Homefront (Video game)

Homefront is a first-person shooter video game developed by now defunct Kaos Studios and published by THQ, in which players play as members of a resistance movement fighting against a near-future Korean military occupation of the United States. The story was written by John Milius. It was released for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on March 15, 2011 in North America, March 17, 2011 in Australia, March 18, 2011 in Europe, and April 14, 2011 in Japan.
==Gameplay==
===Single-Player Campaign===
Homefront's gameplay has been completely reworked from its origins in Frontlines: Fuel of War, focusing on a more cinematic, character-driven experience.
David Votypka, the design director of Homefront, stated in an interview with G4TV that the gameplay would be based around guerilla style tactics, inspired by Half-Life 2. The same interview also contained information stating that one of the important facts concerning the surroundings is that they are built to try to establish a connection with the user by using real companies and brands. The campaign is said to be 5–10 hours long depending on experience.
===Multiplayer===
The multiplayer component of Homefront is focused on large-scale vehicle based combat reminiscent of Kaos' first title, Frontlines: Fuel of War. The defining innovation of Homefront's multiplayer is its battle points system, which is an in-game currency that allows a player to purchase weapons, gear and vehicles. Players earn points by taking objectives and getting kills and are forced to choose between many small purchases such as weapons versus larger, higher cost items like helicopters and tanks.
===Plot and Online Pass===
The multiplayer takes place in the period before the U.S. Armed Forces were completely scattered.
Each new copy of Homefront contains an online pass, enabling users the full multiplayer experience. Although the online pass is not required to play multiplayer, those who play without an online pass will be capped at level 5 out of 75. This "Battle Code" was also released in March 2011, on XBox Live for 800 Microsoft Points.
==Plot==
In 2013, one year after the death of Kim Jong-Il (according to the game's fictional timeline), North Korean leader Kim Jong-un reunites North and South Korea to form the Greater Korean Republic. The United States withdraws overseas troops to deal with domestic instability. By 2022, the United States faces extreme economic turmoil and massive social unrest, culminating in complete economic collapse. On January 16, 2025, a Korean satellite, launched under the cover of a program to replace the decaying Global Positioning System, detonates a high-altitude nuclear weapon over the continental United States. The destruction of above-ground electronics across the country by the massive resulting electromagnetic pulse is followed by the Greater Korean Republic invading the country to divide the United States in half, leaving the American military isolated and scattered and U.S. residents to resist the invasion on their own.
Two years after the occupation begins, protagonist Robert Jacobs, a former Marine Corps combat helicopter pilot, is awakened in his makeshift house in Montrose, Colorado and ordered to a re-education camp in Alaska. Jacobs sees that the Korean troops have seized control of the town, taking potentially valuable residents into custody and executing resistors. However, the bus carrying Jacobs is ambushed by American resistance fighters Connor, and Rianna, who lead him to Oasis, a resistance hideout founded by local state patrolman Boone Karlson. Boone, Connor, and Rianna are aware of Jacobs's background as a pilot and recruit him to help recover fuel for the scattered U.S. military forces. Boone initiates the operation with himself, Jacobs, Connor (a former U.S. Marine from North Carolina), Rianna (a hunting expert), and Hopper (a Korean-American technical expert from Oakland).
They plan to steal several tracking beacons in a school used as a labor exchange facility, using their "inside man" Arnie. These beacons are to be placed on fuel trucks so they can be tracked and hijacked. However, Arnie betrays the team in order to protect his children, forcing the team to kill the contact and eliminate all forces in the camp. They discover a mass grave and narrowly escape Korean reinforcements by hiding among the bodies.
The rebels continue attacks on the KPA, assaulting an occupied supermart, where Jacobs, Connor, and Rianna succeed in locating the trucks and planting a beacon on one of them. They return to Oasis, only to find that Boone and all of the base's inhabitants have been killed by Korean troops. They narrowly escape with other Colorado resistance fighters by breaching the walls enclosing the town.
The team has the information that a usable helicopter is located in a survivalist encampment in Utah. As the residents of the camp are violent towards Korean and American alike, the team infiltrates the camp and manages to steal the helicopter. They pursue and hijack the fuel convoy. With Jacobs providing air support, the team continues their trip to San Francisco, where they deliver their jet fuel to aid the scattered U.S. military.
As the guerrilla resistances and the American military forces close in on San Francisco, they succeed in taking most of the Golden Gate Bridge with ground personnel, anti-aircraft guns, and fighter aircraft. Nearing the other side of the bridge, the team finds itself outnumbered by a large Korean convoy. Connor advances towards the convoy with a flare and orders an air strike, sacrificing himself in the process in order to allow the remaining forces to proceed in retaking the bridge as the city falls into American hands.
The news of the successful operation is reported by British media, and soon all of Europe is filled with reports that American resistances fighters are now joining U.S. military forces throughout the United States in launching a new major offensive attacks against the crippled KPA forces all over the states. The San Francisco offensive attack proves to be the major turning point for America's guerrilla warfare against the Korean occupation, and causes many European countries to meet to discuss assisting the Americans' cause.
==Development==
The antagonists in Homefront were originally intended to be Chinese, but were later replaced by a unified Korea for two reasons: the risk of a possible backlash by the Chinese Ministry of Culture and the reality of economic interdependence between America and China that made the Chinese "not that scary" said Tae Kim, a former CIA field agent and consultant on the game's backstory. "We went to a very rigorous, academic research process to make sure to not only look at North Korea's current state but to look at historical examples how things could parallel and turn events. History repeats itself. From today to the day the invasion starts in the game, if you combine everything, the odds are very very slim this becomes true. But when you look at the storyline step by step, every step is a coin flip but a plausible step. So once you get there, it's plausible. And from there the next step is plausible as well. Even though the whole thing is fictional, it comes with plausible baby steps."
The finalized version of Homefront's timeline was released at end of January 2011.
==Pc Version==
The PC version of Homefront was developed by Digital Extremes. Its executive producer, Frank Delise, stated before release that the game would feature exclusive content and dedicated servers. Additional exclusive features include clan support, DirectX 11 graphics, and first person vehicle cockpits. Homefront has been released on Steam, as well as the OnLive gaming service.
==Reception==
Homefront was met with mixed to positive reviews across all platforms. Some critics praised the atmosphere and story, while others panned those same aspects, along with the short length of the single-player campaign. However, the multiplayer aspect of Homefront was generally well-received. Review aggregator GameRankings generated a score of 68.23% for the Microsoft Windows version, 70.23% for the PlayStation 3 version and 71.45% for the Xbox 360 version. Review aggregator Metacritic generated a score of 70 out of 100 across all platforms. CVG has given the game a 8.6/10. Play has given it 69%, praising Kaos studios for the different campaign mode and multiplayer, but criticizing most other things. GamingExcellence awarded the game an 8.4/10, praising the cinematic story-driven gameplay, but criticizing the short campaign. IGN awarded the game a 7/10, praising the setting and presentation, while criticizing the short campaign. GameSpot gave the game 7.0 of 10, praising some memorable moments and the well crafted multiplayer, however it criticized the short length and that it felt too familiar compared to other first person shooters. GameZone gave the game an 8/10, stating "With a few tweaks and a fresher coat of paint, Homefront would have been outstanding, far outshining either of those titles. As is, it’s still worth a playthrough, and the quality multiplayer makes an excellent alternative to your current, aging FPS of choice."
===Sales===
THQ previously stated first day sales in North America reached 375,000 copies sold. THQ announced an estimated 1 million copies across North America, Europe and Asia Pacific markets have been sold. It had also shipped 2.6 million units to retail since launch.
Despite mixed reviews, Cowen & Company analyst Doug Creutz expected Homefront to sell two million units. Writing in an analyst note about the game's 72 Metacritic rating, which led to a drop in the publisher's share price, he said: "With over 20 reviews now reported at the Metacritic website, it is clear that Homefront has not lived up to expectations in terms of game quality. We note that EA's Medal of Honor earned a similar 74 aggregate review score last year but has still sold over 5M units to-date, in part due to aggressive marketing by EA and positive pre-release buzz. Homefront has been building buzz up to the launch date so we believe the title will still be a decent seller for THQ despite mixed reviews."
==Soundtrack==
The soundtrack for the game was composed by Matthew Harwood.
===List of Tracks===
#"War Ensemble" - As I Lay Dying (originally by Slayer) (4:51)
#"Fight the Power" - The Dillinger Escape Plan featuring Chuck D (originally by Public Enemy) (3:57)
#"Uprising" - iwrestledabearonce (originally by Muse) (4:16)
#"War Pigs" - The Acacia Strain (originally by Black Sabbath) (8:15)
#"One" – Periphery (originally by Metallica) (7:12)
#"Fortunate Son" – The Ghost Inside (originally by Creedence Clearwater Revival) (2:29)
#"For What It's Worth" – Winds of Plague (originally by Buffalo Springfield) (2:40)
#"Us and Them" – Misery Signals (originally by Pink Floyd) (7:41
#"Masters of War" – Arsonists Get All the Girls (originally by Bob Dylan) (4:15)
#"War" – Oceano (originally by Edwin Starr) (3:58)
#"Sunday Bloody Sunday" – Veil of Maya (originally by U2) (4:25)
==Controversy==
Advertising for Homefront has simulated a declaration of war in mainstream websites and media, creating confusion amongst many non-gamers. The nature and timing of the advertising created concern in the wake of the ROKS Cheonan sinking and the artillery strike on Yeonpyeong Island, causing mainstream media coverage of the advertising campaign. THQ has denied that the game was developed to piggyback off the tensions on the Korean peninsula, saying that "Homefront is a work of speculative fiction, set in the year 2027. Recent real-world events on the Korean peninsula are obviously tragic and, like everyone, we hope for a swift and peaceful resolution."
For sales of Homefront to Japan, the game has been censored by removing all references to North Korea including pictures of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. They are replaced by references to "A Certain Country to the North" (北の某国?) and the "Northern Leader" (北の指導者?). Spike, the game's Japanese/Asian publisher, justified the censors because they said to "use their real names would have been 'malicious' to an 'existing person' and an 'existing country.'" The game has been banned from all types of sales in South Korea.
THQ released 10,000 balloons near San Francisco as a publicity stunt during the Game Developers Conference, angering residents after balloons fell into San Francisco Bay.
==Links==
*"Homefront for PC - GameRankings".
*"Homefront for PlayStation 3 - GameRankings".
*"Homefront for Xbox 360 - GameRankings".
*"Homefront (X360) reviews at". GameSpot.
*"Homefront".
*Official website
Category:2011 video games
Category:Pc Games