Frontlines: Fuel of War
THQ and Kaos Studios are bringing together the best of immersive combat and free-roaming gameplay in one ambitious game.
Published: April 24, 2006
It brings us great joy to see what for so long have been secretive projects, acknowledged only by the industry superduos known to be toiling away at them behind closed doors, finally ushered into the limelight. And what better time than pre-E3 season for companies to snag the veils off their most undisclosed (and often highest budget) titles, just enough to get our collective blood boiling for what is sure to be the most groundbreaking expo to date. Yeah, we're pretty excited.
The game we speak of is Frontlines: Fuel of War, an open-world first-person shooter that also happens to be the first effort from internal developer Kaos Studios, a team founded by the long-time vets at Trauma Studios who, as you may know, were responsible for Desert Combat and, following a buyout by Digital Illusions, the key technologies of Battlefield 2. They're an accomplished crowd, you see, and they're also looking to tackle next generation consoles in a big, big way.
"Frontlines: Fuel of War will take players to the next generation of combat. The game focuses on the cutting edge in military technology that will allow players to experience the highly-charged frontlines of tomorrow, today," offered Frank DeLise, general manager, Kaos Studios. "Through intense, nail biting, non-linear single- or multi-player campaigns, players will be able to use more than 60 vehicles and advanced weaponry, from next-generation assault tanks to experimental RC drones."
Don't take the term "cutting edge" lightly either. At a recent THQ event, Mr. DeLise hinted at the possibilities of how environmental interaction and destructive weaponry would come together in one truly devastating scenario. You say there's a building standing between you and your target? Yeah, forget that alternate route nonsense, you go ahead and blow a hole right through the friggin' thing itself. It's these kinds of makeshift solutions that will actually prove quite resourceful throughout the game. Instead of repeatedly failing on a mission, try "chipping away" with a more varied approach, recommend THQ. This "creative pathfinding" will not only make for a more unique, and possibly more successful path to victory, but for some considerable replay value to boot.
"Kaos Studios represents THQ's increased focus on fostering the industry's most talented individuals to deliver innovative and original titles for the next-gen cycle," touted Kelly Flock, executive vice president, worldwide publishing, THQ. "Frontlines: Fuel of War bridges two of the most popular genres in gaming, and it's all from the very creative minds of an elite team with a proven track record of success."
To elaborate on Kelly's point, THQ offered this as the basic idea for the game: "Imagine the immersive combat of Call of Duty 2 with the non-linear, 'go anywhere do anything' gameplay of Battlefield." Now how about a reality that's even more satisfying? Hey, we knew you'd dig it.
Of course, that's not to say Frontlines isn't without a few tricks of its own, as there are plenty. Teammate interaction, for one, will be enhanced with high-tech combat systems for gathering the necessary recon, targeting and threat info and sharing it with your fellow men. It's all about being a team player, and while you may have a grand ol' time crafting and upgrading your soldier with a weapons loadout and technical specialization on the field, all with RPG-style depth, a situation that calls for in-vehicle sharing between occupants won't be manageable by your sole decked-out gunman. But that customization stuff is a lot of fun too.
The game's real claim to fame (and if you need proof, it's in the title) is the predominant game mechanic of fighting with the forces on the front line. Equally important in single and multi-player scenarios (with the possibility of you and 31 of your closest friends getting in on it), these expanding fronts will require some well-honed strategy to achieve objectives while advancing your position forward. Sure, it's a thrill simply being in the heat of the action, but a victorious battle will also reward your Division with some of that hard-earned territory for keeps.
As tempted as we are to classify this all as unjustifiable violence, there's actually a plot-related thread that runs through it all. If it's any sign of where skyrocketing gas prices will lead us in the coming years, the not-so-distant future has fallen victim to global depression. The world's natural resources are nearly zilch, economies have consequently tumbled and a worldwide energy crisis has become a chilling reality. Now what better way to address the problem than create a global dichotomy, and from it, have emerge two superpower, soon-to-be-warring alliances, the Western Coalition (U.S./E.U.) and the Red Star Alliance (Russia/China)? Yes, in the fictitious world of politics, this is how we fix the oil shortage.
We can only hope the tingling sensations that come from contemplating the possibilities of next-gen warfare last us a good year and a half, 'cause we won't be seeing this one on the front line of retail until fall 2007. Fear not, though, as THQ is sure to have Frontline: Fuel of War at the forefront of their E3 2006 showcase, just to amaze and cause awe-struck reporters like ourselves to come flailing back to our posts just to fill you in on the details. We do it all for you.
The game we speak of is Frontlines: Fuel of War, an open-world first-person shooter that also happens to be the first effort from internal developer Kaos Studios, a team founded by the long-time vets at Trauma Studios who, as you may know, were responsible for Desert Combat and, following a buyout by Digital Illusions, the key technologies of Battlefield 2. They're an accomplished crowd, you see, and they're also looking to tackle next generation consoles in a big, big way.
"Frontlines: Fuel of War will take players to the next generation of combat. The game focuses on the cutting edge in military technology that will allow players to experience the highly-charged frontlines of tomorrow, today," offered Frank DeLise, general manager, Kaos Studios. "Through intense, nail biting, non-linear single- or multi-player campaigns, players will be able to use more than 60 vehicles and advanced weaponry, from next-generation assault tanks to experimental RC drones."
Don't take the term "cutting edge" lightly either. At a recent THQ event, Mr. DeLise hinted at the possibilities of how environmental interaction and destructive weaponry would come together in one truly devastating scenario. You say there's a building standing between you and your target? Yeah, forget that alternate route nonsense, you go ahead and blow a hole right through the friggin' thing itself. It's these kinds of makeshift solutions that will actually prove quite resourceful throughout the game. Instead of repeatedly failing on a mission, try "chipping away" with a more varied approach, recommend THQ. This "creative pathfinding" will not only make for a more unique, and possibly more successful path to victory, but for some considerable replay value to boot.
"Kaos Studios represents THQ's increased focus on fostering the industry's most talented individuals to deliver innovative and original titles for the next-gen cycle," touted Kelly Flock, executive vice president, worldwide publishing, THQ. "Frontlines: Fuel of War bridges two of the most popular genres in gaming, and it's all from the very creative minds of an elite team with a proven track record of success."
To elaborate on Kelly's point, THQ offered this as the basic idea for the game: "Imagine the immersive combat of Call of Duty 2 with the non-linear, 'go anywhere do anything' gameplay of Battlefield." Now how about a reality that's even more satisfying? Hey, we knew you'd dig it.
Of course, that's not to say Frontlines isn't without a few tricks of its own, as there are plenty. Teammate interaction, for one, will be enhanced with high-tech combat systems for gathering the necessary recon, targeting and threat info and sharing it with your fellow men. It's all about being a team player, and while you may have a grand ol' time crafting and upgrading your soldier with a weapons loadout and technical specialization on the field, all with RPG-style depth, a situation that calls for in-vehicle sharing between occupants won't be manageable by your sole decked-out gunman. But that customization stuff is a lot of fun too.
The game's real claim to fame (and if you need proof, it's in the title) is the predominant game mechanic of fighting with the forces on the front line. Equally important in single and multi-player scenarios (with the possibility of you and 31 of your closest friends getting in on it), these expanding fronts will require some well-honed strategy to achieve objectives while advancing your position forward. Sure, it's a thrill simply being in the heat of the action, but a victorious battle will also reward your Division with some of that hard-earned territory for keeps.
As tempted as we are to classify this all as unjustifiable violence, there's actually a plot-related thread that runs through it all. If it's any sign of where skyrocketing gas prices will lead us in the coming years, the not-so-distant future has fallen victim to global depression. The world's natural resources are nearly zilch, economies have consequently tumbled and a worldwide energy crisis has become a chilling reality. Now what better way to address the problem than create a global dichotomy, and from it, have emerge two superpower, soon-to-be-warring alliances, the Western Coalition (U.S./E.U.) and the Red Star Alliance (Russia/China)? Yes, in the fictitious world of politics, this is how we fix the oil shortage.
We can only hope the tingling sensations that come from contemplating the possibilities of next-gen warfare last us a good year and a half, 'cause we won't be seeing this one on the front line of retail until fall 2007. Fear not, though, as THQ is sure to have Frontline: Fuel of War at the forefront of their E3 2006 showcase, just to amaze and cause awe-struck reporters like ourselves to come flailing back to our posts just to fill you in on the details. We do it all for you.
