System: PS3
Dev: Insomniac
Pub: Sony
Released: Nov 2006
Players: 1 - 40
Review by Patrick

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Review Rating Legend
1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
2.5 - 2.9 = Average
3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
3.5 - 3.9 = Good
4.0 - 4.4 = Great
4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
5.0 = The Best

As players continue through the single-player campaign, the game throws one large conflict after another at Hale and the British resistance. Many of these battles will involve Hale storming an area to recover something or infiltrate somewhere, but fighting to the destination is where the action takes place. One battle about a third or more through the game sees Hale storming an entrenched Chimera position. During the fight, you stumble onto a British sniping position where sharpshooters are attempting to thin the enemy numbers for the comrades’ assault. Popping heads off from this area until you run out of ammo, you will still have to get your hands dirty and join the frontline fighters to kill the Chimeran defense. The sheer number of enemies that Resistance throws at players, without a hint of slowdown at any point in the game ever, is an impressive feat should also impress gamers. The scale of these battles will impress both WWII-style fans as well as run-and-gunners that who dig Halo.

The instruments of destruction available to players as they continue the campaign also take a while to impress. At the beginning, players will only have the Carbine and the Bullseye. Bullseye rounds fire inconsistently from a long distance, but the rifle can fire a tag round to mark a target, leading all following bullets to the marked target regardless of where the player is aiming. As you continue through and collect more weapons, like the sniper rifle and the shotgun, you can then play to your strengths and the weaknesses of your enemies. The coolest weapons are found halfway through the game and later, such as the Auger rifle. Auger rounds can travel through solid matter, hitting anything that may be hiding behind a wall for cover. Its secondary fire is most impressive, however, as you can fire an energy shield that is impervious to all weapon fire except that of the Auger itself. The American Hailstorm and Sapper are also very cool. Hailstorm bullets ricochet off of walls while the secondary fire is an automated turret, while the sapper fires sticky-mines that explode when struck or with the L1 button. No grenade in the history of FPSs is as cool as either the Hedgehog or the Air-Fuel Grenade. Hedgehogs explode in all directions with long bolts that stick enemies against walls, while the Air-Fuel grenades emit gas to a wide area and lights it on fire, instantly flash-frying enemies in the vicinity. You’ll find yourself scrounging for grenade ammo because simply seeing the effects of these two grenades are awesome. Of course, many of these weapon ideas aren’t new. Project: Snowblind, for instance, had an ability that created an energy shield in front of the player. Regardless, the balance between the weapons prevents a “cheap” gun from getting overused, and the Chimeran arsenal will keep players on their toes desperate to avoid the next enemy ambush.

While a huge majority of this title is top-notch, there are discrepancies that keep it from greatness. Like I mentioned above, the opening chapters feel very “FPS-by-numbers” and will bore many gamers. The AI that commands your British allies is as dumb as a box of rocks. It’s no wonder they were overtaken by the Chimera – they couldn’t beat the French with these pack of idiots. Action in Resistance isn’t nearly as visceral as the main competition, namely Gears of War. Even though you are in the First-person perspective, the action isn’t as gripping or as engrossing as you would hope. When you get to the core, this is still a fairly typical FPS.

But applaud the guys at Insomniac for including THE most comprehensive console online multiplayer ever. The variety in gameplay modes is impressive. Standard modes like Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, and Capture the Flag are flanked by modes like Conversion, Breach, and Meltdown. Each of these modes provides excellent and balanced gameplay experiences that any FPS fan can instantly jump into. But the fact that this game supports up to 40 players in a single game is outstanding. Server hosts can adjust everything in the game, from what weapons are available to the percentage damage they do. Rivaling many computer shooters, Resistance’s multiplayer will devour players and make them all forget the single-player mode. Oh, and don’t forget the Co-op – which has finally become a staple of online shooters and is executed flawlessly here.

What else can you ask for from a launch title that hasn’t been delivered in Resistance: Fall of Man? The sci-fi inspired storyline will keep players interested until the very end, the enemies you fight against are numerous and deadly, the battles are grand and will challenge you even on the default settings, and the weaponry available is friggin’ sweet. Online support for 40 players and Co-op mode are icing on the proverbial cake, rounding out an excellent, if still slightly flawed game. PS3 owners will not be disappointed with this one on launch day.

Features:

In the past, does history repeat itself? by Cole Smith

May 10, 2006 - For something a little different, this alien-shooting game doesn't take place in the future, it takes place in the past - although in an alternate reality.

For this engaging first-person shooter we head to England during the 50s. This is a world at war but it's not a World War. In fact, World War II has not occurred. What we find is a world engaged in war against invading monsters although it's not entirely clear if they are of alien origin. In any case they are deadly and need to be stopped. Some of these creatures are your run-of-the-mill giant spiders and insectoids but there are others that display more human characteristics such as the bipedal Chimeras that are capable of using weapons geared for humanoids. Some of these Chimeras were once human beings, but they carry a virus that infects innocent humans and turns them into Chimeras. As long as this species remains alive on Earth, they will continue to propagate and threaten our existence.

Despite the vintage epoch, the weapons are futuristic. There is an auger bullet that drills through obstacles such as walls and continues on its path when it exits. With another gun you can shoot a tag round at these freaks and once it lodges into their body it will then attract the next few rounds that you fire. This only requires that you take one careful aim to plant the tag. Then you can fire away at will and the bullets will be attracted to the tag like a super powerful magnet. Several grenades are also useful such as the spike-ball which sends shards and spikes in all directions. That has to hurt.

The environments are fully destructible and realistic looking. Glass breaks, walls tumble, the ground erupts and bodies get ripped apart. The violence is very graphics - and that's a good thing. It adds to the realism and you'll find yourself acting the hero to save your comrades from a horrible fate when being assaulted by one or more of these ugly creatures.

In addition to the single-player mode there is a two-player co-op mode and an online multi-player mode where up to 32 players can take part in a Deathmatch.

By Cole Smith
CCC Senior Writer