''Soldier of Fortune: Payback'' is a

first-person shooter A first-person shooter (FPS) is a video game genre, video game centered on gun fighting and other weapon-based combat seen from a First person (video games), first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action directly through t ...

video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...

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 The Xbox 360 is a home video game console developed by Microsoft. As the successor to the Xbox (console), original Xbox, it is the second console in the Xbox#Consoles, Xbox series. It was officially unveiled on MTV on May 12, 2005, with detail ...

and

PlayStation 3 The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE). It is the successor to the PlayStation 2, and both are part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. The PS3 was first released on ...

. The game was released on November 13, 2007. 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 Raven Software Corporation (trade name: Raven; formerly Raven Software, Inc.) is an American video game developer based in Middleton, Wisconsin, and part of Activision. Founded in May 1990 by brothers Brian and Steve Raffel, the company is most ...

using the

id Tech 2 id Tech is a series of successive game engines designed and developed by id Software. Prior to the presentation of the id Tech 5-based game ''Rage'' in 2011, the engines lacked official designation and as such were simply referred to by the name ...

and

id Tech 3 id Tech 3, popularly known as the ''Quake III Arena'' engine, is a game engine developed by id Software for its 1999 game ''Quake III Arena''. It has subsequently been used in numerous games. Commercially, id Tech 3 competed with early version ...

engines created by

id Software id Software LLC () is an American video game developer based in Richardson, Texas. It was founded on February 1, 1991, by four members of the computer company Softdisk: game programmer, programmers John Carmack and John Romero, game designer T ...

, ''Payback'' was developed by

Cauldron HQ Bohemia Interactive a.s. is a Czech video game developer and publisher based in Prague. The company focuses on creating military simulation games such as '' Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis'' and the ''Arma'' series. It is also known for ...

. 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 The Office of Film and Literature Classification (), branded as the Classification Office (), is an independent Crown entity established under Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 responsible for censorship and classificatio ...

in Australia refused to classify the game. Following the ban, a modified version was released on April 23, 2008, which removed extreme violence and dismemberment.

Plot

After freelance mercenary Thomas Mason (

Kyle Hebert Kyle Henry Hebert ( ) is an American voice actor known for his work in anime and video game series, such as the teenage/adult Gohan and the narrator in the Funimation dub of the ''Dragon Ball series'', Sōsuke Aizen in ''Bleach'', Ryu in the ...

) 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.

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. 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.

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 ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady, and Jon Epstein. In addition ...

'' 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 ''1Up.com'' was an American entertainment website that focused on video games. Launched in 2003, ''1Up.com'' provided its own original features, news stories, game reviews, and video interviews, and also featured comprehensive PC-focused conte ...

'' 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). 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 Dismemberment is the act of completely disconnecting and/or removing the limbs, skin, and/or organs from a living or dead being. It has been practiced upon human beings as a form of capital punishment, especially in connection with regicid ...

has been completely removed. Activision released the modified game in Australia on April 23, 2008. The original version was placed on the index of Germany's

Federal Department for Media Harmful to Young Persons The Federal Agency for Child and Youth Protection in the Media ( or ''BzKJ''), until 2021 "Federal Review Board for Media Harmful to Young Persons" ( or ''BPjM''), is an upper-level German federal agency and youth protection panel subordinate ...

(BPjM) even before it was officially released in the country. It was subsequently banned nationwide. A censored version was briefly listed on

Steam Steam is water vapor, often mixed with air or an aerosol of liquid water droplets. This may occur due to evaporation or due to boiling, where heat is applied until water reaches the enthalpy of vaporization. Saturated or superheated steam is inv ...

. ''Soldier of Fortune: Payback'' was also banned in Iraq due to its high level of violence.

References

External links

* {{Soldier of Fortune series 2007 video games Activision games Cauldron (company) games Censored video games First-person shooters PlayStation 3 games Video game sequels Magazine-branded video games Video games developed in Slovakia Video games set in Afghanistan Video games set in Iraq Video games set in Myanmar Video games set in South Africa Video games set in Ukraine Video games using Havok Windows games Xbox 360 games Multiplayer and single-player video games