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Soldier of Fortune: Payback
2007 video game From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Soldier of Fortune: Payback is a first-person shooter video game and the third installment in the Soldier of Fortune franchise, following Soldier of Fortune II: Double Helix. It is the first game in the series released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game was released on November 13, 2007.[2] The storyline revolves around a revenge plot against a global terrorist organization.
Unlike the previous two Soldier of Fortune games, which were developed by Raven Software using the id Tech 2 and id Tech 3 engines created by id Software, Payback was developed by Cauldron HQ.[5][6]
The game received tepid to mostly negative reviews, with critics noting that while the visuals were appealing, the gameplay was uninspired. As with the previous games in the series, Payback featured detailed character modeling and gore effects. Due to its high level of violence, the Office of Film and Literature Classification in Australia refused to classify the game. Following the ban, a modified version was released on April 23, 2008,[3] which removed extreme violence and dismemberment.
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Plot
After freelance mercenary Thomas Mason (Kyle Hebert) is betrayed by his comrade during a mission, he vows revenge against a global terrorist organization whose operatives are all marked with the same tattoo on their necks.[7][8][9][10]
Development
The game was never originally intended to be based on the Soldier of Fortune license. It began as a budget title developed under the working title Mercenaries Wanted. A few months prior to its release, Activision saw potential for a full-priced launch and decided to brand the game under the existing Soldier of Fortune series. This title's elements, particularly the game's cutscenes, were created at the last minute in an effort to tie the story to the series.[11]
John Mullins, the protagonist from the previous games, was initially intended to appear as a mentor or partner character who would work alongside Mason throughout the narrative. Mullins was supposed to reveal that years of combat and the aftermath of the second game had turned him into a greedy, bloodthirsty figure, ultimately leading to his betrayal of Mason. However, for unknown reasons, Mullins was removed from the final version of the game. Instead, a new, similar-looking character named Colonel Miller was introduced in his place, allowing the betrayal plot to be retained.[12]
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Reception
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Reception
The game received negative reviews. While most critics praised its character modeling and gore effects, they criticized the gameplay and overall execution. Jason Ocampo of GameSpot gave it a score of 4.5/10, stating, "This shooter is a great exercise in pattern memorization and trial-and-error gameplay." He also remarked that it "looks pretty." Jay Frechette of 1Up.com rated the game 5.5/10, commenting, "Soldier of Fortune doesn't cross the line of being a bad game, but it hardly ever breaks the surface of mediocrity either."
Bans
On October 16, 2007, the game was refused classification by Australia's federal classification board, the Office of Film & Literature Classification (OFLC).[22] This effectively banned the game throughout Australia, as video games that have been refused OFLC classification cannot be sold, advertised, or imported. Activision modified the game to meet OFLC standards, and it was re-classified with an MA15+ rating. This version does not include radical violence; dismemberment has been completely removed.[23][24] Activision released the modified game in Australia on April 23, 2008.[3]
The original version was placed on the index of Germany's Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons (BPjM)[25] even before it was officially released in the country.[26] It was subsequently banned nationwide.[27]
References
External links
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