Freedom Wars isn’t your average PlayStation Vita exclusive, as it carries the weight of the format’s future on its shoulders. While the handheld has played host to some pretty stellar games this year, it’s fallen short in the first-party department – and with Sony suggesting that it’s more or less ditching internal development, it’s down to Japan Studio’s futuristic affair to change the platform holder’s mind. We’re still working to whittle down our million year sentence, but that hasn’t stopped some reviews for the action title from appearing around the web. Here’s how it’s faring so far...
PSU - 8.5/10
Freedom Wars and its story-driven RPG action could put PS Vita on the map in a way that previously hyped titles have been unable to do. A few bothersome elements can’t derail an exciting game with a wholly unique premise.
DualShockers - 8.0/10
A better control scheme, especially for the newly PlayStation TV, would have turned it into an even better experience, but exhilarating combat, great depth, well designed characters and a really interesting setting and story turn Freedom Wars into something very close to a must-have. Hopefully Sony will realize that this is a step in the right direction, but more steps like this might be needed for the PS Vita to see its full potential.
Hardcore Gamer - 3.5/5
Freedom Wars is a decidedly solid action-RPG. Its fantastic premise and intense thematic elements will engage those willing to put up with its weaker elements. Even though overall mission structure can feel repetitive at times, the feeling of bringing down a massive cyborg with a rag-tag team of prisoners never ceases to get old. Players who take the time to fight through Freedom Wars‘ confusing menu system will find some of the deepest RPG elements the Vita has seen in a fair amount of time. Freedom Wars isn’t an unmissable gem, but there’s enough good here to overshadow the bad.
Will you be breaking out your copy of Freedom Wars this week, or leaving the game locked up until its price drops? Plot a prison escape in the comments section below.
Comments 24
A quick note about this game: I don't know about other publications, but we didn't get this until very late (yesterday), so we'll try to get a review up as soon as possible. I know Colin Moriarty from IGN has said that they didn't get it until very late either.
I'm gonna pick it up Sammy!! Got to support vita!! It'll prob sit in my backlog. But it's a must have for vita owners regardless!!
Well that's interesting.
I wonder what the story would be like, if the difficulty insanity nerf wasn't patched in the retail western version.
These reviews are pleasing to my face area
Hey Sammy, So how does the Review process workflow go? I've always been curious about how it works. You guys receive the game but do you play through the whole entire game once only and write the review or do you guys play through just part of the game?
From what you posted, its seems like a short period of time from when you guys receive the game to writing the review. Does the game reviewer dedicate the whole entire day playing that one game?
Thanks!
@SuperSilverback
I'll give Neogaf this, they are a very funny/gify community.
@get2sammyb I bit the bullet anyway.
@Kayoss We always play through all of the game, or, unless it's a score-driven title or an absolutely gigantic RPG, as much of it as we absolutely can. Ordinarily, we get the game a week or so before release. On this occasion, we didn't get it early enough, hence why the review isn't ready yet.
We probably could have rushed through it to get it ready for today, but we'd be cutting corners, and we feel it's better to provide a thorough review rather than a half-hearted effort.
@Punished_Boss_84 hahaha excellent!!
I may have to give this game a try. I'm always up for a good game on the Vita and those are some pretty good reviews.
This is on the way and soon Tales of Hearts R should be shipping out as well.
Want want want ... A review
as much as I would like these to turn things for the Vita, I really doubt a hunting game was what the Vita needed
I feel complete!
@get2sammyb - "PlayStation Vita exclusive"
But it plays on the Playstation TV too (in case my emoticon doesn't kick in, jk)
Will certainly play this if I get a PS TV. Amazon has a new challenger approaching for my tv, FireTV Stick, so I'm still deciding. (Wii U may not be in your PS4's "big-boy league" but PS TV is legitimately going up against all the other $100 and under streaming devices.)
@rjejr Come on now, don't be THAT guy.
[youtube:CIm3MsuybL0]
@rjejr both are one system, exclusive then.
This is all everyone is talking about in the vita Facebook group I'm in lol, kinda annoyed the Mrs is making me wait till Christmas for it!
@italodance @Punished_Boss_84 - Oh come on guys, I got my little , I got my jk (FYI "just kidding") what more do you want
I did ponder posing it as a theoretical debate - PS TV = PS Vita? b/c it is a different system, the original PS3 played PS2 games but PS3 was still a different system - but even I know it's still a Vita TV and the rest is mostly just semantics. If Sony does decide to make a "PS TV" line of games that won't play on Vita though (not exactly sure how they could, resolution maybe?), well, then I'll be back and we can have that debate.
And I could see it happening too, if they drop the Vita and decide to take on FireTV w/ a $79 "PS TV Now" console. At that point there probably wouldn't be any retail releases for PS TV, just all PSN stuff, but there still could be PS TV games that wouldn't play on Vita. The Vita can't have too many years left.
Almost bought it on impulse when I went to pick up my copy of Sunset Overdrive, but stopped myself. The Dualshockers review was very positive though so, it's back on my must-buy list.
I'm really hoping that by seeing the support this title gets, Sony will be encouraged to bring out more Triple A titles for the vita from Japan...Seriously, there are some awesome Vita games there that need to be localized. If I knew Japanese, I'd buy them, sadly I don't, so I need localization...
On a side note, I am so excited for this game, and I will enjoy this during my commutes and/or free time.
@rjejr
@Punished_Boss_84 indeed!
My vita was stolen last week God dammit!
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