Resistance: Fall of Man

"One of the best shooters for the PS3..."

Insomniac up and decided to make a first-person shooter. Now these are the dudes who made the successive Ratchet & Clank Franchise, so you might see how well this game might run. I got my PS3 slim a couple weeks ago, along with MGS4 then LBP. I heard about Resistance, and was interested a bit. Plus I needed a shooter. So, was the game good? Yes. Regret buying it? No. I'll follow through on the different stages it achieves and busts at...

Story - 8/10 - The story is quick and to the point when you play Single-Player. Basically, the year is 1951 and mysterious mutants have emerged and started to quickly take over large continents. These mutants come by the name "Chimera" and are deadly. You play as a soldier named Nathan Hale, he's kinda like Master Chief: talks by action. Your in the a war against the Chimera, the Americans and British have formed to fight back against the Chimera. The story is basically narrated by a female, who tells the player basically what is happening. The story was actually decent, and the ending was great.

Gameplay - 9/10 - The Gameplay is a FPS, it uses a mixture of on-foot combat with vehicle combat. It is basically very basic, nothing too special though. The main attraction is the interesting weapons you get to use. There is this one weapon called "The Bullseye" that is a standard weapons used by Chimera Hibrid infantry. It has a seconday function (As the other weapons have) that shoots a little magnet-like bullet that sticks you a target, and when the player shoots - the bullets track onto that target and chase it. There are many other unique weapons in the game, like the Sniper Rifle (or FarEye). You can slow down time, making it easier to shoot targets. It's weapons like these two that make gameplay interesting, all weapons are unique and well thought of. Something to expect from Insomniac.

Alright, next is the overall feel of the gameplay. The game is tight, responsive (and allows custom controls) I liked it. The gameplay overall is good and addicting to follow in, and the weapons add a new way to enter into each battle. Oh, I cant forget the grenades. Without giving away all of the unique grenades, here is a flame grenade you get to use. When you toss it on the ground, flammable smoke will emmit from it. Next, it shoots out a flame that ignites the smoke, and incinerates any Chimera in the smoke. Vehicles range from Jeeps to Tanks. Controls are customizable, so you can assign any button to a function your confortable. The Co-Operative is a nice digg, and is worth to note. It's nice to see some people haven't forgotten about split-screen co-op. Everything was engaging, and fun. One note, I must give out, is the overall different types of Chimera you get to face. Some might not be original, but facing them are fun as [insert something fun here]. One (out of alot) is the large Chimera, sporting a rocket launcher that fires flaming missiles. Boss fights should have been included, but that doesn't hold back a good title. (For example, Halo 1)

Now, with all good games there is bad. I'll follow through with them. First I'm going to cover is the AI on both sides. The Chimera are smart at times, they'll actually take cover. But at other times they'll just run through the doorway, knowing a truck-load of humans are on the other side, and get shot. Not to mention they know where you are most of the time. Now, moving a little bit over to the ally AI. You would think trained soldiers would be good in combat? Hence the 'trained'? Well, they're not. They'll get themself killed by running into mines, not taking cover, running out into the open, and overall not having a decent amount of stamina. I never saw the point in them when everytime I meet up with them they would get killed by one Chimera. Plus the only weapons you see them using are either an Rifle or a Sniper Rifle. None of them, in the world of Resistance, would sport any of the unique weapons that are lying around. Alright, secondly would have to be where the Chimera can melee you through walls. Well, yeah. Now, you might say 'Alright, that's not worth noting' but it is. There have been times where I've hid on the other side of a wall, and a Chimera slaps me with the bud of his gun... of course, killing me instantly. And thirdly is the overall Checkpoint system. They are too spread apart. Overall, these bad things may seem strong, but it does not hold it back from being a great game.

Graphics - 8/10 - The overall look and reflections on objects were rather good-looking. The light would shine on pipes, and the floor would shine from light bulbs. The game is actually decent looking, not to mention the drawback distance on battlefields and basic landscapes. Worth to note are the Chimera models, very realistic.

Sound - 8.5/10 - Sound, as well as the graphics, are decent. Weapons sound in place, and explosions bounce off the screen. Voice acting was very nice, and the soldiers on the battlefield are good. Some of the soldiers even speak when in battle, one worth noting about this is one part where one sniper will say something about his love back in Australia. Also, worth to note in voice acting is the British lady that narrates the story. Very nice.

The Good:
+ Super fun gameplay kept me coming back for more!
+ Good graphics and explosion effects.
+ Awesome variety of Weapons and Grenades add for serious variety in combat.
+ The Chimera take cover.
+ Nice Story and ending.
+ Co-Operative feature is a nice dig!
+ Splitscreen multiplayer - covered both bases, Insomniac!
+ Fun variety of enemies to fight!
+ Fun vehicles and On-foot missions.
+ Decent game length, finally!

The Bad:
- Enemy AI is dumb, this is grouped will Ally AI also.
- Beginning of game can become a little slow to get in.
- They hear you coming a mile away most of the time.
- Enemy goes after the player most of the time, forgetting about his/her allies.
- Narrative can become bore-haven. *More* in-game Cutscenes wanted!

Lasting Appeal - 8.5/10 - There's alot of stuff to do after you complete the single player. You can go through again with a friend, via SplitScreen Co-Op. Multiplayer is something to get into, and you can go through finding secrets.

Overall - 9.5 - Resistance: FoM is a must-have for any PlayStation 3 owner. It has so many weapons and grenade types, addictive gameplay, Co-op!!, Multiplayer, and so much more. Insomniac made a great game, and I'm glad I picked it up. Don't rent the game, I would reccommend you buy it.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/21/09, Updated 09/28/09

Game Release: Resistance: Fall of Man (Greatest Hits) (US, 07/28/08)