SUBSIM Radio Room Forums - View Single Post

Threadfin · 03-27-23, 08:34 AM

Finished my first Freelancer campaign. Each campaign consists of four syndicates and it works like this

First syndicate is two normal missions and one showdown
Second is three normals and a showdown
Third is four and one
Fourth is five normal missions and one showdown

So that's 18 missions to complete. Each syndicate ramps up the difficulty. More suspects, more targets, more cameras and more enforcers. So by the time you're halfway through the fourth one it is very challenging, and with no saves, the entire campaign is hanging out there over the edge. One killer mistake and it all comes to an end. I've lost a couple campaigns and it's brutal to lose so much. But this is what makes winning feel so rewarding.

Well, that, and the rewards. For winning a campaign I got a legendary sniper rifle and 30,000 in cash. I turned around and spent it all on another legendary sniper rifle. I don't use them much, but they look so cool on the wall in the glass case.

When the player starts a new campaign he is presented with a choice of eight different syndicates. You can click on each one to show which random elements are in each. They have names like Big Pharma, Assassination and the like. Within each one the maps are randomly chosen, and there is a list of possible side objectives grouped by play style. For example Big Pharma revolves around poisons. There will be a number of objectives like lethal poison kill, shoot target with dart gun, inject a guard and that sort of thing. Assassination will have silenced pistol kills, no bodies found, headshots only and so on.

Choose one and it becomes your first syndicate in the campaign, and three side objectives will be pulled from the list. Complete them for cash, or don't as they are entirely optional. The only thing that matters is taking out the main targets, which are randomly chosen from all of the NPCs within the level. It could be anyone, even the NPC right next to you when you spawn in, or could be one in the middle of a crowd in the most hostile part of the map. The player spawn location is randomized too, and so you can find yourself starting in a very difficult spot. And since you always spawn in 47s suit (no disguise) it can be quite a difficult start.

Normal missions consist of anywhere from one to four targets, increasing the deeper you advance through the campaign. Showdowns take place on whichever map you save for last. When choosing the syndicate I always consider both the preferred play style (which side objectives there are) and the maps. I have my favorites and those I like less. And some maps are just harder than others. Like Colorado, which sucks. Certain maps I feel are more suited to showdowns than others, so there's a small element of strategery to the order you play them in.

In addition to the main targets and side objectives there are a few more random elements. Some maps have safes containing cash. You can find the safe combination by using your camera to scan objects in the vicinity, or you can simply blow it open with explosives. Working out a way to both kill your target and blow a safe in a single detonation is fun. In addition to safes, there are couriers on some maps. These are random NPCs who carry a stack of cash, and if you can take them out you can take the money. And every map has one supplier, which is a character selling weapons and tools.

Any item or weapon that has a rarity rating (common, rare, epic, legendary) can be brought back to the safe house after a mission and becomes part of your arsenal, with no duplicates.

Showdowns work a little differently. In these, there will be anywhere from four to nine suspects. By completing the normal missions leading up to the showdown, tells and traits of the syndicate leader are revealed. It might be something like smoker, sweet tooth, brown hair, earrings, hat and eye glasses. The player needs to infiltrate the map and get close enough to these suspects to determine which of them has all of these tells and traits to identify the right one, and then take him/her out. Do so, and the syndicate is won, and back to the safe house for a nice item reward and choose the next syndicate. The game only gives you stuff you don't already have, so over time you can build up your arsenal. After four or five campaigns you'd probably have it all.

So Freelancer has really got its hooks in. It's everything great about Hitman, which is great already, but adds in a number of random elements that freshens it up for players who have run through the main game missions countless times. It's more free form than the main campaigns, and much more challenging too.

03-27-23, 08:34 AM	#15
Threadfin Ace of the Deep Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 1,070 Downloads: 38 Uploads: 0	Finished my first Freelancer campaign. Each campaign consists of four syndicates and it works like this First syndicate is two normal missions and one showdown Second is three normals and a showdown Third is four and one Fourth is five normal missions and one showdown So that's 18 missions to complete. Each syndicate ramps up the difficulty. More suspects, more targets, more cameras and more enforcers. So by the time you're halfway through the fourth one it is very challenging, and with no saves, the entire campaign is hanging out there over the edge. One killer mistake and it all comes to an end. I've lost a couple campaigns and it's brutal to lose so much. But this is what makes winning feel so rewarding. Well, that, and the rewards. For winning a campaign I got a legendary sniper rifle and 30,000 in cash. I turned around and spent it all on another legendary sniper rifle. I don't use them much, but they look so cool on the wall in the glass case. When the player starts a new campaign he is presented with a choice of eight different syndicates. You can click on each one to show which random elements are in each. They have names like Big Pharma, Assassination and the like. Within each one the maps are randomly chosen, and there is a list of possible side objectives grouped by play style. For example Big Pharma revolves around poisons. There will be a number of objectives like lethal poison kill, shoot target with dart gun, inject a guard and that sort of thing. Assassination will have silenced pistol kills, no bodies found, headshots only and so on. Choose one and it becomes your first syndicate in the campaign, and three side objectives will be pulled from the list. Complete them for cash, or don't as they are entirely optional. The only thing that matters is taking out the main targets, which are randomly chosen from all of the NPCs within the level. It could be anyone, even the NPC right next to you when you spawn in, or could be one in the middle of a crowd in the most hostile part of the map. The player spawn location is randomized too, and so you can find yourself starting in a very difficult spot. And since you always spawn in 47s suit (no disguise) it can be quite a difficult start. Normal missions consist of anywhere from one to four targets, increasing the deeper you advance through the campaign. Showdowns take place on whichever map you save for last. When choosing the syndicate I always consider both the preferred play style (which side objectives there are) and the maps. I have my favorites and those I like less. And some maps are just harder than others. Like Colorado, which sucks. Certain maps I feel are more suited to showdowns than others, so there's a small element of strategery to the order you play them in. In addition to the main targets and side objectives there are a few more random elements. Some maps have safes containing cash. You can find the safe combination by using your camera to scan objects in the vicinity, or you can simply blow it open with explosives. Working out a way to both kill your target and blow a safe in a single detonation is fun. In addition to safes, there are couriers on some maps. These are random NPCs who carry a stack of cash, and if you can take them out you can take the money. And every map has one supplier, which is a character selling weapons and tools. Any item or weapon that has a rarity rating (common, rare, epic, legendary) can be brought back to the safe house after a mission and becomes part of your arsenal, with no duplicates. Showdowns work a little differently. In these, there will be anywhere from four to nine suspects. By completing the normal missions leading up to the showdown, tells and traits of the syndicate leader are revealed. It might be something like smoker, sweet tooth, brown hair, earrings, hat and eye glasses. The player needs to infiltrate the map and get close enough to these suspects to determine which of them has all of these tells and traits to identify the right one, and then take him/her out. Do so, and the syndicate is won, and back to the safe house for a nice item reward and choose the next syndicate. The game only gives you stuff you don't already have, so over time you can build up your arsenal. After four or five campaigns you'd probably have it all. So Freelancer has really got its hooks in. It's everything great about Hitman, which is great already, but adds in a number of random elements that freshens it up for players who have run through the main game missions countless times. It's more free form than the main campaigns, and much more challenging too. __________________ What? Behind the rabbit?