The PS Vita was a massively underrated handheld console that managed to deliver some fantastic titles for those who invested. One such title was “Freedom Wars,” a dystopian Monster Hunter-esque action RPG that saw some success on the Vita despite its limited install base. Thankfully, gamers can now experience Freedom Wars on a wider range of platforms thanks to Freedom Wars Remastered. What’s It Like? Put on your headphones, load up at the armoury, and don’t run for more than 10 seconds as we review Freedom Wars Remastered for Nintendo Switch.
Freedom Wars Remastered is a really interesting concept from both gameplay and a story perspective. Due to the planet’s limited resources, you are born as a sinner and have a million-year sentence that you have to work off to become a productive member of society, or, a citizen. To do so, you will; be tasked to fight other armies, and giant robots, and rescue citizens which will reward you with a deduction from your time to serve. It all starts off plain and simple until rumours of a mysterious girl circulate and you are dragged into a developing narrative full of mystery, battles, and friendship. In the main hub, players will start off with minimal rights, or “Entitlements” as they are called in the game, meaning you won’t be able to sleep lying down, walk more than 5 steps, or even communicate with other sinners. To unlock more Entitlements, you can donate mission rewards toward the greater good and use that currency to purchase them. You will also participate in CODE exams, raising both your level and stature in your chosen Panopticon, which is kind of like your house at Hogwarts I suppose. It’s a very unique concept, and I really enjoyed seeing what my new ranking would grant me access to.
This hub area means you are under constant surveillance, thanks to your “Accessory,” and Android follower who will also accompany you on missions, acting as a sort of “Palico” like in the Monster Hunter Series. This hub area can act as a double-edged sword, however, as the game keeps you out of the action a lot, usually only allowing you to complete 1 or 2 missions before strong-arming you into a story section in the hub which can be drawn out, especially if you haven’t managed to unlock your fast travel entitlement. Still, despite the usual tropes, the story was gripping and kept me engaged while building an interesting and unique world.
When Freedom Wars Remastered lets you go on missions you are treated to fast-paced and often hectic battles with giant Abductor robots, or other mechanical creatures. Missions typically involve fighting robots, breaking open their pods to rescue citizens, and then evacuating them. This staple format is the most exciting in my opinion, but the game mixes it up by offering territorial control type games, and straight-up sinner vs sinner battles. You have your thorn, which allows you to attach to enemies and target specific areas in order to disable parts or charge them up to unleash different abilities. Combat against bigger enemies is exciting, offering both a tactical and frantic battle as you decide whether to systematically dismantle your foe, or try to quickly break the pods to rescue citizens. Combat against regular-sized enemies is a different story, as targeting isn’t as refined and usually means you swing a wild combo in the wrong direction before attempting to realign and try again. It’s not a deal breaker by a long shot, but after battling hulking robots, it’s an adjustment. There is also a multiplayer suite that allows you to team up with other sinners to reduce your sentence. You can tackle the co-op missions together or go head-to-head. One thing I really liked about multiplayer was that I was put in a lobby with a higher Code of Sinners who were taking the Code level 7 exam, I participated and was rewarded with a proof of completion, which meant when I got to that stage of the single player game, it was automatically rewarded which was a nice touch.
Graphically, the game does a great job of sharpening up to HD on the Nintendo Switch and runs at a consistently smooth 30 frames per second. The engine might not be groundbreaking as it had only had minor improvements (mainly in resolution) from its debut on the PS Vita, but it still does a great job working with what it’s got and can hold up against many games on the Switch. The enemies don’t have much in the way of variation, especially in the early game, so some players may find the opening hours tedious, but those who stick it out will find plenty of meat on the bones of Freedom Wars Remastered with about 25 hours of Gameplay, and even more for completionists. For sinners looking into accessibility options, there are some text-to-speech and readability options you can select to help with the story sections of the game. There are a lot of button-mashing events where you need to rapidly tap the “A” button which I found difficult at times, visually, the button is fine, but the speed and repetition can take their toll if you have accessibility needs with your hands so I do recommend using a controller that offers a programmable rapid-fire option to assist should you have limited movement in your hands.
At $60 AUD, Freedom Wars Remastered is great value for money. There’s plenty of gameplay to keep you busy, especially for God Eater and Monster Hunter fans, and the online competitive features add a layer of bragging rights and goals to achieve should you be a team player. Its tight and exciting combat mechanics are a blast to play, and if you don’t mind a lot of story mixed in with it, you’ll most likely have a great time. It’s a shame the PS Vita didn’t do so well in its heyday, but thanks to a second chance, Freedom Wars Remastered will allow players to experience one of the best games on the platform in all its remastered glory.
So, What’s It Like? Freedom Wars Remastered is like Monster Hunter, if it was set in a dystopian cyberpunk world.