Throughout the years, many players have expressed their desire to see IO Interactive release Freedom Fighters 2. The original groundbreaking co-op action game remains cherished to this day, but the idea of a Freedom Fighters sequel is an obscure one. The Danish developer seems to be entirely focused on the Hitman series, putting its other franchises on hold, the brutal Kane and Lynch included.
Instead of sitting and hoping for a new game, one fan decided to go the extra mile and start developing a Freedom Fighters spiritual successor.
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Asymmetric Ops is the name of the game that is being developed by Off Target Studios, which is a one-man enterprise. The starting point for its gameplay is “emulating Freedom Fighters,” more specifically its treasured brand of squad-based gameplay where the player was able to directly order several teammates around.
However, the goal of the upcoming game isn’t to be a straightforward Freedom Fighters clone; it is heavily inspired by it, but also by other squad-based games such as Brothers in Arms and older Tom Clancy titles. It doesn’t stop there, though, with real-time strategy games such as Company of Heroes and Full Spectrum Warrior also serving as sources of inspiration.
The narrative is inspired by Freedom Fighters as well, a game that stirred up quite some controversy when it released in 2003, thanks to its themes touching on the balance of world power, with the Soviet troops invading New York. In Asymmetric Ops, you also play as a rebel trying to overthrow the chains of corporate authoritarianism.
Sounds like a promising melting pot and the first video already gives us a glimpse on the promised squad-based gameplay, as you recruit and order soldiers around. The shooting mechanics seem functional and the battles are busy, with many rebels navigating in the heat of battle.
The graphics aren’t final, as the assets weren’t developed for the game. They come from Synty Studios, as the sole developer has to manage his meager budget (if any) until he is eventually able to hire a 3D artist. Nonetheless, there’s a charming minimalistic style to the current build, something that could even pass for an artistic choice.
Until we get Freedom Fighters 2, Asymmetric Ops is a game to keep an eye out for, with no Early Access date as of yet. IO Interactive has recently revealed that it is working on a new game to be published by Warner Bros., so who knows if that isn’t the anticipated Freedom Fighters sequel?
Not sure how many people remember the 2003 title #FreedomFighters, but I've decided to emulate it as a starting point for squad command.#madewithunity #indiegame #games #indiedev #lowpoly pic.twitter.com/5tsRyOM5li
— Numb2Fun (@Numb2Fun) October 11, 2019
