If you spend any time at all browsing the Internet for reviews of new games, chances are you've already been scared off by this title. The sad truth is that Red Storm's Freedom: First Resistance has already received some of the worst reviews I've seen for a game in quite some time.

I'm not here to tell you that FFR is the greatest game since Deus Ex or The Longest Journey. But I will tell you this: I had fun playing this action/adventure, and isn't that the only criterion that really matters?

FFR is based on a series of novels by the prolific science fiction author Anne McCaffrey. The back story of the game is a grim one. A group of aliens (called the Catteni) have become the brutal overlords of planet Earth. They've almost completely dismantled civilization and put most of the humans in makeshift refugee camps.

The main character in the game is a young woman named Angel Sanchez, who's a resident in an internment camp that's in an old shopping mall. As the story opens, she receives a mysterious note that she believes is from the Resistance, a group of renegade humans living outside of the camps and out of sight of the Catteni masters. Eager to fight against her evil oppressors, Angel sets out to find and join the rebels.

The format of the game is real-time-rendered 3D, third-person. However, it's that over-the-shoulder third-person that feels much more like first-person (a la Tomb Raider) than a traditional third-person game in which you are moving a small character around on the screen. The game is divided into 23 missions (some optional) that tell the story of Angel's involvement with the rebels.

Let's start with the bad news. The horrible reviews I've seen of the game to make some valid points. First of all, the game has and extremely clunky reload system after a character dies. It's needlessly cumbersome and time-consuming. Second, you only have one save slot available (unless you want to restart the entire game). This keeps you from trying different approaches to problem-solving.

The graphics are also not particularly inspiring. The environments are bleak, drab, and empty. The enemy AI is pretty moronic. Before each mission you have to "outfit" your team (a bit reminiscent of Thief), and this outfitting is handled in an awfully tedious way. Also, the combat is pretty lame.

Finally, in an era when we're seeing brilliant use of sound in games, not only for atmosphere but for actual storytelling, the sound in FFR is a bit shocking. Shockingly bad, that is. In fact, there is practically no ambient environmental sound at all. In a game that requires as much stealth as FFR, this seems a bewildering omission.

By this time, if you're even still reading, you're undoubtedly wondering, "Why in the name of all that's holy would I even consider playing this game?"

Like I said, despite all of the above failings, I had fun playing this game. Why? Because I need therapy? Maybe. But read on, anyway. I dare you.

First of all, it's a darn good story. It's hard to resist the setup of a struggle to free our occupied home planet. Second, the mission structure is entertaining. The story takes you all around the (anonymous) city and involves sneaking into enemy-occupied hospitals, television stations, mansions, warehouses, and other locations. You spend a lot of time on the streets as well, and you get to know these streets intimately.

Another fun aspect of the game is that there are a total of five characters that you can control. Besides Angel, there's Jimmy, a hulking, slow-witted but dutiful tank; Leo, a sardonic computer hacker; Claire, the daughter of the main evil human collaborator; and finally Zared, a friendly turncoat alien. In each mission you control one, two, or even three of these five characters. This adds a strategic element, as each character has his/her own strengths and weaknesses, specialties, and limitations. You can move your team as a unit or split them up. In fact, at times you'll find your three characters widely separated over the playing area at one time. At other times you'll find that an inventory object that doesn't work for one character might work for another character. This certainly adds interest and dramatic tension to the game.

The other good news about FFR is that it's a pretty long game for an action/adventure. This is a definite plus in an era when it seems we're frequently complaining about short games. The storyline is rich enough to sustain your interest, and by the time the game is over you really feel like you've been part of a real struggle against evil.

There's a lot of stealth in the missions, which is enjoyable. The violent confrontations and the puzzles are nearly all easy.

Please don't get me wrong. I'm not telling you that Freedom: First Resistance is a great game. But I am telling you this: considering the other reviews it's gotten, you might be really surprised how much fun you have playing it.

Final Grade: C-

If you liked Freedom: First Resistance:
Watch: V
Play: Star Wars Episode One: The Phantom Menace
Read: The Freedom novels by Anne McCaffrey

Recommended System Requirements:

PIII 450 or equivalent
128 MB RAM
3D Accelerator
1024 MB free hard drive space
(Note: I played the game on a PII 350 and it was pretty clunky.)

This review is copyright Ray Ivey and Just Adventure and may not be republished elsewhere without the express written consent of the author. Republication of said review must also contain a link back to Just Adventure.