RESISTANCE: FALL OF MAN
Developer: Insomniac Games
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment of America
Systems: PlayStation 3
INTRODUCTION:
So the release of the PS3 came and went with people getting shot, lives ruined and widespread panic. Okay, so I’m exaggerating (maybe not with the shooting thing). At least PS3 owners (all you organ donors/whores/rich kids) didn’t have to wait long for a killer app, because Sony has given us one right off the bat with RESISTANCE: FALL OF MAN. And while you may be putting your house up for a second mortgage for a chance to play this one, at least you’ll have fun in the end (ducking repo men sucks, though).
GAMEPLAY:
To start things off, I myself don’t own a PS3, nor would I want to at this point (I don’t have money shooting out of my ass 24/7, but my work does, so yay), but once the price becomes bearable, this would be one title I’d hit up. RESISTANCE takes place in an alternate time of July 1951, where WWII never happened. Instead the mysterious Chimera have overrun Europe after conquering Russia two decades earlier, and are in the process of moving west to infect the rest of the European continent, turning people into ugly mofos with guns. You take on the role of Sergeant Nathan Hale, a gritty American soldier that joined Britain’s final defense effort in an attempt to destroy the Chimera.
Rather than being compared to Microsoft and their hit shooter, GEARS OF WAR, FoM can be compared to Microsoft’s other hit franchise, HALO. Like Master Chief, Hale can heal himself by stepping back and waiting for his healing factor to kick in (courtesy of the Chimera virus, which Hale is somewhat immune to). The Chimera consist of a variety of races that mirror HALO’s Convenant hordes. The ending to the game is a ‘wtf’ moment (more on that one later). But other than that, FoM does have more to it than copying HALO. Like the weapons, for example.
Fans of Insomniac Games know these guys have a knack for coming up with weapons (like in the RATCHET & CLANK series), and they don’t disappoint here. A fave of mine (and probably with other players) is the Auger, a gun that can shoot through walls and enables a defense shield that can only be penetrated by other Augers makes for fun times. But that’s not all, since you have stuff like a sniper rifle that can slow down time (L23 Fareye), cannons that shoot needle-like bolts which bounce off surfaces (XR-005 Hailstorm), and a mine-launcher that shoots organic slime bombs that can be used like plastic explosives. Heck, there’s even unlockable weapons for when you beat the game!
Fortunately, guns aren’t the only thing going for FoM, since you do have to have something to shoot at. The enemies in this game are smart cookies, as they’ll flank you, team up with other Chimera to take you out, and for the most part don’t go down from just a couple of shots. While the early stages of the game have the not-so-smart baddies taking it from you, later on it can get frustrating, especially when you can’t find cover.
Control-wise, the default layout again reminded me a little of HALO in some respects. Though fans of PS2 shooters won’t have much to complain about, those PC fans who love their mouselook aren’t going to find much love here. Control is tight, and while the layout can be customized, expect to have yourself practicing ducking while alt-firing, as dexterity is the name of the game. For the tagged-on SixAxis feature, it boils down to using it to shake of baddies that have latched on to munch on your face.
Online play for the game is the real meat here, as Insomniac have outdone themselves here as well. There are two types of online games, ranked and unranked. In the unranked games, all those modes are customizable with the ability to take certain guns out of the mix, adjust the amount of points it takes to win, decide whether you want Humans vs. Chimera, Chimera vs. Chimera, Humans vs. Humans, or even Humans and Chimera, vs. Humans and Chimera. Ranked involves you moving up the online ladder and tracking your stats, including your experience points and medals. Battles fought from the beginning of a match, which most of the time consists of two rounds, give the player experience points that help them level up to different ranks allowing the player to unlock multiple helmets, heads, skins, accessories and more to individualize their online persona.
There are 6 modes of play including Breach, which is a 40 man game which consists of capturing nodes closer to the opposing team’s reactor so that you can spawn closer every time you die, eventually spawning close enough to destroy your target. For those not down with the multitude of people, there’s Meltdown, which you can consider Breach-lite. Conversion is a spin on the standard deathmatch mode where every player starts as a human, and if you are killed, you respawn as a Chimera. Then, if you die again, you’re out. The game also includes Team Deathmatch, Deathmatch and Capture the Flag, for purists.
If there were any complaints about the game, you’d be hard-pressed to find any major ones. The AI for both allies and enemies sometimes takes a nap on you, leaving you fending for yourself or clearing a room out with nary a scratch. Also, while the environments are detailed, there are times when you’ll be walking with nothing to do. While the online features are stacked, the glaring omission of a co-op singleplayer mode is kind of disappointing. Lastly, the ending is another one of those ambiguous and open-ended ones that leave it safe for a sequel, but for the present, it’s a copout. But even with these faults, Sony has something for those fans who shelled out $700, and thankfully, we didn’t have to wait.
Gameplay: 9/10
Quite possibly the most fun you’ll have with the game is deciding which weapons you want to use, since pretty much all of ’em rock. The multiplayer aspect of the game will keep this one on the charts until Sony decides to bring about the sequel, though next time, a co-op single player mode would be most appreciated.
GRAPHICS:
While not as pretty as GEARS OF WAR was, FoM showcases a lot of the good stuff. The game runs at a solid 30fps framerate, with next to no lag. Load times are quick, thanks to the Blu-Ray. The game is painted with a washed-out sepia tone look to it, and while it works for the game, I was hankering for more lush colours at times. Then I got shot. Each and every environment is noticeably different from one another as well, and while the texture work isn’t overly detailed, it still looks pretty good. Probably the biggest knock against the visuals is that not everything is destructible, as you could shoot a building with your tank or jeep and nothing happens to the structure. You’d think that more companies would try to develop and perfect the GeoMod technology that RED FACTION used to make for fun multiplayer times, but hey, there’s always next time.
Graphics: 9/10
A launch title that unfortunately showcases only a fraction of the power of the PS3, FoM is silkly smooth amidst the destruction. While texture work is a bit lacking when compared to GEARS OF WAR, the steady 30fps makes up for it.
AUDIO:
The sounds of explosions and footsteps further the immersion factor in FoM. You will hear faint screams in the smaller areas and lines of huge explosions from the larger maps. The voice-acting is adequate for the game, and while the Chimera are relatively low-key, they have their moments. Unlike GEARS, FoM’s score isn’t one to stand out in a crowd. Nothing is really too memorable, and it does tend to get lost amidst the destruction onscreen as well as by the other sounds of war.
Audio: 8.5/10
Again, the audio department isn’t as good as GEARS, but what’s here will still make for great room shaking. Unfortunately, the score takes a backseat at times and really isn’t as memorable as other games.
FINAL VERDICT:
While not as fun as GEARS OF WAR (at least in my book), Sony delivers with a sweet launch game that will stand out more for the weapons and the multiplayer than anything else. Insomniac have pulled out all the stops when it comes to selecting your weapon of choice, and the potential for 40 players to go at it online is cause enough to miss sleep. Stats tracking, unlockable weapons and more should keep gamers happy until the sequel rolls out. HALO 3 just got more competition.
FINAL SCORE: 9/10