Counterattack is a game developed by Tanoshii Urban Entertainment, for PS3, Xbox 360, and PC, released in turn 13. It was announced in turn 7, along with revealing a trailer.
Gameplay[]
Counterattack uses the right trigger (R2 on PS3) to fire, left trigger (L2) to aim in, right bumper (R1) to sprint, left bumper (L1) to reload, A (X) to jump, B (Circle) to crouch, Y (Triangle) to switch between primary and secondary weapons, and X (Square) to use their special weapon.
In Counterattack's single-player mode, the main character fights across the globe in whatever place they are assigned to carry out their mission. In defending against the invading forces, the main character destroys a tower to create a barricade, blows up a bridge to make it impassable, clears out a building of any enemy militants, parachutes to a foreign land and rendezvouses with a squad being overrun, operates a tank, and battles enemy soldiers.
The game goes back to the basics in multiplayer. Counterattack offers three types of main guns: Assault Rifles, SMGs, and Sniper Rifles. It also offers pistols and shotguns as secondary weapons, and for special weapons offers regular grenades, smoke grenades, and radar decoys. Sniper Rifles can kill easily from afar but are difficult to use for close encounters, Assault Rifles are decent from long, mid, and short range, and SMGs can blow through close enemies but tend to miss those in the distance. Shotguns are powerful up close but have a low rate of fire, while pistols are less powerful but can fire faster. With only five main weapons, players are at an even advantage through gameplay, focusing them to rely on skill. In multiplayer, players can control tanks and other land vehicles that they find and, in some maps, spawn as an aircraft pilot.
Also, in both multiplayer and single-player, the character the player uses is completely customizable.
PC Version[]
Players can create and share their own maps on the PC version of the game. Select custom maps will become available for download on other platforms at a later date.
Game Modes[]
There are three single-player modes: Easy, Normal, and Hard.
For multiplayer, the game modes are:
Team Deathmatch: Standard 6-on-6 TDM.
Domination: Players must control three bases found on different parts of the map.
Capture the Flag: Players must retrieve a flag at the enemies' base and bring it back to their own base.
DMZ: Players must stay in their own base and fire upon their enemies from afar.
Free-For-All: Standard 12-man FFA.
Platoon Warfare: TDM with up to 30 men on each side.
All multiplayer game modes are based on time.
Story[]
The player takes the role of a young recruit as he travels on the front lines through a war spanning across Japan, Europe, the United States, Australia, and Brazil. The player rises the ranks from Private to Sergeant Major through his time on the battlefield, fighting in constant conflict. Outside of the playable character, there are few other main characters, most notably General Douglas, who gives the main character missions. The conflict in the game is between the the forces of the United States, Europe, Australia, and Japan, and the communist forces of China and Russia.
The main character is sent on a mission in Japan to stop the invading communist forces from China. There they manage to fight off the army and cause them to retreat out of the country. They are then sent to Europe to help the forces defend against the Russian army. The battle rages on when the main character is pulled out of Europe and reassigned to the United States, which is being invaded by the Chinese. After fighting in the states and establishing a DMZ along the Rocky Mountains, the character is promoted to a special operative and goes to Australia to try and capture Russian military leaders hiding there. When they discover a lead pointing to Brazil, the character's team is flown to the now wartorn, barren country. There they find the opposing forces have delivered nuclear bombs to Brazil and plan to destroy the world's nations. The main character fights there way through the enemy soldiers and manages to prevent the nukes from being sent.
While General Douglas is talked about and seen a few instances, nobody from the opposing force is directly named. In the main character's squads, some notable characters include an older man on his fourth tour in Japan, young kids out of high school and a British playboy in Europe, local residents in the United States, and some members of the spec ops who are mentally unstable.
Soundtrack[]
The soundtrack to Counterattack is tense and suspenseful.
Post Release[]
The multiplayer will be constantly updated with patches and tons of free DLC in the forms of maps and customizable aspects of the player's character.
Custom Map Pack #1[]
Released in turn 14 for PS3 and Xbox 360, the Custom Map Pack #1 DLC offers the PC community's favorite custom maps for the console players. These multiplayer maps were made by players for players and, therefore, no profit will be made with them. They include favorites such as Mushroom Castle, a small map taking place in a 4-story castle reminiscent to a particular N64 game, Facility, a recreation of the multiplayer map from Goldeneye of the same name, Waterpark, a large map filled with pools, water slides, and park scenery, and Rooftop, a map spanning the top floors of adjacent apartment buildings and their roofs. Custom Map Pack 1 also fixes bugs and glitches found in the game having to do with connection issues and the campaign, among others.
Ad Campaign[]
The ad campaign was moderate, with a split between multiplayer and action focus.
Reveal[]
Tanoshii Urban Entertainment revealed a trailer on their website in turn 7. The trailer displays characters being customized, weapons being selected, and players partaking in a game of team deathmatch on a map that resembled Brazil (with possibly Christ the Redeemer in the background).
Later, via Twitter, a spokesman for the company officially announced the game. He also tweeted that the focus of the game would be on multiplayer but that the campaign mode would be "worth a playthrough". When asked how many guns would be available online, he tweeted, "Four, maybe? Rather than relying on an overpowered weapon, #Counterattack players will need to rely on skill." The spokesperson would not mention a release date, but asked people to buy the game because "it is our most expensive game to date".
Delay[]
The game would later go on to be delayed for 2 turns, due to development issues.
Demo[]
A demo was released in turn 12. With the pre-order of Counterattack, players will have access to the multiplayer beta. Featuring two maps, players will be able to use all weapons and play all match types. Tanoshii Urban Entertainment will use the beta to test out online servers, find bugs that will be patched in the released version, and reward fans for sticking with the game through its rough development cycle.
The first map is The Wall, a medium-sized map that portrays a section of the Great Wall of China. Snipers and sharpshooters will be able to use the openings in the wall and the towers to fire upon targets from a distance. Those who prefer close-combat situation can scale inside and around the wartorn Wall, using debris for cover.
The second map is Main Street, a large map covering the length of a busy road. Players can dash across the open world into buildings like fast food restaurants and banks. Some players may choose to stick in the tallest, destroyed buildings in the middle of the map while others may choose the better-protected structures with only one floor. With a sewers system that connects to most of the buildings, this map is guaranteed to be the site of cunning tactics and big shootouts.
Reception[]
The demo received positive reviews, with reviewers citing the gameplay as the biggest draw, and praising the map deisgn and level layout. The map The Wall was very, very well received, with players and gamers alike praising the design choices 100%. The servers were a bit off-and-on throughout the beta, but remained somewhat solid, being online for about 75% of the beta. The overall reception was good. OVERALL SCORE: 9/10
Reviews[]
The game received largely positive reviews, with only minor complaints of occasional bugs. The multiplayer was particularly praised, with the simplicity of the weapon system praised, giving each player an even playfield. The maps were, for the most part, well received.
IGN
"For a game with such a simple concept, Counterattack manages to layer the complexity surprisingly well. I admit, I was just expecting another fraghead FPS game, and with Warfield already out, I didn't have much reason to play this one. Well, I'm glad I did. While Warfield is great in its own right, this game is amazing, as well. The story is very well-written, and the gameplay feels very fluid and eases you in. The multiplayer is a shout-out to a simpler time. There are no perks, killstreaks, or anything of the like. Players have their guns, and that's it. With the promise of tons of free DLC, I can see Counterattack being played 10, 20 turns from now. I think we have another early Video Game Awards Show Best Game contender right here. Amazing." OVERALL SCORE: 9/10
GAMESPOT
"As an FPS game with depth, Counterattack manages to seal the deal on almost all fronts. Judging by the name alone, I really wasn't expecting much. But this game blew me away. With a strong ad campaign backing it, I think this game has the potential to be the Best Game at the Video Game Awards Show. I enjoyed the story, you really feel the effects of war. You see your character morph into this hardened soldier, and the story tugs you along at a strenuous pace. I felt exhausted after finishing it. The multiplayer is a lot of fun, as well. The way it simplifies things really sets it apart from more loadout and killstreak-based multiplayers. This one was a hell of a good time. A few bugs here and there, but overall, really great." OVERALL SCORE: 8.5/10
GAMETRAILERS
"Despite all the hype, Counterattack manages to mostly live up to its promise. I was provided a strong narrative for the campaign, one I enjoyed. There were a few moments where the mowing down of enemy soldiers got old, but they were few and far between. As for the multiplayer, it seems to be a step backwards, rather than forwards. While some may appreciate the simplicity, I found the gunplay unable to hold up to the switch, and as such, the promise of free DLC doesn't really keep me interested. However, I'll be playing the campaign again, certainly. This is a great game overall, marred only by a few bugs and glitches. A worthwhile experience." OVERALL SCORE: 8/10
Custom Map Pack #1[]
The Custom Map Pack #1 was met with a positive reception, with critics noting the variety and quality in the maps. The community, as well, enjoyed the ability to play on new maps. The bug fixes were also praised, with PS3 users being grateful that a game-crashing bug was taken care of. OVERALL SCORE: 8.5/10