SWAT: Target Liberty

Last updated: January 22, 2026

Overview

SWAT: Target Liberty is a third-person tactical shooter developed by 3G Studios and published by Sierra Entertainment exclusively for the PlayStation Portable in October 2007.¹ The game represents a significant departure from the first-person perspective of its PC predecessors, adopting an isometric top-down view similar to Killzone: Liberation to better accommodate the handheld platform’s controls and screen limitations.² Players take command of SWAT Element Leader Kurt Wolfe as he leads his team through a series of missions across New York City, confronting gang violence and ultimately uncovering a terrorist plot that threatens nuclear devastation.³

As the first SWAT game released on a handheld platform, Target Liberty attempted to bring the franchise’s trademark tactical gameplay to portable gaming while maintaining core series values like less-than-lethal weapons and suspect restraint.⁴ The game was marketed as “the most authentic and realistic squad-based tactical combat shooter available for the PSP handheld system,” featuring randomized AI placement, team development mechanics, and ad-hoc multiplayer functionality.⁵ Development was overseen with consultation from Ken Thatcher, a 29-year Los Angeles SWAT veteran, to ensure tactical authenticity.⁶

Despite its ambitious premise and pedigree, SWAT: Target Liberty received a lukewarm critical reception, earning a Metacritic score of 50/100.¹ Critics praised the game’s variety of door-entry techniques and tactical options while criticizing repetitive gameplay, poor ally AI, and an overly slow pace.⁷ The game’s storyline, written by Scott Rosenbaum of television’s “The Shield,” was criticized for its absurdity despite attempting to ground the action in realistic SWAT procedures.⁸

Game Info

Developer: 3G Studios¹ Designer: Paul Pawlicki⁴ Publisher: Sierra Entertainment / Vivendi Games¹ Engine: Proprietary Platforms: PlayStation Portable¹ Release Year: 2007 Series: Police Quest/SWAT Protagonist: Kurt Wolfe Sierra Lineage: Late Sierra

Story Summary

The story takes place in New York City, where a Korean Triad gang is terrorizing the city, attacking citizens in broad daylight and conducting bold robberies in front of hundreds of witnesses.⁹ SWAT officer Kurt Wolfe is initially assigned to take down renewed Asian gang violence led by ethnic Korean-Americans, working to restore order amid a brutal conflict between rival Korean gangs known as the Jopoks and Gangpehs.¹⁰ The early missions establish Wolfe and his team as they navigate the dangerous streets and subways of New York, attempting to contain the escalating violence.¹¹

As Wolfe and his team delve deeper into the investigation, they discover that the gang war is merely a smokescreen for something far more sinister. Terrorist forces, including a group known as the “Hammer of God,” are planning to detonate a nuclear weapon on American soil and pin the blame on the North Korean government.¹² This conspiracy threatens to drive the United States to the brink of a worldwide nuclear conflict, forcing SWAT to expand their operations beyond simple law enforcement into counter-terrorism.³

The narrative takes players through iconic New York City locations including Central Park and Grand Central Station as Wolfe races against time to uncover the full extent of the terrorist plot.¹³ Along the way, players interact with various characters and make tactical decisions about how to handle suspects—whether to use lethal force or attempt to subdue and restrain them for interrogation.⁴ The story culminates in Wolfe and his team working to prevent the nuclear disaster and bring those responsible to justice, though critics noted the plot often veered into implausibility.⁷

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

SWAT: Target Liberty employs an isometric diagonal-down perspective rather than the first-person view of its PC predecessors, a design decision made to accommodate the PSP’s limited controls and screen size.¹⁴ The game controls are simplified compared to the PC SWAT titles, with players able to perform tactical actions using intuitive button combinations.¹⁵ Movement is controlled with the analog stick while various face buttons handle actions like shooting, taking cover, and issuing commands to squad members.¹⁰

The game includes a unique first-person sniper view that activates at certain points, allowing players to pick off distant threats. However, critics noted that “given the overhead perspective’s limited field of vision, it was disorienting to suddenly shift to a first-person view of something that had been offscreen a second ago.”² Players can access a cheat code entry screen by pausing the game and holding L + R + Triangle + Left, which unlocks various gameplay modifications including invincibility and infinite ammunition.¹⁶

Structure and Progression

Players take command of Officer Kurt Wolfe and can select two additional SWAT team members to accompany them on every mission.¹ Before each operation, players choose their squadmates from a roster of officers with distinct nicknames including “Hollywood,” “Python,” “Subway,” and “Gramps,” each possessing unique qualities and stats.¹⁷ These team members can be assigned to “Blue” and “Red” teams for tactical purposes during missions.¹²

Each SWAT member is unique and has their own set of qualities and stats that may be upgraded after each level, including skills like accuracy, observation, and interrogation ability.¹⁸ The experience system rewards players for subduing enemies rather than killing them, encouraging tactical restraint over lethal force.¹⁷ Completing missions cleanly—by restraining suspects and rescuing hostages without casualties—earns bonus team points that can be spent on upgrades.⁵

The main campaign can be completed in approximately 5-6 hours, with some sources indicating up to 7 hours for the main story and 11 hours for completionists.¹⁹ Critics noted that “the game itself is not especially hard, so you’ll find yourself breezing through most of the levels without even losing a guy.”¹¹

Puzzles and Mechanics

The core gameplay revolves around tactical room clearing and suspect management. “It’s usually a good idea to at least try ordering the bad guys to surrender—sometimes they’ll actually lay down their arms, enabling you to cuff them and pocket a nice bonus at mission’s end for doing things by the book.”² This mechanic represents the game’s attempt to maintain SWAT’s traditional emphasis on procedure over pure action.⁴

Door entry is perhaps the most developed mechanical system in the game. “Without question, opening doors with style is SWAT’s forte,” with players having access to multiple entry techniques including using mirrors to peek inside, deploying C2 explosives for breaching, and throwing flash grenades to disorient enemies.²⁰ Players must assess each situation and choose the appropriate method based on the threat level and objectives.²⁰

Missions involve rescuing hostages, eliminating or restraining terrorists, disarming bombs, and occasionally hacking electronic devices.²¹ The game features randomized AI placement, meaning enemy positions change between playthroughs to encourage tactical adaptation rather than memorization.⁵ A random killhouse generator extends replayability by creating procedural combat scenarios, and players can even create their own multiplayer maps.⁹

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

SWAT: Target Liberty received mixed to negative reviews upon release, with critics acknowledging its ambitions while criticizing its execution. GameSpot awarded the game 5.5/10, with Kevin VanOrd declaring it “too short, too tedious, and too absurd to take seriously” and calling it “a generic shooter that is neither tactical nor especially action-packed.”⁷ IGN’s Sam Bishop gave it 4.5/10, lamenting that “I can’t help but feel like there’s a good game somewhere in Target Liberty, but there’s so much that’s working against the overall experience.”¹⁷

Eurogamer was particularly harsh, scoring the game 4/10 and stating: “Boot up this game and you too can journey back, way back, to a time when it was okay for videogame characters to be implausibly stupid… Unless you live in 1992, this game is highly likely to disappoint.”²² GamePro’s Spenser Hall noted that “though the tactical isometric shooting game shows a lot of promise, ultimately the allied AI and some control issues hold it back from truly shining,” concluding that “Target Liberty will only serve to frustrate even the most die hard of tactical shooter fans.”²³

GameZone awarded 5.0/10, with Natalie Romano writing that “SWAT: Target Liberty for the PSP could have been a really great game since it does have all the right elements in place but with so many faults this is more an exercise in frustration.”¹⁰ Game Informer gave 5/10 and declared that “Target Liberty should receive a citation for roughing up the prestigious SWAT franchise.”²⁴ VideoGamer’s Will Freeman scored it 5/10, observing that “SWAT on the PSP is in fact a game of slow methodical progress and tentative gunplay” and that “while it is hard to hate the first outing for SWAT on the PSP, enthusiasm towards this mediocre release is hard to muster.”²⁵

Defunct Games gave 57%, with Cyril Lachel criticizing the game as “a messy game full of small graphics, a boring story and repetitive action” where “the pace of this game is unbearably slow.”¹¹ GameSpy’s Cameron Lewis was similarly disappointed, noting “nobody said being a cop was easy, but surely it should be more fun than a dreary hike through a glorified dungeon crawl.”²⁶ Pocket Gamer UK suggested that “instead of setting its sights on liberty, the game should have perhaps concerned itself with offering a more engaging experience.”⁶

Modern Assessment

In the years since release, SWAT: Target Liberty has developed a small cult following among PSP enthusiasts, with some Reddit users declaring it “a hidden gem of a tactical shooter.”²⁷ However, this remains a minority opinion, and the game is generally remembered as a disappointing entry in the SWAT franchise.²⁵

Aggregate Scores:

• Metacritic: 50/100¹
• MobyGames Critics: 46%⁹
• GameFAQs: “Good” (29 ratings)⁸
• Amazon: 3.9/5 (15 global ratings)⁵
• IMDB: 6.3/10²⁸
• GamePressure Users: 6.4/10³

Development

Origins

SWAT: Target Liberty emerged from Vivendi Games’ desire to expand the established SWAT franchise to handheld platforms. Development was entrusted to 3G Studios, an independent AAA developer with experience in mobile, console, and social games.²⁹ The project represented the first time the SWAT series would appear on a handheld system, requiring significant adaptation of the franchise’s core gameplay mechanics.¹⁴

The decision to abandon the series’ traditional first-person perspective for an isometric view was deliberate. Designer Paul Pawlicki explained the philosophy: “We tried to keep the core SWAT values intact, like Less-than-Lethal weapons and restraining suspects, while providing a storyline and settings that allow for a few more gunfights.”⁴ The team looked to Killzone: Liberation as a model for how to translate tactical shooter gameplay to the PSP’s overhead perspective.²

Production

To ensure tactical authenticity, Vivendi Games brought in Ken Thatcher, a 29-year veteran of the Los Angeles SWAT team, as a consultant.⁶ Thatcher’s expertise informed the game’s depiction of close-quarters combat techniques, equipment loadouts, and tactical procedures. The development team worked to balance realism with accessibility, creating what they hoped would be an authentic yet enjoyable portable experience.⁶

The storyline was written by Scott Rosenbaum, known for his work on the acclaimed television series “The Shield.”⁸ This collaboration aimed to bring gritty, procedural crime drama sensibilities to the game’s narrative, though the final product received criticism for veering into implausible territory.⁷ The game’s New York City setting allowed for recognizable locations like Central Park and Grand Central Station to serve as mission environments.¹³

Development Credits:⁹

• Lead Programmer: Andrew Wright
• Art Director: Ryan Cullins
• Consultant: Ken Thatcher (29-year Los Angeles SWAT veteran)
• Writer: Scott Rosenbaum (The Shield)
• Total Credits: 143

Technical Achievements

The game featured several technical innovations designed to enhance replayability on the portable platform. The randomized AI placement system meant that enemy positions would differ between playthroughs, preventing players from simply memorizing patrol routes.⁵ A random killhouse generator created procedural combat scenarios for additional challenge, and the ability for players to create their own multiplayer maps extended the game’s longevity.⁹

The ad-hoc multiplayer supported up to four players in various cooperative and competitive modes, including escort missions, terrorist elimination, and VIP protection scenarios.⁴ Multiplayer maps could be generated procedurally, offering theoretically unlimited competitive content.⁸ The game also included unlockable FMV clips from actual SWAT training documentaries, providing real-world context for the tactical procedures depicted in gameplay.²⁰

Technical Specifications

UMD Version:⁹

• Media: UMD
• File Size: 553.57 MB¹⁸
• Perspective: Diagonal-down isometric
• Multiplayer: Ad-hoc wireless, up to 4 players¹⁰
• ESRB Rating: Teen (Blood, Language, Violence)⁹
• PEGI Rating: PEGI 16³⁰

Physical Specifications:⁵

• Dimensions: 6.75 x 4 x 0.5 inches
• Weight: 3.2 ounces

Cut Content

The development team originally explored a first-person perspective for the PSP version before determining that the overhead isometric view better suited the hardware.⁴ Early versions of the game were reportedly easier than the final release, with promised improvements to squad AI that would allow teammates to automatically take cover and return fire based on player-set rules of engagement.² The extent to which these AI improvements made it into the final product was questioned by reviewers who found the ally AI frustrating.²³

Version History

Version	Date	Platform	Region	Notes
1.0	October 16, 2007	PSP	North America	Initial release1
1.0	October 25, 2007	PSP	Australia	PAL release1
1.0	October 26, 2007	PSP	Europe	EU release1
PSN	Unknown	PSP/PSN	Various	Digital release31

Technical Issues

Critics consistently cited problematic ally AI as the game’s most significant technical shortcoming. IGN’s Sam Bishop colorfully described the issue: “Hey kids, here’s a fun fact for you: did you know that the Special Weapons and Tactics division of our boys in blue is composed of cross-eyed, paint-huffing, speed-walking half-wits that refuse to take orders?”¹⁷ Squad members would frequently fail to follow commands, break cover at inopportune moments, or walk directly into enemy fire.²³

The game’s targeting system received criticism for being “clunky,” and the camera perspective was deemed problematic by some reviewers who found the limited field of vision disorienting, particularly during transitions to the first-person sniper view.² The slow movement speed of characters was another common complaint, with critics noting that “the pace of this game is unbearably slow” for a handheld action title.¹¹

Easter Eggs and Trivia

• Cheat Codes: The game includes numerous cheat codes accessible by pausing and holding L + R + Triangle + Left to display the entry screen. Available cheats include invincibility for officers, players, and civilians; weapon access; infinite ammunition; and character visibility modifications.¹⁶
• Remixed Credits: A special “remixed credits” cheat is available as an easter egg.¹⁶
• Hard Mode: Completing the game on easy or medium difficulty unlocks hard mode.³²
• SWAT Training Videos: Real SWAT training documentary footage can be unlocked by completing missions, providing educational context for the game’s tactical procedures.²⁰
• Sierra Logo Variation: The game features a unique Sierra Entertainment logo intro with “a dark blue tinted camera static applied to the logo, to which the mountain forms far quicker than normal. The final result of the logo zooms in rather than fading in, and it begins to flicker, which soon causes the screen to flicker as well (with the fuzzy lines seen on Analog TV), and then it cuts to the opening movie.”³³
• Character Connection: The main character Kurt Wolfe was previously known as “Boss” in SWAT 4, establishing continuity with the PC predecessor.¹²

Voice Cast

Character	Voice Actor
SWAT Officer Steven “Gramps” Reynolds	S. Scott Bullock
Co-Pilot	Phil Carey
Nangung Seung	Brian Dobson
SWAT Officer Zack “Hollywood” Fields	Chris Edgerly
SWAT Team Leader	Justin Gross
SWAT Officer Tony “Subway” Girard	Nolan North
SWAT Officer Allen “Python” Jackson	Michael Ralph

Voice cast information compiled from IMDB.²⁸

Legacy

Sales and Commercial Impact

SWAT: Target Liberty performed poorly in commercial terms, with VGChartz estimating total worldwide sales of approximately 0.07 million units.³¹ The breakdown shows 0.03 million units sold in Japan and 0.04 million in other regions, with negligible sales recorded in North America and Europe specifically.³¹ The game’s disappointing commercial performance, combined with its weak critical reception, effectively ended the SWAT franchise’s presence on handheld platforms.

The game was published during a transitional period for Sierra Entertainment, which was operating under Vivendi Games before the company’s merger with Activision Blizzard in 2008.⁵ This corporate upheaval may have affected both the game’s marketing support and any potential for sequels or follow-up titles.

Collections

SWAT: Target Liberty was released as a standalone title and was not included in any major compilation releases. The game received a digital release on the PlayStation Network, making it accessible to PSP and PlayStation Vita owners through Sony’s digital storefront.³¹

Fan Projects

Due to the game’s niche platform and limited popularity, no significant fan remakes or modifications have emerged. The PSP homebrew community has not produced notable projects related to Target Liberty, likely due to the game’s mixed reception and the relatively small audience for tactical shooters on the platform.

Related Publications

No official strategy guide or hint book was published for SWAT: Target Liberty. The game included an instruction manual with the physical release covering basic controls and gameplay mechanics.⁵

Critical Perspective

SWAT: Target Liberty represents an interesting but flawed experiment in adapting a PC-centric tactical franchise for handheld gaming. The game arrived during a period when developers were still learning how to translate complex genres to the PSP’s unique constraints, and many of its shortcomings reflect the broader challenges of portable tactical gaming in that era.²⁵ The decision to shift from first-person to isometric perspective was reasonable given the hardware limitations, but the execution failed to capture the tension and procedural satisfaction that defined the PC SWAT titles.

The game’s legacy is largely one of missed potential. Critics consistently acknowledged that the foundation—tactical squad management, multiple entry techniques, less-than-lethal options—was sound, but poor ally AI, repetitive mission design, and pacing issues undermined the experience.¹⁷ As a historical artifact, Target Liberty demonstrates both the ambition of late-era Sierra Entertainment projects and the challenges of maintaining franchise identity across dramatically different platforms. It remains a curiosity for SWAT franchise completionists and PSP collectors, though its gameplay has not aged well enough to attract new players seeking hidden gems on the platform.²⁷

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

• PlayStation Store (PSP/Vita compatible) - availability varies by region

Download / Preservation

• Physical copies available through secondary market retailers

Manuals & Extras

• Original instruction manual included with physical release

Series Continuity

SWAT: Target Liberty is part of the long-running Police Quest/SWAT franchise that began with Sierra’s Police Quest series in 1987.⁸ While the PC SWAT games featured first-person tactical gameplay emphasizing procedure and realism, Target Liberty adapted the formula for portable play with its isometric perspective and streamlined controls.¹² The game’s protagonist, Kurt Wolfe, previously appeared as “Boss” in SWAT 4, establishing narrative continuity with the PC predecessor.¹²

The game was designed to stand alone while maintaining the tactical ethos of the franchise. Development was overseen with authentic SWAT consultation to preserve the series’ commitment to realistic law enforcement procedures, though the final product leaned more toward action than its PC counterparts.⁴ Target Liberty remains the only handheld entry in the SWAT franchise and, given its reception, represents the final original game in the series before Sierra’s eventual dissolution.

• Previous: 2005 - SWAT 4

References

Footnotes

1. Wikipedia – SWAT: Target Liberty – release dates, developer, publisher, Metacritic score, platforms ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸ ↩⁹ ↩¹⁰

2. GamesRadar – Hands-On Preview – perspective comparison to Killzone Liberation, gameplay mechanics, sniper view issues ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶

3. GamePressure – Game Overview – plot synopsis, user ratings, terrorist plot details ↩ ↩² ↩³

4. Gaming Nexus – Developer Interview – Paul Pawlicki quotes, core SWAT values, skill system ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

5. Amazon – Product Page – marketing description, customer reviews, physical specifications ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷ ↩⁸

6. Metacritic – Critic Reviews – Ken Thatcher consultation, Pocket Gamer quote, aggregate score ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

7. GameSpot – Review – Kevin VanOrd review, 5.5/10 score, multiplayer modes ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

8. GameFAQs – Game Page – Scott Rosenbaum credit, user ratings, game description ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

9. MobyGames – SWAT: Target Liberty – development credits, technical specifications, composers, Korean Triad description ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵ ↩⁶ ↩⁷

10. GameZone – Review (Archive) – Natalie Romano review, gang conflict details, multiplayer specs ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

11. Defunct Games – Review – Cyril Lachel review, 57% score, gameplay length, pacing criticism ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

12. TV Tropes – SWAT: Target Liberty – Kurt Wolfe/Boss connection, Hammer of God terrorists, team composition ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

13. VGChartz – Game Summary – New York locations, script writer, skill upgrade system ↩ ↩²

14. VideoGamer – Review – isometric perspective, first PSP SWAT game, Will Freeman review ↩ ↩²

15. Amazon – UK Import – VonShrender user review on simplified controls ↩

16. Cheat Code Central – cheat code access, available cheats, remixed credits easter egg ↩ ↩² ↩³

17. IGN – Review – Sam Bishop review, 4.5 score, squad member nicknames, AI criticism ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

18. ROMsPure – Game Info – file size, stat upgrades, download statistics ↩ ↩²

19. IGN – Game Page – game length estimates, top-down view description ↩

20. Games Asylum – Review – door entry techniques, SWAT training videos, tactical options ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

21. MobyGames – SWAT Elite Troops – mission types, gameplay description ↩

22. Eurogamer – Review – 4/10 score, AI stupidity criticism, dated design ↩

23. GamePro – Review (Archive) – Spenser Hall review, AI issues, experience system ↩ ↩² ↩³

24. Game Informer – Review (Archive) – Matt Bertz/Ben Reeves review, 5/10 score, franchise criticism ↩

25. VideoGamer – Review – Will Freeman quotes, 5/10 score, slow pace observation ↩ ↩² ↩³

26. GameSpy – Review (Archive) – Cameron Lewis review, “dungeon crawl” criticism ↩

27. Reddit – PSP Community – “hidden gem” user opinion ↩ ↩²

28. IMDB – SWAT: Target Liberty – voice cast, 6.3/10 rating, character names ↩ ↩²

29. Game Companies Database – 3G Studios developer info, Police Quest universe connection ↩

30. Wikidata – SWAT: Target Liberty – PEGI rating, platform listings ↩

31. VGChartz – Sales Data – worldwide sales figures, regional breakdown, PSN release ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

32. GameFAQs – Cheats – hard mode unlock condition ↩

33. AVID Wiki – Sierra Logo Variations – unique logo intro description ↩