{{more citations needed|date=October 2016}} {{Short description|1997 video game}} {{Infobox video game | title = Final Liberation | image = Warhammer40k FinalLiberation CoverArt.jpg | developer = Holistic Design | publisher = Strategic Simulations | director = Andrew Greenberg<br>Ken Lightner | producer = John Eberhardt | programmer = Ken Lightner | artist = Brian Mead | composer = The Samsara Project | series = ''Warhammer 40,000'' | released = November 20, 1997<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.pcgamer.com/news/news-1997-11-17.html|title=Now Shipping|author=Staff|date=November 17, 1997|magazine=PC Gamer|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980218070402/http://www.pcgamer.com/news/news-1997-11-17.html|archive-date=February 18, 1998|url-status=dead|access-date=December 6, 2019}}<br>'''Now Shipping''': "Warhammmer 40K: Liberation..."</ref> | genre = Turn-based tactics | modes = Single-player, multiplayer | platforms = Microsoft Windows }}
'''''Final Liberation''''' is a turn-based tactics video game released for Microsoft Windows in 1997, and re-released on GOG.com in 2015 and Steam in 2026. The game is best known as the first video game based on ''Epic'', a table-top wargame set in the fictional ''Warhammer 40,000'' universe. The game borrows heavily in terms of rules and style from the table-top game in an attempt to recreate the table-top experience on a computer as opposed to using the setting as a backdrop for different genres of videogames.
==Gameplay== The game features two modes, campaign and skirmish. In the campaign mode, the player works through a series of linked games to eradicate the Ork presence on the planet Volistad. The recruitment of new units has an experience point system attached, meaning newly recruited units are less effective than seasoned veterans. The campaign mode is only single-player, and only the Imperium of Man is available to the player. In the Skirmish mode, the player can set up a battle which pits the player against an array of computer or human-controlled opponents via a hot-seat mode, or network play over a local network or the Internet. Such battles can be played on maps ranging in size from vast to small.{{citation needed|date=December 2012}} Unlike the campaign, Orks are fully playable in this mode.
Each battle in the game operates a turned based system where players carry out all actions for all of their available units, or where players take alternate turns acting with one unit at a time.
The campaign features a non-linear story line where the player controls the Imperial forces to liberate the planet of Volistad<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gog.com/game/final_liberation_warhammer_epic_40000|title = Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000}}</ref> from Ork raiders. The territory controlled at each stage determines the points available for the replacement and repair of units.
Unit and formation selection plays a large part of the campaign mode of the game. Both sides, the Orks and the Imperium, are presented with a wide variety of units. These units include a large selection of infantry, ground vehicles (tanks, armoured personnel carriers, and artillery) and aircraft drawn from the Warhammer 40,000 universe. Winning certain maps gives access to specialist units such as superheavy tanks or Titans.
The game also includes live action cutscenes mixed with CGI.
==Reception== {{Video game reviews | CGW = 4/5<ref name=cgw>{{cite magazine | author=Carter, Tim | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816005459/http://www.gamespot.com/strategy/finallib/review_cgw.html | url=http://www.gamespot.com:80/strategy/finallib/review_cgw.html | magazine=Computer Gaming World | archivedate=August 16, 2000 | title=''Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000'' | date=January 16, 1998 | url-status=dead }}</ref> | PCGUS = 86%<ref name=pcgamerus>{{cite journal | author=McDonald, T. Liam | journal=PC Gamer US | url=http://www.pcgamer.com:80/reviews/436.html | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20000226170345/http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/436.html | archivedate=February 26, 2000 | title=''Final Liberation: Warhammer Epic 40,000'' | date=February 1998 | url-status=dead }}</ref> | rev1 = ''Computer Games Strategy Plus'' | rev1Score = 3.5/5<ref name=cgm>{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20050219002111/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/009/056/final_liberation_review.html |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/009/056/final_liberation_review.html |title=''Final Liberation'' |author=Thé, Phil |work=Computer Games Strategy Plus |archivedate=February 19, 2005 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
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''PC Gamer US''{{'}}s T. Liam McDonald wrote, "''Final Liberation'' is a fun, tactically challenging game that faithfully captures the ''Warhammer'' system for the first time on PC." Although he criticized its graphics, he concluded that "computer gaming finally has a game worthy of the ''Warhammer'' name."<ref name=pcgamerus /> In ''Computer Gaming World'', Tim Carter echoed McDonald's criticism of the graphics, calling ''Final Liberation'' "perhaps the ugliest game I have seen in ages." However, he enjoyed the game, and summarized, "Other than better graphics, what more could you ask for?"<ref name=cgw />
Phil Thé of ''Computer Games Strategy Plus'' felt that the game contained "quirks and idiosyncrasies", criticizing its artificial intelligence, interface and full motion video cutscenes. However, he concluded, "If you're a ''40K'' fan, you're probably going to buy this game; if you're not, perhaps you should."<ref name=cgm />
''Final Liberation'' was a runner-up for GameSpot's 1997 "Best Cinematics" award, which went to ''The Curse of Monkey Island''. The editors wrote, "SSI's conversion of the popular science fiction tabletop war game packs a special surprise: full-motion-video cinematics to rival those of the biggest-budgeted game release you could think of."<ref name=gamespot1997>{{cite web |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20010208121409/http://www.gamespot.com/features/awards97/cont.html |url=http://www.gamespot.com:80/features/awards97/cont.html |title=Best & Worst Awards 1997 |author=Staff |work=GameSpot |archivedate=February 8, 2001 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 16, 2019 }}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20000311202607/http://www.holistic-design.com/CompGame/FinalLib.htm Official page] (archived) * {{moby game|id=/final-liberation-warhammer-epic-40000}}
{{Holistic Design}} {{Warhammer 40,000}} {{Games Workshop}}
Category:1997 video games Category:Computer wargames Category:Holistic Design games Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games Category:Turn-based tactics video games Category:Video games about mecha Category:Video games developed in the United States Final Liberation Category:Windows games Category:Windows-only games