Homefront The Revolution Retrospective

Homefront The Revolution (Rated Mature) (PC, Xbox One, PS4)

(Video Retrospective)

Tragic is one way to describe the launch of Homefront The Revolution, if you tried to play the game at launch or read any of the reviews that were released at that time, you'd not be wrong for thinking this game was more broken than the American Press system is.

In truth, the game was basically unplayable at launch due to bugs, and worst of all, a framerate that was so sluggish, that it was like watching stop motion animation being made. The raw potential could easily be seen even in the dumpster fire state the game was released in, but, it would take a month or so, for the game to become playable, and a couple more months for the game to be polished to any kind of high standard. However, that is when something unheard of in this industry happened, a game that was broken and honestly, a grand tragedy due to the immense potential the game had, suddenly became one of the best First-Person-Shooters of the modern era. I shit you not, the game not only became playable, but all that potential was fully realized and the product you can play today, is one of the best open-world shooters, period.

I flat out love this game, I have played it from start to finish, including the DLC twice, and I am now on my third playthrough, and it was my recent return to this phenomenal game that made me realize, this is the First-Person-Shooter equivalent to Breath Of The Wild. I realize that is a pretty lofty statement, but, not only is the game near the level of quality found in Breath Of The Wild, but its game design is closer to it than any other I have played. Nintendo fans, lower the damn pitchforks, I am one of you, just go check out my review of Astral Chain to see how big a Nintendo whore I am. In fact, this is a game I would do disgusting things to see brought to the Switch, let's face it, that console needs a landmark FPS and this game could use a second chance. The basics of Homefront The Revolution is that you're taking the city of Philadelphia back, block by block from the invading forces of North Korea, to do this, you must take over military installations, but you also end up solving puzzles to take control of hardpoints that allow you to inspire the citizens around you to take up arms and join the fight. While the game does not share the exact philosophy of Breath Of The Wild, where you could do any quest, or even finish the game at any time, the open-ended nature of the mission design gives this game a uniqueness, that was all it's own until Breath Of The Wild appeared like some kind of legendary Pokemon.

When it comes to taking out the plethora of military installations you need to takeover to gain control of the city, you are free to go in guns blazing, use stealth, recruit other members of the resistance and use a multitude of gadgets, like remote control cars that will blow the fuck out of your enemies, which is kinda like Taco Bell's effect on my toilet. If you are in a wartorn part of the city, you won't have to rely as heavily on stealth, but, it's when you end up in a populated part of the city that things get really interesting. If you start a large scale firefight in a densely populated area, some of the resistance will back you up, and this can create some of the most frantic and realistic gun battles I have seen in any shooter. It is really something to discover that you can plot out enemy routes to stealth around and set up an honest to god ambush, that plays out so organically, that you will want to get into these epic firefights over and over again, just to see the variety of ways they can go down. The guerrilla warfare that makes up the best parts of this game, is something that other shooters should take note of, this is how the lastest Ghost Recon games should have played.

Posting up on a roof, lying in wait of a heavily armed vehicle with a magnetic grenade launcher, that you can then convert into your trusty assault rifle to thin out the stragglers, or lob a Molotov cocktail to even the odds, is something that any shooter fan will instantly cream their pants over. Come on now, admit it, if you're an FPS fan, this game just made you Jizz your pants.
Of course, none of those design choices would matter, if the basic gameplay mechanics were as lose as your Nana's puss after a hardcore Saturday night gangbang, thankfully, their as tight as your Mom's fine booty, gunplay is rock solid, and insanely satisfying thanks to how impactful each weapon feels, and the stealth mechanics are simple, yet, that is why they work so well. Dashing around, only to slide behind some cover, and pop out with a silenced pistol to score that perfect headshot, never ceases to be an utter delight.

What is really surprising, is how enjoyable the game's platforming can be, you will scale quite a few buildings in search of loot, and resources to build your lovely explosive toys with, which makes that process essential, but, I simply never expected to enjoy exploring the city as much as I do, searching for the right path to gain entry into a hidden treasure trove, is far more fun and rewarding than it has any right to be. Then there's the adrenaline-fueled fun of hopping on a dirtbike to speed through the city and dodge enemy fire, which is a highly enthralling experience. When it comes to the game's story, the narrative is a bit light, and the characters are not the most likeable or captivating, save for Dana Moore who is a psychotic, fierce, badass that you just can't help but love and want to put a ring on it, except for the fear that she would gut you on the honeymoon. The story, however, is a great setup for the smaller stories that you will find yourself creating as you play, much like Breath Of The Wild, the fun comes from the creative situations you will make for yourself to partake in.

While some of the story missions are on the more liner side, for the most part, each objective will allow the individual player to come up with their own plan of attack, and when that plan goes to hell, you'll find yourself having an absolute blast thinking of a new one as you fight tooth and nail to overtake impossible odds.
Homefront The Revolution would have been an incredible game had it launched in its current state, but, it is something more than incredible due to its horrific launch, how many games can transition from being a broken mess, into one of the most phenomenal games of its genre? The amount of love that was poured into this game really shines through, even at launch, critics took notice of the immense potential, it's a shame that the shitty launch scared off a lot of gamers, but, if you give this one a chance, you will absolutely Jizz your pants.