Freedom Wars

 PlayStation Vita
  • Publisher: SCEA
  • Release Date: Oct 28, 2014
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 297 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 239 out of 297
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 297
  3. Negative: 26 out of 297
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  1. MonteWD
    Oct 28, 2014
    10
    I love the combat system! It's kind of like a mixture of Monster Hunter (Close Quarters) and Lost Planet (With the grappling hook + gunplay). It runs pretty swell as well. The futuristic setting of...102,014...is intriguing with the religious overtone of the governments/City States, known as Panopticons, do to the lack of resources for each Panopticon maintains and would lead to aI love the combat system! It's kind of like a mixture of Monster Hunter (Close Quarters) and Lost Planet (With the grappling hook + gunplay). It runs pretty swell as well. The futuristic setting of...102,014...is intriguing with the religious overtone of the governments/City States, known as Panopticons, do to the lack of resources for each Panopticon maintains and would lead to a overpopulation problem; In which case leads to the reason why you're fighting giant robots and monsters, because the government forced you too! Customization for characters has a good variety of outfits and body like choices for you too make.

    Though there's some issues every once in a while (drop in frame rate, etc.), overall i'm a happy camper to know that i have a reason why i bought a vita in first place after this.    … Expand
  2. Shion16
    Oct 31, 2014
    10
    There's a moment when the story gets really annoying, but just for an hour.
    After that its just pure action,its an incredible combat system.
    Totally recommended game.
  3. EclipseEx
    Nov 3, 2014
    9
    Pros:
    - Combat is fun and there are a variety of weapons to use which each have different play-styles.
    - Graphics are quite good considering it's a handheld game. Character models are really well done. - Character and Accessory (AI companion) customization has a good amount of depth and can be changed at anytime. - Very cool online ranking system that shows the top players and    Pros:
    - Combat is fun and there are a variety of weapons to use which each have different play-styles.
    - Graphics are quite good considering it's a handheld game. Character models are really well done.
    - Character and Accessory (AI companion) customization has a good amount of depth and can be changed at anytime.
    - Very cool online ranking system that shows the top players and panopticons (basically the city you associate with).
    - Interesting weapon upgrade and modification system (it's quite deep so I won't be going into detail here).
    - Story and premise are very cool.

    Cons:
    - No English voice-over. All the audio is in Japanese. You will have to read text. If you don't like reading then just stop here.
    - Map variety is limited but helped somewhat by the different weather effects that can occur.
    - Some of the missions are very difficult which would be fine but some are meant to be frustrating and are plain annoying (I'm looking at you Code 7 exam).

    Summary:
    A really fun game, especially if you have some friends that play. Carefully consider if you're okay with not having English voices before you buy. It would be nice if they released a demo but they have yet to do so.    … Expand
  4. shootinship101
    Dec 15, 2015
    8
    It's a fun game. I appreciate the sound, design, and gameplay. The only real issue I have is that difficult missions can be lenghty and repetitive unless you have a hardcore player.
  5. CHEESEDBEEF
    Feb 10, 2015
    8
    So far im about 5 hourss in and the game is pretty good so far. nicest graphics ive seen on the vita. crisp HD anime style graphics. The combat is what makes the game good. Ive heard alot of talk about the default controls being awkward, and tbh i havent found a problem with them yet. Im enjoying the customization with my character and Accessory, weapons are cool and the thorn reminds meSo far im about 5 hourss in and the game is pretty good so far. nicest graphics ive seen on the vita. crisp HD anime style graphics. The combat is what makes the game good. Ive heard alot of talk about the default controls being awkward, and tbh i havent found a problem with them yet. Im enjoying the customization with my character and Accessory, weapons are cool and the thorn reminds me of the Grapple gear on Attack on titan. Swinging around a large abductor on a thorn and slashing it to ribbons is the greatest feeling ive had on the vita so far! (apart from the Persona 4 experience ofcourse! ;) )
    The only thing that drops it from a 10 to an 8 is the story. its well written but sometimes a bore when you need to progress in story to unlock more missions and items. This takes it away for me and makes it feel limited. more online play would be good too. matchmaking for some elimination missions against harder targets would be cool.
    Overall great game, with good grpahics, ok story, lots of customisation on weapons and characters. AND AWESOME COMBAT!!!! must buy for 99% of VITA owners, the other 1% are the noobs that only play fifa or black ops 2....    … Expand
  6. volSonic
    Oct 30, 2014
    9
    Awesome game! The game gets even better, as you proceed further in the story and level up your character, factions and compete against other panopticons, which represents your home city.

    Controls are fluid and easy to learn at the beginning of the game. Character models and game textures are beautiful enough for PS Vita and frame-rate is fluid enough to enjoy the action packed    Awesome game! The game gets even better, as you proceed further in the story and level up your character, factions and compete against other panopticons, which represents your home city.

    Controls are fluid and easy to learn at the beginning of the game. Character models and game textures are beautiful enough for PS Vita and frame-rate is fluid enough to enjoy the action packed game-play.

    It is obviously one of the best Action-RPG games for the Vita. Down side "the end game" of Freedom Wars is the grinding for better gear, to get the superior character and dominate against other players, for example in the multiplayer mode or complete missions even faster, to get more valuable resources, which is extremely fun, as it is hard, challenging and eventually frustrating, after you've played the same missions over again several times, but it's fun to get back to the game, even with your friends.

    Japanese Anime art style is refreshing feature to see even here in the west, but doesn't affect positively to every fellow gamers as it does back in Japan and Asia, but overall I think this could be the new era for PS Vita. Freedom Wars is great for the Vita to bring up the sells and affect to other studios to bring out better games for handhelds in the near future. (This is my first rating here and try to understand that my mother tongue isn't English and there might be several mistakes in the text. Don't be too harsh. Thank you!).    … Expand
  7. meiun
    Oct 29, 2014
    10
    Fantastic action combat/gameplay, great graphics and style, superb multiplayer. This game is packed with content and features as well. Not only does the game have the most enjoyable action gameplay I've seen on the Vita, but also some of the best I've seen in action games in general as of late. The game also gives you a lot to achieve and strive for in terms of new features, content,Fantastic action combat/gameplay, great graphics and style, superb multiplayer. This game is packed with content and features as well. Not only does the game have the most enjoyable action gameplay I've seen on the Vita, but also some of the best I've seen in action games in general as of late. The game also gives you a lot to achieve and strive for in terms of new features, content, upgrades, and an overall since of accomplishment. From what I've seen of the multiplayer, it is extremely robust and full featured both in terms of cooperative and competitive (you can essentially play the whole game with friends. Has voice chat, text chat, can go shopping together, raid other teams, etc.). It also doesn't hurt that the graphics and overall art style are top notch. One of the few titles I'd qualify as a must have for the vita, especially if you want a good multiplayer title.… Expand
  8. Buttman_ZX
    Nov 2, 2014
    9
    Possibly one of the best games out on the Vita right now, if you love Monster Hunter and other games alike. Because there's so much to say about this game and the fact that it's really complicated to explain, I'm just going to explain the game-play.

    Freedom Wars is a mix between Monster Hunter and a bit of Attack on Titan as well as some third-person shooter aspects. You also possess    Possibly one of the best games out on the Vita right now, if you love Monster Hunter and other games alike. Because there's so much to say about this game and the fact that it's really complicated to explain, I'm just going to explain the game-play.

    Freedom Wars is a mix between Monster Hunter and a bit of Attack on Titan as well as some third-person shooter aspects. You also possess what's called a Thorn, and similar to Lost Planet's anchor, it's basically a grappling hook; you can grapple onto walls as well as your enemies. There are many different types of weapons, such as light and heavy melee weapons, assault rifles and sub-machine guns, and even a gatling gun with three mini-gun barrels. You are also assigned what's called an Accessory, which is a humanoid robot that accompanies you wherever you go and can assist you in operations. Unlike the player, it can only wield one weapon, ranged or melee.

    Like Monster Hunter and other games alike, you're able to customize your character with different clothing and accessories as well as your humanoid robotic partner. If you aren't comfortable with your character, then you're able to completely give your character a massive face-lift. Yes, you can go from male to female and none of your teammates or Accessory will even notice.

    The only unfortunate thing is that the voices are in Japanese. I can understand if the publisher is unable to hire English voice actors, but the least they could do is add more subtitles. Like, for example, there are times when an announcer is speaking and I wouldn't know what he or she is saying, or whenever I finish an operation, one of my teammates say something and I wouldn't understand. The Japanese-only audio isn't a bad thing, but they could have at least put more subtitles in for the smaller parts and not just the cut-scenes.

    All in all, Freedom Wars is definitely a great game to play and it's amazing to look at as well. My only complaints are the Japanese voices and the drop in frame-rate whenever there's a thousand sprites on the screen. Other than that, definitely worth the $30.    … Expand
  9. EnixSquared
    Nov 4, 2014
    9
    The best game I own on Vita. It's like Deadman Wonderland meets Attack on Titan. If that doesn't sell you I don't know what will. The combat reminds me of Monster Hunter and Lost Planet, and boy does it feel satisfying. Every hit packs a punch and flying around with your vines just makes it feel so open and intense. The online is an absolute blast and I love that there is so much damn lootThe best game I own on Vita. It's like Deadman Wonderland meets Attack on Titan. If that doesn't sell you I don't know what will. The combat reminds me of Monster Hunter and Lost Planet, and boy does it feel satisfying. Every hit packs a punch and flying around with your vines just makes it feel so open and intense. The online is an absolute blast and I love that there is so much damn loot to get. Another great feature is that when you go online and do missions, you get a ticket to pass up that mission in the single player if you so choose. My only gripe so far is I wish there was more maps(I'm only about 2 and a half hours in though)… Expand
  10. Warsmith
    Nov 3, 2014
    9
    I must say I am quite surprised at how much I enjoy this game. I bought it on a whim and let me say that it is a steal at just $30. I must call out that there are some reviews here that are not only not helpful, but can harm the image of the game and put off someone who would have truly enjoyed the game. I hope to put forth a decent review that can help you decide on whether or not youI must say I am quite surprised at how much I enjoy this game. I bought it on a whim and let me say that it is a steal at just $30. I must call out that there are some reviews here that are not only not helpful, but can harm the image of the game and put off someone who would have truly enjoyed the game. I hope to put forth a decent review that can help you decide on whether or not you would like to purchase this game.

    Let's head straight for the vitals:

    Great Graphics 8.5/10: I would say it's fair to class Freedom Wars as an upper tiers-man when it comes to graphical prowess. It is very nice to look at, has fluid motion, and gives some of the better graphics PS3 games offer a run for their money. The visual styling is crisp, clean cut and doesn't sacrifice much in the way of detail. While it may not be considered the best the vita has to offer, I would nominate the game for 'Best Anime-like Graphics'. It isn't perfect, but it doesn't fail to show off the capabilities for the Sony handheld.

    Good Musical Score 6.5/10: This is where it might hurt a tad. the music isn't much to write home about. There is some diversity when it comes to varying locations, types of battles, and story line sections, but it rarely strays from its rooted electronic sound. I didn't particularly find any track that was particularly catchy, but the menu music and general feel of the 'downtime' music fits and is acceptable enough to not hinder the game any.

    Great Sound 8/10: Wonderful. So far I haven't noticed hitches or ticks in the sound effects or all the fun blips, beeps, and whistles. Guns sound like guns, rockets sound like rockets, and everything else feels as it should. I haven't noticed any strange quirks where a sound was misplaced or misused.

    Original Voices 9/10: While the game does have voiced sections, not all of them are this way, and there will be a fair bit of reading for you to do, unless you're one who mashes 'A' for great justice. The voices that are included in the game are all their glorious, original Japanese voice overs, which is always a plus in any game that originates from the island. However, not every little murmur or complaint is subtitled, leaving those who don't have a basic grasp of the Japanese language out of the loop, such as your own character's voice over when doing missions. The same can be said of the supporting characters on missions.

    Great Translation 8/10: A minor gripe: the translation is not spot on. There are indeed a few quips and remarks that are lost in this process that again leaves those who don't understand Japanese out of the loop, however, as it stands the game does not leave out critical plot points, important information, or suffer from 'engrish' (like SAO does). If you don't speak Japanese, this shouldn't bother you at all as the game flows the same and makes sense.

    Amazing Character Customization 9/10: This is where a few would argue and disagree with me. I would say a game that offers more options to build your character's body than Soul Calibur is quite the feat. You can change the size of all your major body parts: legs, arms, torso, head, neck, irises and even the bust size to name a few. You can change the color of your skin, eyes, hair (main color and highlights) and lips. And in true anime fashion, you can even have two different colored eyes. In the beginning (like many games) there is not much to choose from, but more is unlocked as you progress through the game (clothing, color palettes, stickers, etc). I suggest watching youtube to get a better idea. The only downside is the stickers, which suffer tearing depending on what size and where they are placed on your character.

    Great Gameplay 8.5/10: The gameplay is fun, to say the least and gives you free range to tackle enemies how you see fit. With six weapon classes to choose from (three ranged/three melee), you can equip up to two from any of these categories and can even 'double up' on the same type. Two miniguns? Sign me up! Depending on which weapons you chose for the battle you can make it harder or easier on yourself by. . . reading the intel that's given. Gameplay is fast paced and can reach into the vertical plain by clinging to walls and shooting at people.

    Controls: As always, playing a new game is all about figuring out the controls. It took me an hour to get used to it, and maybe another two to get comfortable with it. It all depends on the person playing the game; if you're like me who can pick up controls on the fly this isn't an issue, but if you've been binging on one game, then it will be difficult at first. I do not see 'broken controls' in this game, there is some ability to change the controls but I have not seen fit to change them.

    Originality 9/10: You're not paid in cash. In fact, you're not paid at all. You do, however, get chunks of years taken off your sentence. Haven't quite seen that before.    … Expand
  11. Codofwisdom
    Nov 4, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Freedom Wars takes several styles of gameplay and mashes them together, creating a fresh, new experience. It takes the hunting/gathering aspect of Monster Hunter, adds decent gun mechanics, and a grappling hook mechanic which allows an extra layer of complexity to the combat.
    The monsters you fight (known as abductors) can be systematically dismantled, similar to Toukiden, but the lost limbs/weapons will actually affect how the monster fights you. You can cling to them and start bashing on them with your melee weapon, or keep away and pelt it with bullets or bombs. There is no one way to play the game, which feels great.

    The story is interesting, but several things remain unexplained. There is so much lore that could have been expanded upon, but was left threadbare. If anything, this leaves me with the hope that this will ensure a sequel, where they actually explain such things as what "Will'O" actually is.

    My biggest complaint about the game (and the reason for the spoiler tag) is the final boss. You have to take on 3 missions in a row, without saving. The first mission is relatively easy, the second is challenging, and the last I have only completed through exploits. If you fail one, you have to go back and do it all over again. While this makes sense in a thematic way, it does not make for a good gameplay experience.

    One somewhat surprising aspect of the game is the insane amount of customization that you can do to your character. You can switch between sexes at will, you have multiple outfits to choose from (each with different variants), and at least 20 colour palettes to choose from. You can colour individual areas of your clothing, leaving you with a character that is, more than likely, completely unique.

    The online function works relatively well; I have played with people from around the world with an acceptable amount of lag.

    Freedom Wars is a game which I feel has a lot of content, yet still makes me feel like there could be more. You start the game with a 1,000,000 year sentence you have to work off, and I was able to get through the story without working off more than 100,000. This is a game that would benefit from DLC or expansion packs; Regular additions to the content will keep players coming back for more.

    All I know is that I'm not putting this game down until I have earned my freedom, and I wouldn't want it any other way.    … Expand
  12. brandog0
    Oct 30, 2014
    8
    wow... just wow, this game is soooo good! i love the combat, the crazy story, and the missions are just a blast! for 30 bucks how can you not buy this!? do yourself a favor and get this game... now!
  13. XwingVmanX
    Nov 3, 2014
    8
    Freedom Wars definitely has its flaws, including a steep learning curve, but if your willing to put in the time it can be a satisfying fast passed action RPG. As someone who has always loved the concept of Monster Hunter, but never liked the controls, this game feels like the game I wanted Monster Hunter to be.
  14. Honelith
    Dec 25, 2014
    10
    You Need This Game In Your Life. Incredible graphics and top gameplay, lots of customisation and gear to obtain. You will easily get weeks of gameplay out of this one and that's before you jump into multiplayer. Freedom Wars, Gods Eater Burst and Monster Hunter Freedom Unite are the 3 top games you need on your Vita. ENJOY. :)
  15. GrizzlyKuma
    Nov 15, 2014
    8
    While I haven't completed the game yet I think I have played enough to give it a fair score. Freedom Wars is a beautiful looking game that most likely pushes the Vita to its limits. The shading, textures, and character models all look great. The music for the most part is pretty mediocre. There are a few interesting tracks but nothing special, some are actually quite annoying in myWhile I haven't completed the game yet I think I have played enough to give it a fair score. Freedom Wars is a beautiful looking game that most likely pushes the Vita to its limits. The shading, textures, and character models all look great. The music for the most part is pretty mediocre. There are a few interesting tracks but nothing special, some are actually quite annoying in my opinion. The story is also pretty cool; each Panopticon has to fight for resources as you fight for freedom. In the beginning of the game you get to choose what Panopticon you belong to, throughout the rest of the game you contribute to it. The characters themselves are your basic anime tropes: the idiot, the big serious guy, the shy girl, etc...they can still be fun even if they are a bit unoriginal. And last but not least is the gameplay which is absolutely amazing! So far I've only played offline and it's fine this way as well. Some of the key gameplay elements are melee, shooting, and the thorn mechanic. The thorns can act as a healing ability, an offence ability, etc...it's pretty fun to use. One complaint that I would have to give is that the game throws all of it's stuff at you way to fast in boring text boxes which confused me for a while until I got the hang of it. If you have a Vita, get this game! Totally worth it!… Expand
  16. zackcool187
    Nov 9, 2014
    9
    Even though I haven't fully completed the game, I must say that it is quite a pleasant one. I'm not really into these Monster Hunter type games but Freedom Wars is really a great and addictive game! There's tons (and I mean tons) to do in Freedom Wars, like completing missions, walking and exploring the Panopticon, creating weapons and upgrading them, creating facilities, obtaining newEven though I haven't fully completed the game, I must say that it is quite a pleasant one. I'm not really into these Monster Hunter type games but Freedom Wars is really a great and addictive game! There's tons (and I mean tons) to do in Freedom Wars, like completing missions, walking and exploring the Panopticon, creating weapons and upgrading them, creating facilities, obtaining new resources scattered around, and much much more! As for the campaign -- expect to read quite a lot of dialogue as their isn't any english voice acting in the game but the dialogue made me laugh and made me shock, something other games don't do to me. But be careful what you do in Panopticon as there are a lot of rules and restrictions some I thought were crazy but just be on your nice behaviour or else your sentence will increase! Gameplay is very crazy and lots of action going on, enemies may take a while to take down, especially the abductors! I don't really want to say too much but really -- get the game now! Really it's a must have for any Vita owner and I'll admit that this game will always have you coming back as there is SOO much to do! Do yourself a favor and buy it, play it, and enjoy it!… Expand
  17. bazookatooth
    Dec 3, 2014
    9
    I think those calling this game a monster hunter clone are being unfair. This is a great game, especially as a handheld. I find myself wanting to come back to it all the time.
  18. DOSfan
    Nov 7, 2014
    10
    have put probably 20 hours into the game by now and i'm really enjoying it. big fan of boss hunting genre type games and this didn't fail to please me. my only complaint is that it starts off a bit slow. if you like story, then maybe that won't bug you but i just wanted to get in and smashy smashy.

    the co op works great, and it's really awesome being able to play this on the pstv. full    have put probably 20 hours into the game by now and i'm really enjoying it. big fan of boss hunting genre type games and this didn't fail to please me. my only complaint is that it starts off a bit slow. if you like story, then maybe that won't bug you but i just wanted to get in and smashy smashy.

    the co op works great, and it's really awesome being able to play this on the pstv. full screen with a controller and LAN connection is the way to go.

    for a release price of $30 its hard to go wrong here.    … Expand
  19. Sizerlokz
    Nov 5, 2014
    8
    This game is has really good gameplay but, lacks story. I really love how rewarding it feel when you cut an abductors arm of or free a citizen. The story is not interesting. I find myself constantly skipping the dialog and just go into combat. Bottom line, the game lacks a good story but, make up for it with it's awesome addictive gameplay. It's a must have for all vita owners
  20. StriderMatu
    Oct 31, 2014
    6
    Freedom Wars is a mixed bag. On one hand the combat has the potential to be really good. But it's hampered by dumb as hell AI. I could deal with this if the objectives in a lot of the missions didn't require so much teamwork. For example, when doing rescue missions against other panopticons, your teammates will not revive you if you go down. Even if they're standing right in front of you.Freedom Wars is a mixed bag. On one hand the combat has the potential to be really good. But it's hampered by dumb as hell AI. I could deal with this if the objectives in a lot of the missions didn't require so much teamwork. For example, when doing rescue missions against other panopticons, your teammates will not revive you if you go down. Even if they're standing right in front of you. Only your accesory will revive you and that's only if he/she is nearby. Many times, my accesory wasnt nearby even when I gave the order to Cover Me. Too many times I've seen teammates simply standing around while the other team was attacking directly or attempting to flank. It left me yelling "what are you doing?" as we failed yet another mission because of idiot AI.

    This is really a shame because the combat has the potential to be excellent all the time instead of sometimes. The grappling aspects of the thorn are awesome and very much like Lost Planet. Combat can be fast and furious at times. Being able to switch from melee to gun based combat instantly is a welcome addition. But the designers made some really queationable design choices by not using the touch screen more intelligently. For instance, in the heat of battle it would make more sense to select the frag grenade, then touch and drag it to where you want to throw it. The manual way can be too slow resulting in death because the throw button is also assigned to the thorn button while also pressing R in the config I use. The lack of full customization of the controls simply sucks and I have no idea why some game designers are clueless in this regard. The preset control variants help but there are some layout choices that i wanted to change but couldn't.

    If developers are going to make hunting games for the Vita, they simply need to hire better artists and monster designers and animators. Freedom Wars isn't the worse in this regard but it's not close to the best. The run animation for the character is good, but the animation for sword combos stinks. The animation for some of the melee attacks with other weapons range from okay to hilariously bad. The great sword's combos make no sense and cause them to not flow well. This can affect your timing. Animation quality control wasn't high on the list of priorities with this game.

    Other positives would be the story and the concept of your 1,000,000 year sentence with the inclusion of the other panopticons around the world. This sets up great possibilities for DLC and a sequel. The music is also really good and the customization level for you character is incredibly high considering this isn't a console release.

    Sony needs to come better with Vita releases that are clearly trying to make up for the loss of Monster Hunter to 3DS. Dimps, Shift and SCE Japan Studio developed Freedom Wars but it's no were near as polished as Soul Sacrifice or Soul Sacrifice Delta by Comcept. Maybe users will get an update that will fix the horrible AI, give better animations to the melee attacks and include Aductors and monsters with better designs.

    I still give Freedom Wars a 6 instead of my original thought of a 4 because when it works, it's excellent fun some of the best on a portable when playing with friends. But when it doesn't work, it's a bumbling disgrace.

    Its a shame because Freedom Wars has the potential to be great...someday.    … Expand
  21. p02
    Nov 1, 2014
    10
    Some users will feel the story gets in the way, but the combat system and character customization does more than make up for Freedom Wars' shortcomings.
  22. resh_aykut
    Nov 11, 2014
    8
    This game is attacting to people into the game as long as play . Combat system , upgrade system , sinner and accesory customisation system are really cool . If u played soul sacrifice before dont hesite to buy this game . Because there will be no more like these games.
  23. SteveGonzola
    Nov 9, 2014
    9
    So after sinking 7 hours into this game and passing my CODE 3 exam I have yet to get tired of this game. Is it perfect? No, far from it. But it's really fun.

    By far my favorite thing about this game is the setting, for example you have to buy the right to lie down while sleeping. Want to do something? You'll probably have to buy it. The gameplay mostly involves shooting bullet    So after sinking 7 hours into this game and passing my CODE 3 exam I have yet to get tired of this game. Is it perfect? No, far from it. But it's really fun.

    By far my favorite thing about this game is the setting, for example you have to buy the right to lie down while sleeping. Want to do something? You'll probably have to buy it.

    The gameplay mostly involves shooting bullet sponges, while the location and objectives don't vary very often (Shoot X amount of bad guys or rescue Y amount of citizens), it's pretty fun and stays that way, mostly thanks to the Thorn. You can't jump in freedom wars. The fix? Putting in a Thorn.

    There are 3 types of Thorns, attack, healing and defense.You can also launch yourself up to higher ground or launch yourself towards enemey's using the Thorn.

    To conclude: the game is repetitive but fun. If you have a Vita you should buy Freedom Wars. If you don't have a Vita but like the genre,look into buying one.    … Expand
  24. BobCat51
    May 22, 2015
    5
    Although it looks fantastic on the Vita's wonderful screen, the game mechanics are shallow and the upgrade system is obtuse. As a dedicated Monster Hunter fan I was highly disappointed in the game. Everything the game copied felt sub-par and all original mechanics were interesting but failed to deliver on the great potential. There are many games on the Vita I would recommend to any fellowAlthough it looks fantastic on the Vita's wonderful screen, the game mechanics are shallow and the upgrade system is obtuse. As a dedicated Monster Hunter fan I was highly disappointed in the game. Everything the game copied felt sub-par and all original mechanics were interesting but failed to deliver on the great potential. There are many games on the Vita I would recommend to any fellow gamer, unfortunately, this isn't one of them.… Expand
  25. MalistiX
    Feb 2, 2015
    10
    If you have or are planning to buy a PSVita, this needs to be in your collection. The game is fun in single player and great in co-up or versus online. You will shoot, loot, graple and slash your way trough giant enemies following a story that is fun, if not a little "japanese" but overall the missions and action are so good everything else just feels like it doesnt even matter. By theIf you have or are planning to buy a PSVita, this needs to be in your collection. The game is fun in single player and great in co-up or versus online. You will shoot, loot, graple and slash your way trough giant enemies following a story that is fun, if not a little "japanese" but overall the missions and action are so good everything else just feels like it doesnt even matter. By the way, one of the best looking vita games also, with so many players and action it never slowed down!… Expand
  26. Bertoflyingfox
    Mar 13, 2015
    4
    After finally slogging through this game, I just couldnt keep doing it. The shoehorned stealth is bad, the challenge jumps between Disney Kid's Club and spam-based difficulty. The thing is, spamming abductors and trash mobs with perfect aim still wasnt much of a challenge.

    All the missions are lacking in the "fun" or even "slightly enjoyable" department....I could pretty much see a    After finally slogging through this game, I just couldnt keep doing it. The shoehorned stealth is bad, the challenge jumps between Disney Kid's Club and spam-based difficulty. The thing is, spamming abductors and trash mobs with perfect aim still wasnt much of a challenge.

    All the missions are lacking in the "fun" or even "slightly enjoyable" department....I could pretty much see a bunch of developers in a conference room saying "Screw it, just put more abductor missions, Vita owners will buy it anyway". The ending is also the biggest joke for a boss-hunter game. Ever.

    Get Soul Sacrifice or the stellar MH games instead, not this half-empty excuse for a "game".    … Expand
  27. LogainAblar
    Dec 20, 2014
    4
    To the point -

    Positives - Customization One of the first positives is the level of customization of your character and your Accessory (AI partner/overseer) that is allowed. From head to toe you can change the appearance, height, clothing, color and gender. The design options are limited to strictly Japanese anime styles. If that's your thing then you'll find a lot to love among the    To the point -

    Positives - Customization
    One of the first positives is the level of customization of your character and your Accessory (AI partner/overseer) that is allowed. From head to toe you can change the appearance, height, clothing, color and gender. The design options are limited to strictly Japanese anime styles. If that's your thing then you'll find a lot to love among the features. If not, the level of depth in customization will turn into a negative.

    Combat
    Other positives are select parts of the combat. Freedom Wars features gun and melee combat allowing users to wield a combination of both during missions. There's also a Thorn which is basically a grappling hook that allows users to zip through areas of the stage and up to higher elevations very similar to Lost Planet. There are three Thorn types and each has their own characteristics for attack, defense and health. There's a very limited cover system too. I say limited because Freedom Wars will allow you to take cover but you can't move while in cover, you can't shoot from cover (as in Uncharted or Gears of War). You can use items while in cover but the limitations in the cover system shows the developers didn't think that aspect through. But it is welcome in a few moments that I've played through, there just weren't enough of those moments.

    8 Player/Character missions
    The other positive that I thought I would hate but came to love are missions feature 8 players versus the enemy. 4 main characters including your own and 4 Accessories for each character which are robots/overseers that fight with you. This is a stark change from games like Monster Hunter, GodEater and Soul Sacrifice that feature 1-4 player missions with an occasional minion that will fight with you or 1-3 AI characters. Mechs in Freedom Wars are powerful and it will require all 8 people to complete some of the tasks presented in the game.

    Negatives - Learning Curves/Controls
    The problems start with the controls. They can't be fully customized. Only a number of presets are available. Also, there is absolutely no use of the touch screen or back panel at all. The problems become clear when trying to select items in the middle of a fight. It's easy to find the item using the D-pad, but pressing R+O button is a clumsy mess in actually using an item. The reason for this is the O button also shoots out the Thorn. So in many cases, you'll try to use an item but get the Thorn instead. Or you'll try to grab an item from an area (which requires a press of the O button) but get the Thorn instead. When an enemy is bearing down on you and you have to grab an item and keep moving, this is unacceptable. I would have preferred an option to use the touchscreen to grab items.

    A.I.
    This is a deal breaker, as the game inspired me to give it a 4. In very specific situations, the A.I. is competent. But later in the game when coordinated teamwork is essential, the A.I. is godawful stupid. Case in point, There is a CODE 7 mission that tasks you to destroy 2 Ramosa S Types, GO7-6: Liquidation. It's what could be called a "G-Rank" or advanced mission in the game. Before you face the S Types (two cyborg tiger mechs) you have to destroy a four legged mech that has two missile launchers on each side and a cannon on it's head. That's wouldn't be too much of a problem except human enemies constantly respawn and attack you from your blind sides which is cheap because you can barely see them most of the time. Unless you give the order for your team to attack the incoming enemies, they won't until it's too late if they attack them at all.

    Worse still is when the S Types actually arrive. These mechs jump around a lot like tigers. The common sense tactic would be to keep them separated and split your team. But the A.I. is too stupid to follow orders. I told the team to "Scatter" but told my Accessory to "Follow me". My Accessory did as ordered, but the team stayed where they were and kept fighting. Because the team was bunched together in one central location, the S-Types ripped them apart. To make it worse, human enemies where still constantly re-spawning in the area. I've also seen A.I. characters stand in front of a mech and take direct hits with no attempt to dodge what-so-ever. I could go on but there's no "if", "and", or "but" about it. The A.I. in Freedom Wars is dreadful.

    Difficulty Spike
    There comes a point in the game toward the end of CODE 6/beginning of CODE 7 when the game becomes so difficult to the point of pointlessness. There is so much crap thrown at you with no real way to counter it that the game becomes a rage inducing chore to play. I have no idea how Shift, Dimps or Sony's Japan Studio thought this was a great idea. Monster Hunter G-Rank missions are very difficult by comparison, but they're fair and well designed. Freedom Wars CODE 6/7 and Special Missions are not fair and are not well designed.

    I may give up on Freedom Wars and stick with Soul Sacrifice and Monster Hunter    … Expand
  28. loadstone007
    Dec 17, 2014
    5
    Didn't like the game. Too Japanese for my taste, in a sense that they talk a lot. So for every ~20 minutes of action you have an hour of horse ****...
  29. Ehriggn
    Jan 21, 2015
    7
    I'm really glad that i bought a copy and played it because it made me laugh, it pissed me off, it depressed me, and it made me put down my Vita and think deeply about society and its future and all within the first 30 minutes of the game.
    But then I just really didn't enjoy it, I can't say exactly why but i just wasn't having fun. the combat well, it just doesn't feel impactfull. I get    I'm really glad that i bought a copy and played it because it made me laugh, it pissed me off, it depressed me, and it made me put down my Vita and think deeply about society and its future and all within the first 30 minutes of the game.
    But then I just really didn't enjoy it, I can't say exactly why but i just wasn't having fun. the combat well, it just doesn't feel impactfull. I get bored and then I get killed a lot and i don't really care to try harder or get better at it.
    Still, I want to see more from this IP in the future, It had some really interesting concepts that were very creative and were implemented directly into the gameplay rather than just attached to it.    … Expand
  30. NepNepy
    Feb 17, 2015
    0
    good combat system and anything but my finger crammed because of all button mashing and ridiculously hard enemy (if you are in singleplayer tho)

    AI is so dumb, poor story,

    i recommenced this if you like grindfesting and repetitive gameplay
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Awards & Rankings

23
#23 Best PS Vita Game of 2014
2
#2 Most Discussed PS Vita Game of 2014
1
#1 Most Shared PS Vita Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 39 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 24 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 39
  3. Negative: 0 out of 39
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Dec 28, 2014
    60
    Freedom Wars can't match the series it aims to ape, but this is almost as worth checking out for its bizarre, clever conceit as its satisfying, if shallow, combat mechanics. [Christmas 2014, p.87]
  2. Riot Pixels
    Dec 22, 2014
    63
    For game that wants you to spend hundreds of hours playing it, Freedom Wars is depressingly shallow.
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  3. Eurogamer Italy
    Dec 16, 2014
    80
    Not only is Freedom Wars one of the best games available for PlayStation Vita, but it will keep you busy for months with great gameplay and the superb 4-player co-op mode. A must-have for any action/RPG fan.
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