The Dreamland Chronicles: Freedom Ridge Preview

In 1994, Mythos Games and Microprose released a game that revolutionized strategy gaming with its involved science-fiction storyline and squad-based action, all wrapped in a neat turn-based format. The game was X-COM: UFO Defense, and in addition to spawning a popular subgenre, it generated an extremely loyal following. The game is still considered by many to be one of the best computer games of the last decade.

The Dreamland Chronicles: Freedom Ridge is the spiritual successor to the critically acclaimed X-COM. The same team that developed X-COM is creating this 3D turn-based game, whose science-fiction theme is similar to X-COM's. The developers are billing Freedom Ridge as an updated and improved X-COM with an even better story by using cutting-edge technology to improve the graphics and gameplay and still remaining faithful to the original game. With Freedom Ridge, they are hoping to once again revolutionize the way people look at turn-based strategy games.

The Story

Freedom Ridge begins after a massive alien invasion has left most of humanity's defense forces crippled and the social framework destroyed after a devastating 70-day war. A large percentage of existing human forces are trapped in alien prison camps. You command a small force of resistance fighters known as the Terran Liberation Army. Your army must scramble to protect the few areas left in your control while it finds more supplies and troops to mount a larger resistance. As you capture alien troops and equipment, you can use laboratories to research their technology and use it against them. One big difference between Freedom Ridge and the original X-COM is that when you run out of ammunition, you have to find ammunition dumps to resupply your forces rather than just purchase more ammunition. Human money no longer has any value.

Initially, you only have one alien race to worry about: the aggressive, dinosaurlike Saurans that have overrun and devastated the planet. The race has set aside some areas to use as hunting grounds for even more imposing predators, which the race keeps as pets. However, as you progress through the game, you dig deeper into the twisted science-fiction plot. You begin to uncover the truth behind alien abductions, UFO conspiracies, and Area-51, and you soon discover other powerful forces at work. These forces include another alien race in addition to the reclusive and mysterious Men in Black. Part of the game's plot requires you to find out whether these forces are enemies or allies and where their interests lie.