Freeman: Guerrilla Warfare was "extremely Mount & Bladey" when Chris tried it out in 2018, and it doesn't sound like that's changed during its stint in Early Access. It came out for good yesterday, and it remains a blend of first-person shooting and overhead strategy, with a healthy pinch of faction management mixed in.
You play the leader of a warring faction, and you're broke. You must make money, loot villages and fight bandits while recruiting soldiers, eventually building up a big enough army to take on your rival groups. Moment-to-moment, Freeman is a mix of long-distance firefights—you'll need a scope to really stand a chance—and strategic planning on a world map.
You'll fight in a squad of AI soldiers (there's no multiplayer at the moment), but you'll also be commanding other squads in real time. It's not something you can play absentmindedly, then, but if you're a fan of both genres it might be your bag, because there aren't many games that try to blend the two.
Fans of Mount & Blade might find something to like as well. "When I begin playing, the simple world map shows towns and roads, and I wander around represented by a single soldier with a little number next to me displaying the size of my hired forces," Chris wrote when he played it. "Other factions, plus groups of bandits and looters, stroll around the map too, though not entirely in real time: when I stop moving, they stop as well. As in M&B, you can visit towns to trade, recruit, rest (in this case, by visiting a hospital to heal), or to attempt a hostile takeover."
It accrued "very positive" reviews over Early Access, but the more recent reviews, for what they're worth, are "mixed", with many negative reviewers citing bugs and crashes. Let's hope any that remain are ironed out soon, because the concept is certainly appealing.
You can buy it for $15/£11.39 on Steam or GOG. The price was due to increase today, so don't be surprised if it's more expensive by the time you look.
Thanks, RPS.