The original Homefront game was met with mixed reception, and when THQ folded it was unclear if the series would live on. Crytek picked up the IP and joined forces with Deep Silver to keep the series' legacy alive. While the original game was mostly a straightforward shooter, Crytek's entry into the series is more focused on open world gameplay, building and crafting. We watched a live gameplay demo of the game in action at E3 2014 and liked where the series is heading.
Homefront: The Revolution puts you on the ground in Philadelphia as a member of a resistance group attempting to fight back against Korean control. Through the use of guerilla tactics players can overcome a force who wields superior numbers and technology.
This was evident in the short demo we saw, in which the player used stealth and a cell phone camera to gather intel about enemy locations, prisoners, security cameras and more. Once the intel was gather about where an attack was to take place, it was onto the attack itself. Our demo guide put an IED explosive device on an RC car. Then, communicating with AI teammates, he drove the car under a convoy truck that was entering a secure compound. Once inside, he parked the car next to the entrance, timed a coordinated attack, and let the fireworks fly.
It's these scenarios that seem perfect for co-op play, and while the game is going to feature a single player story, this type of gameplay will also be available in a separate online four player co-op mode. A coordinated attack like this seemed absolutely necessary for success, so co-op in Homefront: The Revolution has a lot of potential.
Graphically the game was looking solid at this early stage, with the game running on Crytek's latest engine. The company is known for pushing hardware to its limits and I expect Homefront: The Revolution will do just that. The areas we saw were littered with detailed debris and weather effects, while the lighting of a broken down Philadelphia conveyed a city under siege.
Co-op, guerilla warfare, and intel collection aren't the only changes coming to Homefront: The Revolution - players can expect to find an RPG like leveling system, weapon crafting, and a few other surprises when the game releases in 2015 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC.