In a risk averse gaming industry, one lacking the wild and weird creations once commonly lining store shelves, we find ourselves looking to the past for those experiences. When we’re not looking at the umpteenth sequel to long-running AAA franchises, we are seeing popular titles of yesteryear get the remake and remaster treatment (and some of those haven’t even had time to age). Every once in a while, these modern console ports pick obscure titles that achieved cult classic status when they originally debuted, delighting a very specific group of players.
Freedom Wars Remastered is that game, one yanked from the long-dead PlayStation Vita library and given a touch-up for its inclusion on current platforms. Like I said, such games will delight a very specific group of players, and while I imagine former fans will be excited to reexperience an old favorite given a second chance at life by its original developer, it isn’t likely to draw in a whole new audience.
For the uninitiated, Freedom Wars is a 2014 PlayStation Vita title that drew heavy inspirations from Capcom’s Monster Hunter franchise. It proved exceptionally popular in Japan, but mostly managed cult classic status elsewhere. Set in a dystopian future strained for basic resources, the star of the show is one of the many unlucky fellows born into a one-million-year prison sentence. However, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Disciplinary Notice
The extensive sentence can be chipped away through a deadly work program, wherein Sinners contribute towards their Panopticon (i.e., a city-sized prison). Conversely, they can also be extended by the Office of Peace and Stability for any number of reason. Went down too many times during a mission? Extended. Walking too much in your cell? Extended. The job isn’t easy and Sinners find themselves in all manner of dire situations with their assigned Accessory, a cyborg companion who uses grating text-to-speech dialogue throughout the entirety of the game. But, hey, if they live to see another day, they may just get to enjoy some new privileges, like running for more than five seconds continuously without a sentence extension.
The missions Sinners embark on in Freedom Wars Remastered range from rescues, resource gathering, eliminations and even going up against mechanical monstrosities known as Abductors. The Abductors are reminiscent of the beasts hunted in Capcom’s flagship franchise; the targets are formidable and can have their parts methodically removed for collection. Instead of lopping off an Odogaron’s tail, the player can saw off hands, cut away mounted missile launchers and more. It makes for entertaining battles, as you use your weapon of choice like a deranged surgeon.
Sinners can spiral through the air with a lance, use oversized concrete slabs with jutting rebar as a greathammer, rock a lightweight chainsword and all manner of fancy (or not so fancy) weaponry. And that’s only half of it. Firearms make up the other half for those wanting to create a bit of distance and engage at range. Swapping between the two weapon types on the fly allows for a greater level of mid-fight adjustment rather than running away when things get rough.
Sci-Fi Monster Hunting
In addition to the two weapon slots, there are a number of consumables, ranging from boosts to standard grenades, that can help keep things in the Sinner’s favor. But the most exciting piece of equipment outside of the weapons is the Thorn. The base form of the Thorn acts as a grappling hook, enabling the Sinner to attach to surfaces and dart around the battlefield. It can also be used to pull down Abductors, bringing the heads of those towering foes down to your level. There are other Thorn variants, including shield and healing options, but the standard version stands above the rest given the added mobility (and cool factor).
There are moments where all of these pieces come together to make for epic encounters, letting players lean into those anime protagonist action fantasies. Furthermore, the combat feels more cohesive given the leveraging of a full set of controller buttons—the L2 and R2 triggers are a godsend compared to tapping the rear touch pad of the Vita in Freedom Wars‘ original form. But at the end of the day, this is very much a ported portable game largely as it existed a decade ago with a handful of light refinements.
In terms of improvements, the game now supports full 4K resolution at 60 frames per second (depending on platform), an added difficulty mode for those looking to shackle their Sinner with the heaviest of restrictions, quickened gameplay (e.g., better movement speed and attack cancelling), and new crafting options that leverage the citizens’ aid. While they do smoothen the game’s jump to 2025, they are far from transformative. The mission structure, menu design, and at-times rigid combat all highlight the fact that we’re looking at a brushed up Vita game.
When you jump into an online game with friends and let the over-the-top battles and silliness of it all take the wheel, some of the bumps don’t feel so rough. However, playing with the in-game AI partners is a different story. The AI is uneven, to say the least. They can go from being efficient killing machines, almost negating the need for your presence at all, to near useless if they aren’t micromanaged via the basic orders menu. Assuming you’re playing with a known group of people, that’s the ideal route for a more consistent robo-slaying experience.
Freedom Wars Remastered: Freedom Wars Remastered digs up a decade old Vita game and breathes new life into it for modern platforms and audiences. While the joy of its original form remains in tact, the remaster only features a handful of quality of life updates, leaving it an overly simple re-release. Freedom Wars Remastered will excite those who have found themselves engrossed by nostalgia over the past several years, but it's unlikely to draw new interest in its largely unaltered state. – Joshua
Editor’s Note: Freedom Wars Remastered was reviewed on PC, and a copy was provided to us for review purposes.
