I have very fond memories of the original edition Wars for freedom back in 2014 on the PlayStation Vita as it seemed to be one of the more unique exclusives on the platform. Fast forward to today, over a decade later, and developer Dimps and publisher Bandai Namco have brought the action RPG to the current console and PC market in the form of Freedom Wars Remastered.
As for giving the title a remastered treatment, Freedom Wars he might just be the perfect candidate. Even though over 700,000 copies of the original were sold, the fact that it was a handheld console only meant that many never gave the game a try, even if it seemed like a hit. It’s a game that, even over a decade ago, I thought would run and play even better on console, so it’s great to finally have the opportunity to do so.
If you didn’t have the honor of playing the original back in 2014, Freedom Wars Remastered The action takes place in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic future where all of humanity lives in huge underground prisons called Pantopicons. At birth, every human being is sentenced to a million years in prison simply for existing in a time when resources are constrained and the planet’s surface is habitable. By completing missions for his Panopticon – usually going out and killing giant monsters called Snatchers Monster hunter-style – you will shorten your long sentence and earn rewards that will motivate you to continue punishing him.
Of course, you can easily add to your sentence as well. Standing too long when you should be actively pursuing your mission? Here’s an extra decade to your sentence. Do you have the nerve to waste your Panopticon’s time on a mission failure? Here are several thousand years. Your opinion is mainly about dressing according to the events that are taking place Freedom Wars Remasteredbut I must admit that the gameplay loop seems even better when you see the fruits of your labor in the form of this sentence.
I found a story Freedom Wars Remastered be quite intriguing ten years ago and is probably doing even better today than it was then. It seemed a bit far-fetched back in 2014, but as we enter 2025, many aspects of the grim reality of the title’s setting seem to hit a little harder this time around; themes of government surveillance, a punitive social credit system, and the reduction of the value of human life and liberty to a mere number were just some that stuck out more in my mind.
Gameplay loop Freedom Wars Remastered it’s just tempting enough. Select a mission from your Panopticon, then head to the pre-made map to complete that mission in simplified yet silky RPG combat. You have both ranged and melee weapons – which of course there are Monster hunter-just like in the game, you’ll upgrade using parts that you knock down defeated monsters – but you can also jump and even quickly traverse the battlefield using an item called the Thorn.
All Sinners (the name of those serving time in the Panopticon, which is almost all of them) have a Thorn, which is basically a lasso mixed with a hook. It allows you to try to take down specific enemies, but is more often used to quickly move around the area. There are even a few unique aerial attacks that can be performed by using the Thorn appropriately, which is both fun and rewarding as it often allows you to target hard-to-reach parts of the Snatchers.
Freedom Wars Remastered it’s also a fully functional multiplayer game in many ways. Most importantly, you can team up or even fight with up to seven other players at once, either working together with a team of four to take on the Captors, or PvPvE style against another team of four.
Another frigid element of multiplayer is that when you start the game, you choose one of many locations as the Panopticon you represent. Right now it looks like there are only 47 Japanese prefectures available, but I know they are in the original Wars for freedom there were also several generalized Panopticons for different countries, which may be the case when the full version is released. Your opinion serves as a “score” and is compared to other players, both globally and in your Panopticon, in the form of a leaderboard. It’s a frigid feature that fits well into the social narrative of the story, which is fun.
Overall fight with Freedom Wars Remastered it’s swift and fluid, as you’d expect from a game that takes its inspiration Monster hunterbut it’s a bit simpler than that MH. However, it remains fun and rewarding throughout the story and campaign.
The main improvements of the remastered version are visual improvements, allowing for resolutions up to 4K and 60 FPS on PlayStation and PC, as well as improved textures. The improvements are definitely noticeable – remember, this was a Vita game after all – but don’t expect anything revolutionary. The improved textures make everything look more current and crisper overall, but it seems that some graphical elements such as facial animations and various animations during cutscenes haven’t had the same acclaim and still show signs of a previous generation (or two).
My main complaints after my approximately 30-hour adventure Freedom Wars Remastered echoing the same complaints I had over a decade ago when I played the original on Vita. The plot is intriguing and mysterious enough to keep me in suspense, but the end result was extremely disappointing. It’s about as much of a cliffhanger as it gets, and it certainly sets up the sequel that never happened. Hopefully, the remastered version is a hint that a sequel is finally coming, which I would certainly welcome with open arms.
Weapon crafting and upgrading has been slightly reworked Freedom Wars Remasteredbut some of the bigger drawbacks, like very few worthwhile stats worth using on your hardware and a rather feeble endgame option pool, still exist for those who want to continue playing after the credits roll.
Despite the problems, however Freedom Wars Remastered it’s great fun, especially for anyone looking to delve into an action RPG with a loop of slaying gigantic monsters to obtain parts to upgrade their gear. The story is intriguing and engaging, and overall well worth the read, even after the cliffhanger ending. The combat is engaging and fun, which will certainly improve this Monster hunter itch. Even over a decade later Freedom Wars Remastered is an immensely satisfying endeavor, with the constant reward of seeing your million-year prison sentence sink lower and lower as you progress, a feeling that’s been somewhat absent in that 10-year window since the original.
