Red Faction

At first, it's an amazing experience full of enjoyment. Difficulty is just right and progress is rewarding. It has a length that no modern linear shooter could rival. Then comes the inevitable part where developers run out of ideas and want to make the game harder. New bullet sponge enemies are introduced along with new weapons with insane damage and lots of chances to insta-kill the player(enemies using railguns with merciless accuracy and one shot kills at full health on medium difficulty, are you stupid?). The game becomes cheap and unfair. Any enjoyment gets drained out and it just becomes an idiotic chore. Steady progress at a fair pace gets replaced with trial and error, and skill-based gameplay becomes luck-based. There's no option to change difficulty mid-game and no cheat codes even to help wade through the trash, hoping to see a glimmer of hope again.

It's such a shame. The game is so thoroughly enjoyable at first, but then it needs to show you why it was never considered a classic. I haven't been so deceived and disappointed in a long time.

A real masterpiece for its time.

This game really set the bar for what I expect in a game, even now. Gripping story-line, good voice acting, some puzzles, immersive environments and even some humour thrown in.

Surprisingly the gameplay and graphics still hold up today. Which even for an FPS isn't always the case. It actually feels a little more challenging than a lot of modern FPS, without being frustrating. You have to be steady and aim your shots in a similar way to Counter Strike (on PC with no auto aim). However, there aren't kick back patterns to memorise.

Literally ground breaking destructible environments in an FPS was mind boggling to me as a child. My friends and I would play entire death matches on the max time settings just to dig tunnels, then try to link them up underground. Which seems ridiculous given that these days you can just turn on any number of sandbox games that allow you to tunnel and build but hey, at the time we thought it was awesome.

If you like sci-fi, FPSs and don't mind some old graphics I cannot recommend this game highly enough.

When I purchased this game I was expecting the next Goldeneye (N64) or Medal of Honor (PSX). Those two games basically set the standards for Console Shooter games. While Red Faction manages to be the best FPS (first person shooter, for those who dont know) on the PS2, it is not the best FPS ever.

---The Bad's--- There isnt much to complain about this game. There are really no major complaints about the gameplay or graphical problems (glitches, etc...). But my real gripe is the lack of Features, and the not-so-great multiplayer mode. The multiplayer mode serves its main purpose (2 players killing each other). But compared to other console games like Perfect Dark (N64) and TimeSplitters (PS2) it just doesnt have enough. I was also kind of annoyed that I did not unlock or get anything after I completed the game which usually happens with other FPS's.

---The Good's--- The main selling point in this game is the "Geo-Mod" technology. This is basically the ability to destroy anything that is in the game. Dont like a certain wall or rock? Then blow it up... There are SOME parts of the game where you cannot use this feature, but it is very rare. This feature can be very fun and creative to use. For Example, there was a convoy going across a bridge, and if you fire a few rockets at the bridge, it will collapse sending them to the bottom of a canyon.

The Graphics in this game are average. The game runs at a fast speed. But sometimes the textures feel a little dull and boring. And the enemy's faces lack in variety. All the uniforms in this game could use a little variety also. There's basically the 'good' Miners (Red outfits), the 'bad' Ultor Corporation (bluish outfits), and then some scientists.

Gameplay is done excellently. The controls are very similar to the PS2 game called "Timesplitters". It will take a while to get used to the controls, but once you have it is pretty easy. And the addition of Vehicles in this game add to the level of enjoyment. The story keeps you motivated throughout the game. And frankly, its not that bad of a story. Its basically about a guy named Parker who wants to try something new in life. So he decides to become a Miner and work for the Ultor Corporation (which is on Mars). When he arrives there he learns that it really sucks being a miner. The conditions are horrible and the guards brutally assualt you. Finally, the miners start a revolt against Ultor and call themselves the Red Faction. You take control of Parker and start your journey into a very long game.

---Overall--- This game manages to keep you occupied until your finished. If your a big fan of FPS's, you might still play it after your done.

This game has good graphics, gameplay, sound, and most importantly...its pretty fun to play.

Red Faction is definitely a product of its time, but it stands as an above-average shooter with some fun mechanics.

There's a decent variety of weapons in the game. Some items will make others redundant, but there aren't any hugely overpowered or underpowered items in the Red Faction arsenal, and so each player's preferences should be accommodated.

The famed destruction physics are fun to play around with, but they seem to become less relevant as the game progresses. They hardly factor into the final act at all.

There's an attempt at a stealth system in Red Faction, which is one of the game's major shortcomings in my opinion. It's hard to detect any guiding principles behind whether the protagonist will remain incognito or have his cover blown, and the forced stealth sequences strip the player of every weapon beside a holdout pistol. Even with alarms tripped and dozens of enemies swarming you, you're forced to stick to your pistol and can't even pick up fallen enemies' weapons.

The story is straightforward and light. There are two major antagonists in Red Faction, with the first being much more entertaining than the second. Battling these two villains is a bit of a let down, however.

Overall, I'd say the first Red Faction game has held up relatively well despite the clear signs of age. It's no Half-Life, but rests comfortably in the B-tier of early 2000s shooters.