Free Running

Lore & Background

Free Running was originally due for release in 2005 but was delayed due to apathy from its original publisher, Eidos. The game was eventually published by Ubisoft, Reef Entertainment, and Graffiti Entertainment in 2007. A Nintendo DS version was planned but cancelled. The game's objective is to navigate an urban environment using climbing, leaping, wall-running, and other acrobatic maneuvers, earning points through combinations and mini-challenges such as checkpoint races.

Reader's Guide

Free Running received 'mixed' reviews on all platforms according to Metacritic. Eurogamer criticized the PlayStation 2 version's stiff controls and camera, which led to unease in performing tricks and combinations. The game did not compare favorably to the fluid movement in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Crackdown, which were deemed better freerunning games. The Wii port could be played with either the Wii Remote and Nunchuk or the Classic Controller. Sébastien Foucan, the inventor of freerunning, appears as a mentor in the PlayStation 2 version's tutorial but was removed in later ports. The game's significance lies in its attempt to translate freerunning into a video game format, though it was overshadowed by more fluid titles.

Did You Know?

• The game was originally due for release in 2005 but was delayed due to apathy from its original publisher, Eidos.
• A Nintendo DS version was planned but cancelled.
• Sébastien Foucan, a co-founder of freerunning, guides the player through the tutorial in the PlayStation 2 and PlayStation Portable versions, but does not appear in the Wii version.
• The Wii port can be played with either the Wii Remote and Nunchuk or the Classic Controller.