Homefront

[1blufan]

Releases in the United States on March 8, 2011
March 11 for UK / Continental Europe
March 10 for Australia.

http://www.homefront-game.com/#/home

The year is 2027. The world has suffered a decade-long energy crisis, and economies have crumbled. Reduced to a mere shadow of the super power it once was, the United States became the target of a North Korean takeover. American malls, suburbs and city streets are now battlegrounds as the civilian resistance fights for freedom. Featuring a compelling single player story crafted by John Milius (Apocalypse Now, Red Dawn), Homefront immerses gamers in an interactive and cinematic FPS experience where they will assume an infantry role or take command of a wide variety of aerial and ground vehicles.

Multiplayer Hands -On

THQ's Danny Bilson has said that Homefront's emphasis is on multiplayer. Having played both the solo and multiplayer components of Homefront, it's clear why: the multiplayer is a much more compelling product, thrusting an otherwise unremarkable effort into something genuinely noteworthy. Kaos Studios' vehicular take on large-scale modern warfare feels frenetic and well-balanced.

It seems Kaos is making a concerned effort to make the online experience of Homefront rewarding both for skilled players and novices. The Battle Points system, or the online in-game currency, is one way of leveling the battlefield. The system not only rewards kills, but support actions, and allows all players to respond to dynamically changing skirmishes. A newly revealed feature called "Battle Commander" is yet another way Kaos plans on making the online fun for everyone.

Battle Commander "makes large scale warfare personal [and] rewards players for having vendettas," senior designer Brian Holinka told us. It's Homefront's take on the killstreak: perks that empower players that rake in consecutive kills. But there's an important twist: with each "perk" that you receive, you become an increasingly vulnerable target, with the AI assigning personal assassination missions to the opposing team in order to bring you down.

It's a rather simple concept, but it makes for a surprisingly fun competitive experience. Earning killstreaks manages to feel even more rewarding thanks to a five-star progression system. Earning your first set of three kills will get you to your first star, rewarding you with a contextual, new power. For a run-and-gunner like myself, I was slightly more resistant to damage. As I worked my way to the second star, I was able to take on two or three people simultaneously with no problem. As I reached the third star, I felt genuinely invincible. I remember someone trying to shoot a rocket at me, and me brushing off the splash damage, continuing my rampage.

You can earn these killstreaks in vehicles, as well, earning special vehicular bonuses. Other classes should be able to earn other rewards as well (although I didn't have a chance to experience them myself). At three stars, I was very aggressively pursuing four stars, but it wasn't long before I was swarmed and destroyed by the opposing force.

How was I stopped in my tracks? For each star you get, members of the opposing team are alerted to your presence. Selected by the AI, these players are given a special "mission" to hunt you down. They will know where you are, and will earn a big boost in Battle Points for taking you down. Of course, those Battle Points can then be used to give the other team an edge, giving both sides a fighting chance to win.

Seeing these various systems balance each other makes me appreciate how intelligently designed the multiplayer is. In a room filled with random game journalists from all over the world, Homefront managed to give me close contests consistently, round after round. Six matches, across multiple maps and modes, (paired with random squad mates) all offered a challenge, and all felt satisfying.

I ended my day with a level 9 character, and I left wanting to play more.


Homefront Pre-Orders

Check this Pre-Oder out for a free OnLive Gaming system + Metro 2033

http://www.onlive.com/#1

"This is a watershed event: It's the first time a game system has ever been given away with the purchase of a game." That's how OnLive CEO Steve Perlman describes his company's announcement that ("while supplies last") anyone who pre-orders THQ's Homefront via the cloud gaming service for $50 will receive its MicroConsole hardware and immediate access to another THQ title, Metro 2033, free of charge.

In a blog post, John Spinale, OnLive's VP of games and media provided further details, confirming that Homefront will be available to users of the service on March 15 at midnight. He also noted that the console hardware, while "free," isn't free from sales tax or shipping charges. The promotion is running from today, February 25 through March 15.

Spinale cheekily quipped that people should "get in on this before our Finance department finds out what we're doing!," but we sort of have to wonder if he's only joking a little. This is definitely the most gung-ho play for new users we've ever seen.

Best Buy is offering Homefront branded headsets for the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions of the game.

GameStop and the UK's GAME are offering an exclusive weapon and some day one item unlocks. Specifically, GameStop pre-orders will receive the 870 Express Shotgun, air recon drone, auto repair ability and the SCAR L. GameStop's offer applies to the Xbox 360, PS3 and PS3 versions of the game.

Amazon has a few pre-order goodies of its own, namely some Xbox 360 or PS3 avatar outfits, a digital mini guide and a $10 credit toward a future game purchase.

[Marine Mike]

Watched the trailer and thought it was a very cool concept!

[1blufan]

I think it's got a good concept also, plus you have the writer of Red Dawn and Apocalypse Now who did the story. To top it off some sort of siege on the Golden Gate Bridge takes place, where's Magneto when you need him.

[AU6294TX]

Bringing this thread back from the dead.

Pre-order from gohastings.com for 29.99.


http://www.gohastings.com/catalog/pr...iantId=8565832


Game is getting a lot of pub this holiday season from the magazines. Looks pretty good.

[Nielsb90]

I will get this if the reviews are positive.. Great concept

[vikingsmudge43]

Originally Posted by Nielsb90

I will get this if the reviews are positive.. Great concept

+1.. I Love Red Dawn..!!

[Goodintentions]

Originally Posted by AU6294TX

Bringing this thread back from the dead.

Pre-order from gohastings.com for 29.99.


http://www.gohastings.com/catalog/pr...iantId=8565832


Game is getting a lot of pub this holiday season from the magazines. Looks pretty good.

Is that a reputable site? Ill take the chance preordering it to save 30 bucks as long as i know i can trust them

[AU6294TX]

Yeah. I have never had anything wrong with anything from the site. They have stores across the country, but generally will run a pre-order for 30 bucks occasionally on their site.

[G1ggs]

New screenshots

[Goodintentions]

Originally Posted by g1ggs

New screenshots











u

Well aas interested as i am in this game. It is a pass for me now that ive read they already announced timed exclusive content for xbox... sorry but thats lame and when companies are willing to zhaft one set of console oowners over another i cant justify supporting that company.. shame too game looks real promising..

[Nerdkiller likes BD]

Originally Posted by Goodintentions

Well aas interested as i am in this game. It is a pass for me now that ive read they already announced timed exclusive content for xbox... sorry but thats lame and when companies are willing to zhaft one set of console oowners over another i cant justify supporting that company.. shame too game looks real promising..

Well what do you expect when the only non-Kinect exclusives MS has coming out this year are Forza 4 and Gears 3? Actually make games? Come on MS. Whatever happened to your studios and the games you made?

[G1ggs]

Originally Posted by Goodintentions

Well aas interested as i am in this game. It is a pass for me now that ive read they already announced timed exclusive content for xbox... sorry but thats lame and when companies are willing to zhaft one set of console oowners over another i cant justify supporting that company.. shame too game looks real promising..

Yeah, I was a bit miffed about that, as well as XBox getting the Crysis 2 MP Demo

[Suntory_Times]

Originally Posted by Goodintentions

Well aas interested as i am in this game. It is a pass for me now that ive read they already announced timed exclusive content for xbox... sorry but thats lame and when companies are willing to zhaft one set of console oowners over another i cant justify supporting that company.. shame too game looks real promising..

What if they actually used that money to bring even better DLC content and games to the ps3?

[Goodintentions]

Thats niether here or there as 1 . It wont happen and 2. Even if so we would not know that to b the case anyway ... i just dont think companies should be so easily bought ...

[Nerdkiller likes BD]

http://www.homefront-game.com/#/timeline

Woah!

[DonRSD]

Originally Posted by Nerdkiller likes BD

http://www.homefront-game.com/#/timeline

Woah!

i actually enjoyed that story/timeline.

very interesting

[1blufan]

Originally Posted by g1ggs

Yeah, I was a bit miffed about that, as well as XBox getting the Crysis 2 MP Demo

I've been playing Crysis 2 and it's fun. Don't know why it's only available on 360 though.

Found this little comment about Homefront.

"We have a mix of these really intense action moments combined with in-game storytelling," said Votypka. "You're not going to see any cutscenes in the game. One of the things that the drama engine done is it's a lot of dynamic triggers and tracking of bringing events in your face, at the player, all the time. For example, in our demo…there's this one sequence where this enemy jeep comes hurtling at you and you fire a rocket launcher and it flips over and careens towards you. Now, if I'm standing 30 or 40 feet to the left or the right, it's actually still gonna track to the player, so there's a lot of systems that's checking dynamically [in] real-time about really bringing you those action moments right into your face."

Still a little worried about the engine and it's capabilities.

[RaijinUT]

Originally Posted by 1blufan

I've been playing Crysis 2 and it's fun. Don't know why it's only available on 360 though.

Found this little comment about Homefront.

"We have a mix of these really intense action moments combined with in-game storytelling," said Votypka. "You're not going to see any cutscenes in the game. One of the things that the drama engine done is it's a lot of dynamic triggers and tracking of bringing events in your face, at the player, all the time. For example, in our demo…there's this one sequence where this enemy jeep comes hurtling at you and you fire a rocket launcher and it flips over and careens towards you. Now, if I'm standing 30 or 40 feet to the left or the right, it's actually still gonna track to the player, so there's a lot of systems that's checking dynamically [in] real-time about really bringing you those action moments right into your face."

Still a little worried about the engine and it's capabilities.

You like the Crysis Demo? I thought it was rather awful. The Crysis series so far has had amazing solo player and awful multi.

Now, as for Home Front... Is no one excited about this game? Dedicated servers, solid story, great looking online game play, deep classes, yet no hype at all? What gives?

[SoCalTiger]

Originally Posted by RaijinUT

Now, as for Home Front... Is no one excited about this game? Dedicated servers, solid story, great looking online game play, deep classes, yet no hype at all? What gives?

I dunno. Does no one else find the storyline totally unrealistic? N. Korea advancing toward global domination in just 20 years from now? I find it entirely inplausible. If it were a major power like China, India, etc I would buy it.

[BlackMamba]

Originally Posted by RaijinUT

Now, as for Home Front... Is no one excited about this game? Dedicated servers, solid story, great looking online game play, deep classes, yet no hype at all? What gives?

Too much good competition...