Common Sense Media Review
By Marc Saltzman
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Just-average WWII shooter is violent and bloody.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 17+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Enemy Front
What's It About?
ENEMY FRONT is a World War II-themed first-person shooter that drops the player into various European hot spots of the early 1940s. You step into the boots of Robert Hawkins, an American war correspondent tasked with taking down the Nazi regime alongside other Resistance fighters. While fighting in Poland, France, Norway, and Germany, players will master all kinds of weapons -- including pistols, machine guns, sniper rifles, and explosives -- as well as a stealthier approach with knife in hand. The game offers more freedom (and fewer scripted events) than many other shooters, giving players more options on where they want to go and how to play: brute force, sniping, stealth, and more. Along with a single-player campaign, Enemy Front offers multiplayer modes via the Internet on all three versions of the game: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PC.
Is It Any Good?
Enemy Front is an ambitious game that provides a few hours of fun, and it's been a while since there was a solid, straightforward WWII-themed shooter (unlike the sci-fi spin in Wolfenstein: The New Order). Players even have flexibility when it comes to completing their missions, relying on methods such as frontal assaults or stealth to accomplish tasks. That can't be said for every game in this genre, which tend to be very scripted.
But Enemy Front simply doesn't stack up against many other first-person shooters today. The first issue is a technical one: The screen tends to freeze occasionally, especially when there's a lot of action going on at the same time. This is simply unacceptable for a first-person war game. Secondly, although it's admirable that the developer opted for a less linear design, the levels are generic, and the campaign and mission objectives are uninteresting. Finally, the main character isn't believable, mainly because of poor voice acting, which gets in the way of identifying with him. Overall, if found in the bargain bins, Enemy Front isn't a bad pick, but it doesn't aim higher than mediocrity.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in war games such as Enemy Front. Is it "better" to kill Nazis than other people in a video game, or does it not matter (the "killing is killing" argument)?
Talk about conflict and conflict resolution. Should people have to resort to warfare to settle conflicts, or should there always be a diplomatic option?
This game centers heavily on violence, but there are alternatives for younger kids. Check out our blog post about 10 recommended games that are fun but not violent in nature.
Game Details
- Platforms : PlayStation 3 , Windows , Xbox 360
- Pricing structure : Paid
- Available online? : Available online
- Publisher : CI Games
- Release date : June 17, 2014
- Genre : First-Person Shooter
- Topics : Adventures
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : October 1, 2025
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