Red Faction: Guerrilla

"Satisfy your need to destroy everything, one sledgehammer swing at a time"

I'm sorry to disappoint you, but if you were interested in this game due to the commercials, they do not give an accurate depiction of what this game truly is. While the story is explained well enough, they're leaving a lot of information out that will get you to buy this game. Sure you've been labeled a Red Faction member, and sure, you're going to be fighting the Earth Defense Force (EDF), but do they ever mention that the game is a sandbox style, open world experience where everything, and I do mean relatively everything, is destructible. I'm not talking about cars and such; I mean “sledgehammer through the wall” kind of destructible. Imagine if your rocket launcher left not a black spot like in other games, but a real hole in the building you fired it at. Then imagine using your jetpack to fly through that hole, lay charges on the top floor of that building, and then fly away and watch the building crumble to the ground. That is the true reason why you will want to get this game.

Red Faction: Guerrilla is, as stated earlier, an open world sandbox style game. You'll be relatively free to do what you want on the planet of Mars, whenever you want, with the exception of Eos , which has to be unlocked, essentially. Besides the very rewarding destruction system that will entertain you, you'll have missions to run for the Red Faction. These can range from assisting the Red Faction in raiding an EDF building, to riding shotgun for a man named Jenkins, and using your mounted rocket launcher to harass the EDF. There are 7 or so mission types total, but the same type of mission can be played differently depending on your style. For example, house arrest in Eos will have you rescue a group of three from a heavily guarded building surrounded by mounted turrets and enemy armored vehicles. You could drive your car straight into the building, pop up guns blazing, and try to survive the EDF troops. You could take a stealthy approach, sneaking in the back of the building and leveling walls to gain entrance. You could also take your rocket launcher and charges to level most of the building, leaving the sections with the hostages safe.

Speaking of mission variety, there are plenty of weapons and vehicles at your disposal. Weapons can range from the generic pistol, to a rail gun, which can shoot laser beams through buildings to kill targets without being seen, to a rifle that will literally eat holes into anything you fire it at. You can upgrade some of these weapons with salvage, which is basically the currency in this game. You obtain it by destroying buildings and completing certain types of missions. As for the vehicles, they vary depending on the region you are in, and they all have their own unique properties. Some of the vehicles will be modified by the Red Faction to have turrets or rocket launchers attached to them.

With all these fantastic ways to destroy and demolish, you'll sometimes forget there is a plot to this game. That's mainly due to the story not being the focus of this game. There are few cut scenes in this game, but most of the story will be told through listening to radio chatter or fellow guerrillas. Overall, the main plot surrounding Alec Mason, the main character, is rather forgettable, and in the beginning, can feel rushed. You're suddenly thrust into the terrorist organization called Red Faction, and you're trying to take Mars back from the EDF, and that's the basic plot. This is forgivable, because there is some depth to be had in this game story; you'll just have to pay attention to the little details.

As for the graphics, keep in mind that I do not have an HD television. Anyways, the game looks fantastic, and runs smoothly with these graphics. The larger explosions can make the game feel choppy at times, but if the game is installed to your hard drive, this will almost never be an issue. Even without being installed, this is a minor issue, and will not plague you often enough for it to be an annoyance. You'll just be a tad disappointed when it happens, but that's okay, because the people screaming as they fall off the building you just blew up will brighten your day.

Overall, the game is a load of fun. The only real complaint I have with the game is that it feels like they could have done more to make you feel immersed in the world. Destroying enemy barracks will not hinder the EDF in the slightest. Destroying their headquarters won't disrupt the EDF at all. The only time you really feel like you accomplished something meaningful in the world is when you liberate an area, which pretty much ceases EDF activity in the area.

Finally, the replay ability of this game all depends on what you're looking for. If you want to tear through the story and not much else, you will get a play through or so in. If you're interested in the multiplayer, however, once the story is done you'll have plenty of fun as you have a rampage in one of the many multiplayer modes being hosted. You'll have the typical free for all and team slayer type of modes, alongside modes that pit two teams in a race to cause as much destruction as possible in a set amount of time and all sorts of other modes such as this. The multiplayer doesn't feel as competitive as Halo or Call of Duty may feel, but the fact that it doesn't feel like these games gives it its charm. The multiplayer feels less stressful and more enjoyable because of this less competitive edge.

If you're on the edge between rent and buy, I'd recommend purchasing Red Faction: Guerrilla. The single player is a blast once you get into it, and the online will keep you coming back once your rampage is done on single player. If you're still not sure, the game is definitely worth a rent at the very least. It's hard to feel disappointed with a game where the world is yours to destroy.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/23/09

Game Release: Red Faction: Guerrilla (US, 06/02/09)