Preview:
Soldier of Fortune
September 2001 for PS2
The cult hit Soldier of Fortune is coming to a PlayStation 2 near you, thanks to our friends at Majesco. When released on the PC over a year ago, Soldier of Fortune found an audience with folks who wanted lots of gore and a storyline. If that’s what you want, then look no further – this game delivers. Big time.
Soldier of Fortune puts you in the role of John Mullins, decorated Vietnam vet and all-around bad mofo. As the press release states: “The only thing colder than the steel in your hands is the ice in your veins.” Damn that’s cold. Surprisingly, the general plot is pretty tender: Terrorists have stolen four nuclear warheads and it is up to you to track them down. Along the way you’ll battle soldiers, terrorists, and skinheads in order to save hostages and prevent a thermonuclear storm of global destruction. That’s sweet, isn’t it"
The game features 26 levels of gameplay in 10 discreet missions. The gameplay is story-based, and you’ll have to fulfill mission objectives along the way. There is an arsenal of nasty weapons at your disposal, and these will be handy for blowing away the opposition. The locational damage system is also really sweet. It defines 26 “Gore Zones” on each character, which allows you to make death a slow and excrutiating process. Or, you could make death a quick and messy affair, it’s all up to you. Gore Zones allow for effects such as blowing off limbs individually, or blowing away just half of an enemy’s head. With the heavy machine gun it is possible to cut an enemy off at both knees before he hits the ground.
Sound violent and gory" It is. Soldier of Fortune is not for the squeamish or easily influenced. However, for most sane folks it’s pretty exhilirating to delve so deep into the action. And you have to feel good to blow away terrorists threatening the world with complete annihilation, right" Multi-player is a bit harder to justify, but it’s just a game. Splitscreen multi-player will support four combatants, and Majesco is hopeful to incorporate online networked play, too. That will be a tight squeeze with the PS2 network adapter and hard drive coming out so close to the projected release date for this game, but we wish them luck.
Overall, you’ll want to keep an eye out for this title, which will be rated Mature. Soldier of Fortune is set to release in September of 2001 for the PS2.