Stepping outside the more common realms of fantasy and science fiction, developer Irrational Games ventured into the intriguing but seldom attempted domain of superheroes to find the foundation for its 2002 release, Freedom Force. Specifically, the title derived its thematic and graphical inspiration from the 1960s and the so-called Silver Age comics. Effectively capturing the look and feel of these core influences, it melded elements of squad-based strategy and RPG-style character development together with a well-crafted, solidly written story that provided the opportunity to play a diverse selection of characters that ranged from the fiery El Diablo to the enigmatic Alche-Miss, the brusque Man O' War, the patriotic Minuteman, the diminutive Ant, the explosive ManBot and more. The game was very positively received, even garnering a number of year-end awards and nominations despite the disadvantage of having shipped in March.