crushed Japan like a bug. and in the end put an end to American democracy.

Now we are talking about alternative history, and the fork is carefully fits into the familiar chronology for us. Here is the Apollo-10 mission after the successful flight of the moon ends in a tragedy-and the United States throw a space race. North Korea does not pupate in order to quietly rivet nuclear bombs and spew curses because of the "iron curtain", and wins the markets with the help of the young company APEX, which released the first on the PC planet.

Instead of the California Silicon Valley, the Silicon River Technopark is created (in Korea, of course). America is confused in the Vietnamese War, then in the Middle East, it is dependent on supplies of technology. The Soviet Union lures Saudi Arabia to its side, preventing the oil crisis. And now Soviet and Korean scientists decipher the human genome while the states turn into a wild country of the third world, even the elections are canceled by President McCaine. The Mighty Army of the DPRK introduces its forces in the United States, demanding the payment of the American public debt. Evil irony!

Not a linear performance, but a sandbox

► The world HomeFront: Revolution in structure is similar to the open worlds of Ubisoft, but the specifics of the local partisan war somewhat changes the approach.

Now the partisans are untied with the hands of the partisans. Well, exactly to the extent that is possible in the occupied territory. The level of control of Koreans varies: in some zones (green) there is no place for Americans at all, there is truly Pyongyang purity, silence and, of course, the hordes of soldiers. In others-yellow-the indigenous population survives, and even if there are not so many soldiers, but they react to the noise quickly.

Red zones are mainly ruins and other unpleasant places where Korean invaders and rebels fight without hiding. The Korean temporary administration holds these quarters thanks to the military bases that we must capture by closing the gas valves, hacking electronic transceivers or simply knocking out a military contingent from the base. If you're lucky, you can find an abandoned base – it is enough to start the generator here and click a pair of schedules to return it to duty.

Actually, all partisan work consists of these tasks, but the uniqueness of each shock point – thanks to level designers – does not allow you to get bored. Self -toe traps, explosive radio -controlled machines, a deep modification of weapons and trophy equipment: any, even the most cruel, methods are suitable for a revolutionary affair. Like in Far Cry , The player himself determines how to have fun, but the specificity of Homefront leaves the imprint. If the bandits of Vaas or the attack aircraft Paigan Min were sagged from a distant attack in the forehead, then the detachments of the Korean army are much stronger and better equipped, and if the airship is on duty, then there will be no end to reinforcements.

From the western coast – to the eastern

► In HomeFront, we conquered San Francisco. Now – Philadelphia. It was here that the US Independence Declaration was signed, and therefore the invasion of the North Korean troops here looks especially ironic.

Philadelphia! The first capital of the United States, the crucible of the American Revolution, a city saturated with the spirit of independence. Now Philadelphia serves the invaders to the headquarters, but for resistance it is a flaming heart of the revolution. This city is that in games, that in the cinema is rarely shown and, as a rule, thanks to https://jammy-jack-casino.co.uk/ its history (for example, the “Treasure of the Nation”). And here it will, apparently, will be very picturesque: ancient buildings, glued with agates, graffiti on the ancient walls, roughly cut structures of Koreans (let's see if it will turn out as organically and ominously as in City 17).

Cyberpank instead of militarism

The occupation of the DPRK in the first HomeFront was not much different from the hypothetical occupation, for example, evil Russians, or overwhelmed Luthefish Swedes, or their own military junta. Such an average type, with the right flags and a characteristic Asian squint.

The second part nevertheless confident came that in 2029 the soldiers would be equipped a little differently than now. In relation to Homefront: The Revolution-completely different: the military uniform, weapons and buildings of the Korean administration give the spirit of Deus Ex: Human Revolution (haha, fraternal revolution!) and even a little Mass Effect. But it looks solid and in Kibernkovsky is faceless and contrasts well with the rebels-heads, dressed in what happened. The uprising with fashion is not on the way.

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We have listed key turning points: now Homefront is a completely different game. However, we left many details of a smaller order behind the scenes, what will happen to them – we will find out in May. Until then, we will have time to explore another interesting aspect of Homefront: The Revolution – the history of this world in which no one laughs at North Korea. Nobody.