Homefront

Korea advancement

By 2025, a Korea now fortified by the absorption of Japan conducts a successful, coordinated strike on US soil and two short years later, has occupied the stricken nation. A little far fetched perhaps, but entertaining, oddly plausible and sure to be regarded as more than a little inflammatory by the odd paranoid spokesperson or news feed. Exactly what THQ would want, one might wryly suggest.

Frag the bag

Back on the bus, Jacobs has only just had time to absorb the scene when a car barrels into his bus, a gun is placed in his hands and he’s on the lam with resistance members Connor and Rianna. Thus begins the shooting.

Instantly familiar, overly so to be honest, Homefront toes the party line in its choice of weaponry (all ballistic based with little to suggest we’re some 16 years hence), health recuperation (the standard ‘hide until your vision clears’ damage system is firmly in place) and movement speed (run or sprint).

Korean barbecue?

Grenades at least offer something a bit different, having as they do a much wider circumference of impact than in most FPS, and indeed packing much more of a punch – often flinging your hapless foes metres into the air. While fun to dish out they’re much less fun to be on the receiving end of; particularly when the on-screen grenade indicator misleads when it comes to pointing in which direction the grenade lies. Oh, how often have I cursed beneath my breath, having run directly into the explosion I was attempting to escape.