• Publisher: THQ
  • Release Date: Feb 25, 2008
  • Also On: Xbox 360
Metascore
73 out of 100

Mixed or average reviews - based on 19 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 19
  2. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. Frontlines managed to meet my expectations pretty well. Despite the fact, that I was hoping for additional graphical brilliance (especially in terms of the range of vision), the boys and girls at Kaos Studios managed to create a game, that nicely satisfies my personal multiplayer-shooter-likings: New ideas, uncountable (and well balanced) possibilities, cool vehicles, nice maps for up to 64 shooter fans and a single-player mode, that deserves its name. [May 2008]
  2. Frontlines is basically an easy-to-learn shooter with lots of action. But your AI-controlled comrades-in-arms are close to useless because of their stupid behavior. This is the reason why Kaos Studios didn't achive the goal to create a solo campaign that feels like a multiplayer game. In the end, it's a team shooter that plays like an ego shooter - at least as long as you play offline.
  3. Frontlines: Fuel of War offers a robust multi-player but, we wish the single-player had more substance.
  4. Frontlines is a great and engaging game that may not steal your life, but if you are a fan of FPS and online combat, this is definitely a worthy game to have nestled beside Battlefield 2142. [May 2008, p.58]
  5. Frontlines genuinely feels like a game made by Battlefield fanatics for other fans. [May 2008, p.54]
  6. 80
    With hard fought battles, simple controls, and destructive abilities associated with the four main roles, Frontlines' multiplayer offers hours of addictive fun, especially on the 32-player dedicated servers. Yet all in not rosy on the multiplayer front.
  7. 78
    If you can forget about the fact that you've been playing this style game for years with the Battlefield franchise then Frontlines will hook you for some time with its gargantuan battles, but for most Fuel of War will likely be too generic to truly sink their teeth into.
  8. It's not as life-affirming as "TF2" or as deep as "Quake Wars," but the "Battlefield" fan not into the cartoon war of the coming "Heroes" will find solace here. [May 2008, p.80]
  9. Those hoping for an in-depth solo campaign should look elsewhere to satisfy their story-driven shooting, as what's included is short and largely forgettable. Yet, if you value large-scale battles, tactical combat, and team-oriented play, Fuel of War won't leave you running on empty.
  10. Frontlines does enough to entertain on the multiplayer end to make up for the woeful single-player experience. It's a shame Kaos didn't scrap the single-player altogether to focus completely on honing the online experience.
  11. It offers niether anything to be passionate about or that's worthy of a vicious shoeing. [May 2008, p.98]
  12. For now, though, Frontlines is just another average shooter with a political slant.
  13. So, what's left? A decent game, annoying at times, a bit buggy, fun in multiplayer and boring in single-player, pretty to look at, which justifies the money you'll need to pay for it only if you're very bored, or you have nothing else to play, or maybe you've quit World of Warcraft, or maybe you need a gift… but overall, there are better shooters out there.
  14. Frontlines isn't exactly an original game but it mostly succeeds at what it's attempting to do. As an online shooter it has plenty of legs and you're likely to have more fun here than in Quake Wars or the online portions of other shooters released recently.
  15. The action begins to feel repetitive far sooner than the non-stop carnage suggests it should. [May 2008, p.72]
  16. For a lighthearted dose of online vehicular manslaughter, Frontlines: Fuel of War is a mildly derivative fun couple of hours' worth of gameplay, if you can get it running and if you can forgive the ridiculous server browser, weak weapons and uninspired maps.
  17. With many of its ambitious features falling short, it is difficult to notice what little the game does well. And, while it isn't the worst FPS to come out for the PC in recent years, it also doesn't stack up against already popular and much older titles.
  18. 60
    If you can get it to run, there's a lot to like in Frontlines: Fuel of War, and it could provide for many late nights of multiplayer excitement. But for now, your best bet is to wait until the dust clears and hope for something, soon, that resembles a finished product.
  19. 50
    One half of the time, Frontlines won't work. The copy I downloaded from Steam crashes to the desktop soon after I click start. The retail box, running on Vista and branded Games for Windows, craps out three-fourths of the time I try to join an online game. No joke.
User Score

Mixed or average reviews- based on 149 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 31 out of 58
  2. Negative: 24 out of 58
  1. I got this game off steam for 1.5€, which is a terribly good price for a game of this calibre. But it doesn't weight up for its flaws, not even if it was free of charge. First of all the game don't have anti-aliasing - at all. This is particularly bad since the maps are quite large in this game. Sometimes it is virtually impossible to see someone on distance, simply due to the blurriness created by not being able to turn on AA. Secondly, the game is very unbalanced. To understand why it is unbalanced you have to understand basically how the game works. In short, you first pick a soldier type, such as sniper or assault, then you go on to picking a special ability, such calling down air strikes or controlling a robot with an assault rifle mounted on-top of it. Some of these special abilities are completely underpowered, which leads to virtually every one picking either air-strike or robots as their special ability, resulting in mayhem. The default maps are also, very sniper friendly. Which leads to the more part of the players to pick the sniper class. Resulting in a stand still. Even if you try to take the initiative, it is most likely that you will get shot by a sniper. The game doesn't seem to have put in enough measures against lag. Vehicles can teleport 10 meters to the side, which isn't very fun when you're trying to destroy it. What is less horrendous is the feeling this game produce. When you are in the midst of battle, the sounds and lights are almost overwhelming, giving it a really enjoyable feeling. Parachuting behind enemy lines and picking off enemies, is much to my delight. In conclusion, if you are able to find it for the same bargain price as I did, there simply are no excuse for not buying it. Full Review »
  2. DanielB.
    4
    The game is a typical over-hyped but not delivered product heavy on graphic "bells and whistles" and short on gameplay execution. It feels like an unfinsished beta release that was rushed out of the door with promises of fixes yet to come. Joystick support is not even implemented properly, As for game play.... The game is very unbalanced and does not promote team play. It "encourages" team play but the reality is that people on the public servers tend not to cooperate. (By the way, the server browser is very poor). People tend to flock to the overpowered sniper rifle or play with the drones. Makes for a very unrealistic battlefield experience. The futuristic setting and pace of play leaves me cold. It is a twitch fest more than a cooperative tactical environment. Outside of the nice graphics, I cannot recommend this game over some of the more polished Battlefield 2 Mods out there. FFOW only rates a 4 out of 10 and that only because of the graphic quality on higher end computers. My advice is to wait until a few patches have been produced and the game gets discounted. If the gaming community becomes interested in FFOW some better mods may develop over time. Save your money for now, this game is not worth buying. Full Review »
  3. JWun
    5
    Perhaps I have been spoiled by the greatness of COD4, but this game sucks. I used to be a big battlefield fan and was hoping for something similar. The single player dynamic feels like Nerf-wars: The enemy AI is borderline retarded, i.e.; I was able to take down an enemy hum-vee by running circles around it while reloading my RPG. The multi-player feels like a Quake Wars knockoff. If you liked that game, you may like MP on this one. I expected more. Full Review »