Frontline Commando 2 for iPhone

Quick summary and concept

Duck, duck, shoot — Frontline Commando 2 is a cover-based third-person shooter for iOS that keeps you pinned behind obstacles while you mow down enemy forces, avoid incoming fire from helicopters, and try to get through each tightly scripted encounter. The basic loop is simple: take cover, pop out to aim, eliminate the opposition, and move on to the next stage.

Core gameplay loop

This is a straightforward duck-and-cover shooter where your movement is largely limited to shifting between nearby pieces of cover. Once every hostile in a stage has been neutralized, the mission ends. Along the way you’ll save and recruit allies who will accompany you in subsequent missions, though your direct control over them is intentionally minimal.

Weapons and upgrades

You get access to a familiar arsenal that can be upgraded in the in-game shop. Common weapon types include:

• Sniper rifles (useful for picking off distant targets)
• Submachine guns (better for close-to-medium firefights)
• Shotguns (devastating up close)

Upgrading weapons makes a big difference, and while you can improve gear without spending real money, progression without purchases can be very slow. The gap becomes especially apparent in higher-difficulty missions.

Squad abilities and support

Teammates contribute passive help and have special skills you can trigger, for example:

• Healing abilities to restore squad health
• Grenade attacks that clear clusters of enemies

Limiting direct micromanagement of allies actually keeps the focus on shooting and positioning instead of juggling orders.

Controls and interface

Controls are well thought out for touch devices. A recommended setup is one thumb on either side of the screen:

• Right-side controls: swap weapons, take cover, fire the weapon, and change cover positions
• Left-side controls: aim and activate teammate abilities

Certain weapons, like snipers, add an extra zoom control on the left. Despite the number of on-screen buttons, the interface generally feels responsive and avoids accidental presses.

Multiplayer face-offs

A player-versus-player mode becomes available after you defeat the first boss in single-player. You bring the squad you developed through the campaign and face another player’s team. Matches can be intense as you time your squad abilities while aiming, but paywalled upgrades give a distinct advantage to players who spend money.

Visuals and sound

The character models and close-up detail, especially visible when scoped in, are well executed. Environmental variety starts strong, but many maps are reused, which reduces visual freshness over time. Audio is solid — explosions rumble and gunshots carry impact — helping the action feel more convincing.

Final assessment: fun hindered by monetization

Mechanics and presentation are competent, but the game's frequent nudges to buy upgrades undermine the experience. Frontline Commando 2 plays well and can be enjoyable for a while, yet its progression balance leans toward encouraging purchases to stay competitive in tougher missions and in PvP.