Remember the days when WWII was the only setting for first-person shooters? Now it’s the other way around. The FPS genre has been consumed by modern and futuristic warfare. City Interactive is looking to change that by reviving the WWII FPS in a unique way with Enemy Front. Enemy Front will focus on smaller, more intimate battles that haven’t been seen in previous games. This means you won’t be taking part in D-Day and kicking off the Invasion of Normandy. I was fortunate enough to preview the game in its pre-alpha stage and check out its new approach first hand.
The main soldier found himself behind enemy lines and had to work his way through various hostile areas. The first group of enemies were quickly dispatched with automatic fire and grenades, but the next section showed us that engaging the enemy isn’t always the best option. When the numbers were overwhelming, the soldier on-screen took cover behind a tree in the forest as the group passed. It may not be the most robust stealth option, but at least it allows players to choose how tactical they want to be. Past the patrolling squad, a more scattered set of soldiers awaited amongst some buildings. Having snagged a ton of ammo for the MP40 that was picked up at the beginning, the demonstrator decided it was time to engage. Once the enemies were alerted, the took cover and worked on breaking apart the player’s own cover with their bullets. The destruction may not be anything on par with the Battlefield series, but it definitely served its purpose. Popping in and out of damaged cover, our soldier finally mowed down the last enemy and that signaled the end of our short demonstration.
The developers were nice enough to share extra details after the preview was over. Here’s what we learned:
– Players will travel to France, Poland and Germany during the campaign
– CryEngine 3 powers Enemy Front
– There are 25+ weapons available (the coolest so far being throwing knives)
– A mission regarding Hitler’s bunker was hinted at
– Players will work with the French Resistance at some point
– Multiplayer is being worked on for the game
Enemy Front is expected to hit PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 this year.
