Resistance: Fall of Man

Game 10 number but I could not get used to the controls went out of her story and the action took me away from me really recommend you to play

I remember when Resistance Fall of Man first released it was labelled as one of (if not THE) best games of the early PS3. Playing through it, it was easy to see why. The game took more from Doom and Quake than it did the typical of the time Halo and Call of Duty. At the same time it felt fresh thanks to a nihilistic atmosphere and an enemy as uniquely awesome as it was fiercely grotesque.

When revisiting something from long ago it usually a risky business (whether its simply because of the technology of the time not matching what we are now used to, or just that we are more forgiving as kids/teens), but wanting to give my later consoles a rest, I decided to fire up the old PS3 and started with this.

I am pleased to say that outside of the obvious graphics limitations (although in truth it's still a great looking game) it really doesn't feel like this game has aged a day. Well, for the most part. It's story still works, it lacks typical emotion (we don't have a hero we particularly care about, the story follows a very basic point a to b to c structure), there is this horrifying bleakness to it that makes the entire thing engaging and compelling. If an alien invasion did happen, perhaps it would be like this. The world building is flawless, giving answers where needed and questions where most impactful, with the stars of the show being the chimera - some of gaming's greatest villains. Mass Effect villains ain't got nothing on these perversions of life! And the gameplay is spot on. The shooting is satisfying and responsive, and the guns are all so unique and equally fun to use that you never get bored. That is something Insomniac have always done superbly, and it is in full force here.

My only issues are controller set up is very dated (R1 to fire?), though this can be changed to make it easier. Also despite there being a war on, Hale (our hero) is not in a rush. A sprint button would have been welcomed, if not a slightly faster walk cycle. Outside of saying that Widowmakers can do one and some battle segments are a little too unforgiving, I genuinely have no other issues.

It was a pleasure to rivisit an old favourite and find that I still felt as I did back then. Here's hoping I find the same with game 3, and that game 2 is better than I remember.

An all time favourite of mine. No matter how many Chimera you shoot, blow up and stab... it's not good enough.

This game is both fun and haunting. A very interesting re-imagining of the early 19th century.

The story is both atmospheric and engaging with fantastic voice acting and scripting.

If you haven't played and you enjoy a classic feeling FPS with a good story, I highly recommend.

Yes, this game takes place in an alternative world where World War II never happened. Instead the threat comes from Russia in the form of mutated humans suffering from a strange virus or something. Though I don't really know for sure, as during the story different things happen throughout to point to strange occurrences and happenings that lead one to believe there are other factors involved in the appearance of the Chimera (the creatures you fight throughout the game). You are Nathan, an American soldier helping the Brits fight to reclaim England. However, the game started out killer hard, I was wondering how in the hell I was going to win it when my character suddenly is infected!!! What has happened, is this the shortest game ever or what? No, you are somewhat immune to the Chimera bug, however, you do get the benefits of having your health being able to regenerate and stuff now, making the game a lot smoother. For the most part this game is your typical shooter, however, it has a couple of differences. For one you get to carry around a whole heck of a lot of weapons instead of the usual two or three others allow you to carry. You also have points in the game where you drive a jeep, a tank, and an alien weapon. Well I guess Halo allowed that as well. So in the end a rather good shooter with some great graphics and pretty good story. Though I prefer seeing my character on screen as it is easier to take cover and dodge.

Chimeran have invaded Russia and Europe, the US has been called to help fight this threat, the world is at a standstill as this unknown alien super-force continues to kill and destroy – oh, and was it mentioned that this is happening in 1941 instead of WWII? Introducing "Resistance: Fall of Man", Sony's launch title for their PS3 release, and subsequently the game I decided to start with upon purchasing my system – why not begin at the beginning, right? Having been an enormous fan of the early FPS game, "Goldeneye" for the Nintendo 64, games of this nature have always been close to my heart. The "Halo" series has received mixed reviews in my eyes, with mediocre game-play, and repetitive story lines – so "Resistance" needed to bring its best game forward, and honestly it wasn't bad – could have been worse, could have been better – but overall the beginning of a long friendship between myself and my PS3.

STORY:

This was probably the weakest area for this game. While it was obvious that Sony was just testing the waters for what their system could produce gaming-wise, there was an air of conservatism with "Resistance". The faded black-and-white pictures between the game-play instead of full length CGI-cuts, seemed cheap. While the story was follow-able and lengthy, the detail seemed to be missing. Absolutely, the images were stunning (which will be discussed in the graphics portion), but there needed to be something more. Nathan Hale, our hero, seemed lifeless. His role was random at best, merely being a random soldier plucked out of many to have a genetic anomaly to the Chimeran disease. One hopes his changes are what future releases develop further, instead of just accepting it with ease like this game did. Our sideline characters had more soul, Lt. Cartwright especially, who I would have preferred to play instead of Hale. Again, this is the biggest complaint I have with this game – I didn't expect full-blown character development for a FPS, but something would have been better than nothing.

GRAPHICS:

Amazing, to say the least. Using the full capability of my HDTV and my PS3, this jumped me direct into the action. Detail upon detail was laid before you, allowing the player to fully submerge himself into the environment. This was a world where enemies react to your movement, and it was great to finally be able to have an equal playing ground. While the cut scenes were minimal at best, it was the in-game experience that demonstrated the raw power of the PS3, as well as the technology surrounding it. This was a great foundation for the beginning of PS3, and now with the release of "Resistance 2", I am eager to see how they have grown.

SOUND:

Bullets everywhere. The sound of terror behind you, the impact of the explosion in front, while hearing dogs howl in the background and the scream of your comrades was intense. This is a game that needs to be played without the lights on and with your surround sound turned all the way up. This isn't a horror game, but element (if you allow it) will make you jump and react. It uses not just your sight, but also your ability to hear where your enemies are coming from, making the full-spectrum of game-play intense. Combined with the great graphics, this made a simple game into a blockbuster.

REPLAY:

Can it be played again and again? For me – no. I saw the ending, I went through two campaigns, unlocked the further weaponry, but after two finishing moments, I was done. That is not to say that the online ability isn't worth owning the game, but if you are lacking the online ability – this was a lengthy game that was incredible the first time, substantial the second time, but ready to be put down for the third time.

Overall, I enjoyed playing this game. While there may have been some repetition to the game, and honestly no really big boss to defeat, this FPS was a great introduction to the Sony's Playstation 3 and its hardware. From the graphics to the sound, this game was perfect – where it lacked was the actual story and repeatability of the game. Perhaps in two years I could pick this game up again, or if there were a gaggle of friends about to arrive – this game would be perfect. It was a strong foundation for the console and I eagerly anticipate both the sequel as well as the other genres that Sony is going to explore.

Bravo Sony, Bravo!

Grade: **** out of *****