Frontlines: Fuel of War Preview

E3 2006 First Look Preview

In terms of the company, Kaos Studios is a new kid on the block. But this is a group of seasoned professionals, gathered from the likes of Trauma Studios and working under the THQ banner.

The title they have been laboring to realize is Frontlines, Fuel of War – which will be released in 2007 on the 360, PC and PS3 platforms. THQ showed off the title in a theater setting at a pre-E3 event held in Los Angeles recently.

The game takes place in the not-too-distant future, a bleak landscape in which global natural resources are all but depleted and the remaining superpowers clash to gain control of the dwindling supplies.

F.O.W. is unique among the RTS titles simply because of the multiplayer scope of the game. It does feature a non-linear gameplay style, but will support up to 32 players in the multiplayer setting, battling it out as either the Western Coalition (U.S./E.U.) or the Red Star Alliance (Russia/China).

Game features include more than 60 next-gen vehicles and weapons, including remote-controlled drones, gun cams and countermeasures – all of which are player controlled; advanced information sharing that allows teammates to share intelligence as well as target acquisition; a sandbox-style approach in which players can adjust tactics on the fly and rather than fail a scenario, they can chip away with a variety of approaches to create evolving strategies, hence adding to the game’s replay value.

Players can join the battle at the front, in both the single-player and multiplayer formats, and while the front can consume large portions of the mission maps, contextual objectives will create a centric feel for gameplayers.

Units can be customized through the weapon loadout but also through selection of a technical specialization. Each role will level up as the game progresses, giving the title a bit of an RPG feel.

Graphically the game is very strong and the sound supports the tension and mood quite well.

Frontlines has solid mechanics, solid eye candy and should appeal to fans of the RTS genre. With the massive online modes, this might transition into the realm of epic online battles that are both fun to watch and participate in.

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