Frontlines: Fuel of War is, basically, a more fun and accessible version of Battlefield 2. Massive battles with up to 50 people complete with tanks, helicopters, air strikes, and drones are the name of the game here, and it all works incredibly well and is just plain crazy fun. This is a solid game that is well worth checking out.
Quick Hits
- Title: Frontlines: Fuel of War
- Platform:Xbox 360
- Publisher: THQ
- Developer: Kaos Studios
- ESRB Rating: “M” for Mature
- Genre: FPS
- Pros: Good sound and decent graphics; very intense and fun gameplay; decent single-player; great Xbox Live play
- Cons: Vehicle controls take some getting used to; short SP campaign
- Achievements: Good mix between single and multiplayer.
Features
Other reviews have said that the single-player is lame and is just training for the multiplayer, but I disagree. The single-player game offers up an interesting story and a handful of “holy crap!”-type moments that really draw you in and keep you hooked. It is also nicely varied, giving you an all out battle in one level, a more sniper oriented level, a tank and vehicle focused level, etc. to really give you a taste for just how deep this game is. Well worth playing.
Multiplayer is the focus, though, and Frontlines really shines when you get a full game going with up to 50 people. You have access to all of the vehicles and drones and other goodies, and the levels are completely massive so you have a lot of different paths to take and different ways to fight. Your objective is to capture control points and move the front lines of the battle deeper and deeper into enemy territory. Only a couple of points are in play at a time, so everyone has the same focus, which makes the action around control points very hectic and fun. It all plays surprisingly smoothly too, which makes Frontlines a solid alternative to Halo 3 and CoD4 when you want to try something new.
Gameplay
THQ
The gameplay in Frontlines stands out and holds up so well because it is so wildly varied from one battle to another, one mission to another, and even from one control point to another. You have an arsenal of powerful weapons ranging from machine guns to sniper rifles to rocket launchers and more. And there are drones such as mini helicopters, rolling bombs, and a mini tank with a minigun on top of it that allow you to reach hidden places and flush out enemies safely. The environments are also destructible, so you can’t hide in a building for too long or an air strike or tank shells will tear it apart. The pace of the game is very fast paced and frantic, and it is just a great experience overall. Every time you play the experience will be a little different, but no matter what you do, it is always fun and the controls are almost always intuitive. Whether you want to be a sniper or use rockets or focus on drones or use the vehicles (which include tanks, APCs, a bus, helicopters, and even a F-22), the game is just crazy fun. And with so many people out there on the battlefield with you, you really feel like a part of something bigger. The battles have a really realistic feel that games with 4x4 or 8x8 or whatever can’t match.
Graphics and Sound
Graphically, Frontlines is a decent looking game. The environments aren’t super-detailed, but the lighting and smoke and explosions and other effects look great and kind of tie everything together. The vehicle models and character models look pretty good as well. There can be some framerate stutters when the game gets really hectic, but they aren’t a huge problem.
The sound is one of Frontlines’ best features. The weapons are all appropriately loud and sound really powerful. In the thick of battle when people are screaming and bullets are whizzing past your head and there are explosions all over, Frontlines really shines. The music and voice acting are also very good.
Bottom Line
THQ
Frontlines: Fuel of War is an all around solid game that is highly recommended to any Xbox 360 shooter fan. It borrows pretty heavily from the Battlefield formula, but adds a few new twists so that it really stands out on its own. The near-future storyline about oil supplies drying up and Chine and Russia teaming up to fight the west is incredibly compelling and well told. If you love variety in your shooters, and if you love big team battles, then Frontlines is for you. I do have a couple of complaints, such as a short (but worth playing) single-player campaign, somewhat wonky vehicle controls, and it isn’t the best looking game, but Frontlines does have solid controls, a good story, and fast paced action on or offline that mostly make up for the complaints. It is a great alternative to Gears or Halo or CoD when you want to get your Xbox Live shooter fix, and I recommend it for at least a rental if not a purchase.
