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Posted on: Mar 28, 2008
The Scoreboard #7
WORDS BY: Mitch Dyer
Frontlines: Fuel of War
Frontlines: Fuel of War had a poor demo showing, but the retail game was actually pretty damned impressive. Both the gigantic online battles and the quick-and-dirty campaign are decent fun for shooter fans, but more importantly, have totally awesome and easily obtainable Achievement points! Even if the futuristic first-person shooting doesn’t tickle your fancy, spending a weekend with Frontlines (preferably with a friend for maximum payoff) would be worth the time of any Achievement... ahem... “women of the night.” Some of these are tough stuff, likely requiring some stack-tastic boosting matches, but in the end Frontlines is a good way to get that GS jump ahead of your Live amigos.
Best Achievement – Fashion Police (100 pts.) Multiplayer: Knock off 20 enemy hats. You got the mad snipin’ skillz, son?! PROVE IT. Instead of going with something lame like a “ten headshots in a row” cop-out, this Achievement is dedicated to the hilarity of not just landing a bullet in a bad-guy’s brain, but specifically launching their headwear in to the sky after doing so. What makes it more intriguing is that you’ll need to hunt down the folks who were smart enough to cover their melon in the battlefield – not that it’ll do ’em any good when they’re staring down the business end of your long-rifle – by specifically selecting a helmet-wearing soldier class. It’s a time-consuming battle, but the payoff is a Gamerscore-Benjamin. Netting this one is laughably easy if you’ve got a buddy who’s willing to eat it 20 times in a row.
Worst Achievement – Noob (0 pts. – REPEAT, ZERO) Commit suicide 10 times in a multiplayer game. Seriously, this no-point-Achievement garbage has got to go. Come on, this is turning the entire idea of earning Achievements on its head completely voiding any reason to seek them out. Being rewarded without really being rewarded is pointless, and it just puts the junkies out there in to a foaming-at-the-mouth rage, followed by a crippling withdrawal stage. Thanks but no thanks. Also, you’d have to be insanely awful playing Frontlines to kill yourself online ten times. Um, just so we’re clear: I did it on purpose. Really!
Easiest Achievement - Bull's-eye (90 pts.) Complete the first or second half of a mission with an accuracy higher than 50%. This might sound like a doozy, but anyone who isn’t firing wildly in to the floor should earn this in the first or second mission. If you really want to wait it out, the third mission features a half that’s sniper-heavy, so you could bag it with some repeated headshots if you didn’t earn it earlier. Just keep your fire under control, stick with short bursts at close range, and you’ll be in the clear for 90 percent of the game’s total offerings. Not bad for keepin’ it cool under pressure!
Hardest Achievement - (TIE) All Seven Ironman Achievements (20 pts. each) and Complete a mission in a single session without dying. Considering that Frontlines’ intensity knob is cranked beyond 11, it’s almost impossible to complete a mission without taking a tank shell up the rear, getting ploughed by a truck, or picked off by overly accurate snipers unless you suddenly obtain the divine power of invincibility, flight, and laser-beam eyes. They sure are satisfying to get, but I’d prefer to avoid ball-breakingly difficult tasks if at all possible. With seven missions to clear without being able to call in reinforcements, you’ll be struggling with earning these for hours unless you’re some kind of FPS superstar.
Time investment vs. Payoff – 6 (out of ten) In theory, Frontlines’ single-player campaign can be fully completed in less than four hours. If you’re a total badass at the game, you’ll fly through it earning the time-based and no-dying-allowed Achievements for some serious Gamerscore bank, but the real teeth-sinking will take place online. Skill and diligence are prerequisites for taking a stab at those time consuming Achievements.
Overall – 6 (out of ten) I like shooters, but I’m only human. The troublesome beat-the-clock and the tough online rewards stayed out of my reach for the most part, but serious shooter fanatics will easily cream the online competition and unlock most of the moderately easy single-player Achievements. A laborious weekend with Frontlines, and serious FPSers will strike Gamerscore crude.
PREV
Mon, 06/09/2008 - 00:52
Posted by Contagious360
Im sure that Im passed the point of anyone reading this b/c this article was written so long ago, wish I had seen it earlier. Anyway, overall the achievements really are quite easy for Vegas2, more so than Vegas1 IMO. The longest process was getting to Elite, for which for those of you who haven't figured it out the best and easiest method is to just play alot of Team Leader, trick is to be on the winning team. Since Ubi released the update it was only a few more days until I achieved 1000/1000, unfortunately though it wasn't much longer (same day I think) that I traded it in for another game. For me Vegas2 just wasn't as good as Vegas1. The coop story was awesome, but once you go through it twice there isn't much of a replay value. T-Hunts were even more frustrating than in Vegas1 and with limited lives in Attack and Defend matches my favorite game mode was taken from me. So my advise is just give a couple of weeks to get your 1000 then trade it in and go back to Vegas1. Hopefully Ubi's next endeavor will be better than both combined.
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 11:53
Posted by Ghostx187
Hey Mitch, badass article. I hope to read more soon.
Tue, 04/01/2008 - 08:24
Posted by Axe Argonian
Oh,okay,thanks Paul!
Mon, 03/31/2008 - 17:00
Posted by Paul OXM
Reader reviews will be back for next Scoreboard. We had to let it lapse for #7 while switching from Casey to Mitch.
Mon, 03/31/2008 - 15:05
Posted by Axe Argonian
Don't worry Mitch;I'll definetly send a reader review in the near future! Although,I was wondering why there weren't any reader reviews this time?
Mon, 03/31/2008 - 00:39
Posted by Mitch OXM
@ Axe: I've been meaning to fully wrap up the 1050 Mass Effect points, and there's nothing that will stop me (in the long term!) - but for now, I've got soooo much to do (including a bunch you listed off!). Care to take off the load? E-mail me your own review, I'd love to see what someone who's a hound like you has to say!
@Paper - Yessir. I nabbed a couple Achievements in your attendance! I hosted a bunch of games with ya and the T-Hunting would be impossible without the help of buds. I've admitted as much that I'm an FPS lover, but damn if I'm not the worst at 'em.
Sun, 03/30/2008 - 18:35
Posted by PaperLantern
Our Mitchy is moving up! I'm so proud!
I take pride in the fact that my two hours of terrorist-hunting shenanigans in Vegas 2 with you (maybe) helped you write this.
Sun, 03/30/2008 - 10:40
Posted by Axe Argonian
Also,I agree with the SKX achievement. Although it is unique and a welcome change from other MP achievements,SKX is pretty annoying. I even had to hunt down some players from the leaderboards and send them a 'Please,may you let me kill you?'-type of message (Remember,two weeks ago,there weren't that many regular-basis guys that had that achievement). Even though the SKX achievement was annoying,I just thought this: At least it wasn't as bad as Halo 3's Overkill achievement!
Sun, 03/30/2008 - 10:30
Posted by Axe Argonian
Thanks Mitch! Well,maybe it's because I'm used to getting 100% achievement completion in some tougher games (Mass Effect,70+ hours anyone?) that Condemned 2 seemed very enjoyable to get 1000/1000. Then again,there's a necessity for an acquired taste in Condemned 2's multiplayer,and personally,I still play its multiplayer because I like Crime Scene so much. So,yeah, I get your point that Condemned 2 required a greater dedication than,say,Jumper:Griffin's Story. However,I was wondering if you noticed the achievement tracker function in Condemned 2's Extras menu? It showed you how many more games,kills,and levels were required to achieve a certain achievement.
Anyway,keep up the good work Mitch! (I think that GTA IV,Bully,Army of Two,Dark Sector,and other recents will make it into Scoreboard #8,right?)
Sun, 03/30/2008 - 00:35
Posted by Mitch OXM
Hey Axe. There were some toughies in Condemned 2, for sure, but they weren't impossible to obtain. Playing through the game with a guide is almost necessary if you plan on getting all of the emitters, not killing any museum guards (which was a welcome change of pace from "murdermurdermurdermurder") and perfecting all of the crime-scenes. I think if a guide is essential to getting Achievements, it's a less fun experience than A) earning them yourself to increase your internet-nerd-cred (hey, that's a good thing, not an insult!) or B) getting them for "free".
Achievements should be fun, not work, and it takes some serious online grinding to get the online Achievements, and some of the single player ones.
Great job on getting all 1000, though. Playing the game, what? Twice at least to obtain the FPS mode completion and the 'no guns' Achievements. That's a good effort on your part!
Sat, 03/29/2008 - 12:50
Posted by Axe Argonian
Also, using the guide on mycheats.com ensured that you won't miss any piece of crap in order to get 100% completion in every level. Not to mention,I read up on those Condemned 2:Bloodshot description translations before the game's launch,so I was able to understand the achievements.
Sat, 03/29/2008 - 12:46
Posted by Axe Argonian
Wow,this months edition was VERY juicy! Welcome Mitch Dyer! Anyway,though,I HIGHLY disagree with the Condemned 2:Bloodshot review. I already got 1000/1000 in this awesome horror game in only 9 days!!!! (Check my gamercard out: http://live.xbox.com/en-US/profile/Achievements/ViewAchievementDetails.a... ) My first achievement was unlocked 03/12/08,and my last achievement was unlocked 03/20/08. So,personally,Condemned 2's multiplayer kept me stuck because it was so fun.
Sat, 03/29/2008 - 07:15
Posted by djpotatohead
nice. good work. i hope to see much more from you on this website.
Fri, 03/28/2008 - 18:20
Posted by SHOCKERRA
Mitchell Dyer,
Where to start? Brilliantly written and entertaining to read. Wait to officially get started in the industry; Lord knows I'm both immensely jealous and proud. You're making it bud!
This was a fun piece, we'll discuss the specifics over IM. Exceptional work!
Sincerely,
your reader and news aficionado,
Ross (SHOCKERRA)