CrossFire (video game)

CrossFire is an online tactical first person shooter for PC by South Korean developer SmileGate. Neowiz is the Korean publisher of Cross Fire Korea, and deals with SmileGate directly. All other publishers must go through Neowiz to get to the developers. The game was released in China by Tencent, with Tencent as the exclusive agent service company. Tencent operates the game through the internet, with service areas covered and the networks supported by China Telecom and China Netcom. The tests for its software bugs were started publicly on April 2008.^[1]

CrossFire generated over $4.5 billion revenue since 2007.^[2] It has 50 million active users,^[3] with a peak concurrent users of over 4 million.^[4]

Overview

CrossFire is a first-person shooter that features two mercenary corporations named the "Black List" and "Global Risk," fighting each other in an epic global conflict. Players assume the role of either a Black List or Global Risk mercenary, joining an online team that must work together to complete objective-based scenarios. With the exception of the Zombie mode and Wave mode, each mode can support a maximum of 16 players (except Wave mode), each divided into an 8-man team (5 for Wave mode).

There are more than ten online modes: Team Death Match, Search and Destroy, Elimination Match, Ghost Mode, Free-For-All, Mutation Mode, Escape Mode, Hero Mode, Hero Mode X, Zombie mode, Elite mode, Wave Mode, Shadow Mode, Biochemical Knight Mode, Ghosts vs Mutants, RPG/Melee Mode, Soccer Mode, Light Mode, and Super Soldiers TD.

Based on their performance in-game, players will receive experience points and be promoted through various Military Ranks. The lowest rank is trainee first class, the highest is Marshall. Players also have the ability to customize their character's equipment and appearance through CrossFire's in-game item shop and from the Mall in the website.

CrossFire is free to download and playable online. It has a free currency which is called Game Points (GP), which are earned through playing and completing matches, buying premium items that grant bonus GP, or fulfilling certain missions. Premium and special items like modified weapons can only be bought using points which are obtained using real money in the form of cards or online transactions. The content and the name of the points tends to vary from version to version.

Modes of play

Crossfire features several game modes, each with unique maps and rules.^[5][6]

• Team Deathmatch: Players must work together as a team to kill the enemies a designated number of times, or get more kills in a designated time limit. Depending on the map chosen, players will either re-spawn in their base area or a random area. The host may set a certain number of kills to be reached. There are five different amounts one can choose from (40 kills, 60 kills, 80 Kills, 100 Kills and 150 kills). The host may also chose a time limit on the game (5 minutes, 8 minutes, 10 mins, 12 mins) and restrict weapons to either snipers, shotguns or melee weapons only. When the time ends, the team with the most kills wins. There are also some maps that only allow 1 weapon type (The "Prison" map for example, only allows sniper-type weapons by default). For Team Deathmatch, there is also an option to choose Headshot Mode. All weapons are allowed in Headshot Mode, except for throwing weapons such as grenades. In this mode, only headshots deal damage. Thus, it is only possible to kill opponents with headshots.
• Search & Destroy: Black List's objective is to plant a C4 charge in one of two areas in the map and either wait for the charge to detonate or kill all of the Global Risk players within the time limit. Global Risk's objective is to eliminate all Black List players defuse the bomb if it is ever planted or alternatively, prevent Black List form planting the bomb within the match's time limit. Players here do not respawn after being killed while the round is still going. Rounds last up to 3 minutes.
• Elimination: Similar to team death match only players don't respawn when killed, and it runs on a basis of rounds instead of kills and a time limit. In some maps, players start only with their melee weapons and must pick up guns pre-set in the map. Rounds last up to three minutes. If the timer runs out and there are still players from both team alive, the Global Risk side wins.
• Ghost Mode: Similar to the objectives of S&D but all Black List mercenaries are cloaked in invisibility but are only armed with their melee weapons, while all Global Risk mercenaries are fully visible, but can use all available weapons. Global Risk can locate invisible Black List when in their vicinity as they emit a heavy breathing sound, footsteps, splashes while running through water, and also become significantly visible while moving.
• Free for All: A mode where there are no teams with the objective to simply kill as many players as possible. Players constantly re-spawn at different locations. The round ends when a player reaches the kill quota for the match or the timer runs out. Weapon restrictions to only snipers, pistols, or melee weapons are also available in this game mode.
• Mutation Mode: One or two players are infected and turned into mutants 20 seconds into the round. An infected mutant will begin with 4000–6000 HP. When a person is hit or attacked by a mutant, they become a mutant with 2000–3000 HP. Players can evolve through mutating other players or absorbing dead mutants, which increases max HP and have an special ability. When the time is up or all mutants are dead, the soldiers win. If all the soldiers become mutants or die, the mutants win. Mutants are flung backwards when shot. Mutation Mode for the US, Canada and UK was released on 12 February and differs slightly from the other versions. Instead of the default "Red Zombie" (Dread, which must be bought), players start with the "Green Zombie" (Slug) which must be bought on other versions.
• Escape Mode: A game mode where Black List team must "escape" through a portal a certain number of times while the Global Risk team tries to prevent them. There are walls and doors that can be destroyed to make the escaping team's job easier or is a requirement to escape, at half time the teams switch sides (if the team finishes escaping early, then they immediately switch sides. If they don't complete their goal, then the other team only has to finish what the other team started).
• Hero Mode: The game plays mostly like Mutation mode, but features a "Hero" character. 20 seconds into the round, one to three players randomly will become mutants and one will become the "Hero". Hero's main weapon is an FN FAL with a grenade launcher with plenty of ammunition and also can take two hits from a mutant before turning. The downside to being the hero is that they cannot hide effectively like regular teammates as there is constantly a marker named "hero" above him, which can be seen by everyone. A mutant taking damage to a certain amount of HP will acquire Rage which not only counts for an evolution stage but leads to different level of evolutions. Also, mutants here will continue to respawn when killed unless they are killed with a headshot. The game ends when either the soldiers survive until the round ends or they are all turned into mutants.
• Zombie Mode/Zombie Apocalypse/Zombie Land Mode: A drastically new game mode that involves AI, rather than players, as opponents that pits 4 players in a Zombie Apocalypse-esque scenario. Zombie Apocalypse consists of a team of four Global Risk mercenaries trying to survive a fixed amount of rounds with a boss at the final round. The enemies featured in the game are a variety of "zombified" Black List mercenaries and mutants, each kind having their own unique characteristic (The "sprinter" for example could run rather than stagger like regular zombies, while OMOH, SAS, and SWAT zombies could use guns to attack the player from range). Also, along with the usual GP and EXP reward at the end of the game, each player is rewarded with a box that contains two or three random items. What kind of box they will receive depends on their score at the end of the game and the higher, the better the items. The game ends once the players survive through the rounds and kill the final boss in the map or if all the players are killed and cannot respawn.
• Hero Mode X: The newest iteration of the Hero mode. Much like HM, random players are turned into mutants after 20 seconds and one of them is chosen to be the "Terminator" (Also called the "Xeno" in the N/A and European release) which has 6000 HP and can infect players with ranged lightning bolt attacks, making it a rather daunting foe for soldiers. Also, unlike in HM, mutants can only be prevented from respawning by being killed with a melee attack rather than a headshot. In this mode, mutants lose life extremely quickly as the starting damage multiplier is 250× the power. The premise of this mode is that once only 2-3 players are left, they are turned into Commandos, which cannot be infected like regular soldiers and possess dual Kukri knives, which does massive damage to mutants and prevent them from respawning altogether. The round ends either with all players infected/killed or if all the mutants are killed and cannot respawn. The new Hero Mode X expansion gave several new maps, replacing the "Xeno" mutant as "Havoc", and Commandos as Rangers.
• Elite/Bounty Mode: This mode is the first with given money and battle results, similar to the concept of Counter Strike. When the battle begins, players can only use the pistol equipped in their inventory and must buy other weapons using their cash. Cash can be gained by killing opponents or planting/defusing the bomb. This mode is like S&D Pro.

• Wave Mode: This is a new 5v5 or 4v4 team based mode. Both teams must destroy the opposition's defense towers in order to reach the base, which has two "Last defense tower" guarding it, players must destroy those two towers to start damaging the base (clearance of all side towers is not needed). This is the first mode where you can pick a class (Demolition, Juggernaut, Medic, Marksman, Blaster/Golden Blaster, Hunter, Panther, Shock/Golden Shock, Shield, Fuzzy, Commander) before joining the room. Each class is different and has its own unique skills. This mode also introduces NPCs, airstrikes, mortar bombs, energy transmitters and Class Upgrade/Enchantment System. The Room Key holder can toggle Team Balance (Players get to be auto-selected evenly according to the player's level) on or off in this game mode.
• Shadow Mode: This is a simple extension to the popular Ghost Mode, just like Hero Mode. Instead of being a ghost, a player becomes a Shadow warrior which is an advanced ghost character. This mode introduces security devices such as Sensors, Lasers and Sprinklers to track down the Shadow warriors. In this map, there are certain part of the floors which are covered with different textures (including broken glass) that will make more noise than others, making it easier for the Global Risk to hear the Black List movements.
• Ghost vs Mutants: An extension to Hero Mode X that uses the same mechanics as Hero Mode X, but with a few tweaks. Soldiers are now Ghosts, invisible when not moving and equipped with melees only. They also give a loud breath sound like Shadow Mode. Ghosts have a points gauge, which fills up automatically overtime. It will fill up faster if Ghosts are moving. Havoc/Grand Terminator stays the same, but is now unable to see Mercenary's locations.
• Soccer Mode: An extension to Team Deathmatch. The only map that currently supports this is Stadium. Players are equipped with melees over, and each team has a goal net. At the start of each 'round', the soccer ball is set in the middle. Players try and attempt to get the ball into the goal. Whoever touches the ball picks it up. The ball drops when the carrier dies. You can shoot the ball with G (default key). Melee kills still count as points, but goals obtain you 3 'kills'.
• RPG/Melee Mode: Another extension to Team Deathmatch. The mode is currently only supports the map Arena and Redeye. Players are equipped with Melees only, and start the game with an RPG. RPGs travel slowly (crouching speed), but deals massive damage. Players will not receive an RPG when respawned if the RPG is still in action on the battlefield. Ally Bazooka missiles will leave a white trail, while enemy bazooka missiles leave a red trail.
• Super Soldiers TDM: A combination of Team Deathmatch and Wave Mode. Currently the only map this mode can be played on is Airbase. Players are able to equip classes into bags they have available, giving the ability to change classes during the middle of the game without leaving. Players level up as time passes by. Unlike Wave Mode, this mode consists of only human players and no NPCs of any sort.
• CrossFire has added modes such as Biochemical Knight, which is an advanced version of Hero Mode X.

Weapons

Crossfire features a wide arsenal of weapons based on real life models, each separated into eight categories, some of the examples are:

• Machine guns, including the M60, Colt M16A3 LMG, RPK, M249 MINIMI, and Gatling Gun.
• Assault Rifles, including the M4A1, M16, AK-47, AK-74, Steyr AUG, SCAR-Light, XM8, and FN-F2000.
• Submachine guns, including the MP5, MP7, TDI Vector, SM-2 Veresk, and Uzi.
• Sniper rifles, including the DSR-1, AWM, Dragunov, TRG-21, and m700.
• Pistols, including the M9, Mauser M1896, Desert Eagle, and Anaconda.
• Shotguns, including the M37 Stakeout, SPAS-12, KSG-15 XM1014, and Armsel Striker.
• Melee, including an Combat Axe, Knife, Kukri, Kris, and field Shovel.
• Grenades, including different types of grenades e.g. Kiss grenade (fictional), Wide grenade, and H.E. Grenade.

Each category is functionally similar to their real world descriptions with their own strengths and weaknesses (Ex. Machine guns are powerful and capable of laying down heavy fire but suffer from heavy weight and long reload times, Submachine guns are lighter and fire faster but deal less damage, Shotguns are highly effective in close range but ineffective at long distance, etc.) Weapons often have many variations, including different skins which give them different attributes. In addition, the re-skinned versions are often more rare. For example, the M4A1 Custom features a more accurate, lighter gun with a scope, silencer, and 5 more bullets of ammunition.

Characters

Characters are the avatar of players and is what they will look like while playing in the game. A note is that while all characters are visually unique from each other, they are all functionally the same with no real advantages or disadvantages from each other in terms of stats, apart from a few limited-edition characters who are, for example; able to see better through smoke or reduces the visual incapacitating effects of flash bang grenades.

The characters featured in Crossfire is a combination of both real and fictional Special Forces groups. The real groups featured are: The Russian OMOH, the LAPD SWAT, the British SAS, the German GSG9, the Korean 707th Special Mission Unit, the United Nations Special Forces, and the American Navy SEALs. Each character also has both a Black List and Global Risk variant. Some characters are bought with GP, while some are bought with premium currency.

There are also mutant characters for the Mutation/Hero modes, which unlike regular game characters, each have unique abilities and appearances.

Different versions of CrossFire

CrossFire was released by different publishers worldwide. These are the countries that Crossfire was released in:

References

External links

• (English)CrossFire NA/UK
• (English)CrossFire Europe
• (English)CrossFire Philippines
• (English) CrossFire South East Asia
• (Chinese (Taiwan))CrossFire Taiwan
• (simplified Chinese)CrossFire China
• (Indonesian)CrossFire Indonesia
• (Japanese)CrossFire Japan
• (Korean)CrossFire Korea
• (Portuguese)CrossFire Brasil
• (Spanish)CrossFire Spanish
• (Russian)CrossFire Russia
• (Vietnamese)CrossFire Vietnam