Scott
07-02-2008, 11:55 PM
http://www.gametab.com/images/ss/ps3/4249/box-l.jpg
Resistance, as it turns out, is futile. Sony's shooter might be a polished fusion of first-person-shooter clichés, but after initial doubts, you'll start to relish the difficulty, master the complex weaponry and lose yourself in the engrossing plot. Before you know it, you're furiously clutching the pad, rifle-slapping falling aliens in the face and yelling "Want some do you? huh?" - while playing arguably the best launch game on PS3.
Insomniac's FPS borrows heavily from Halo, Half-Life 2 and Call of Duty. You've seen almost every element before - constant squad chatter, boss battles, vehicles, vicious aliens, regenerating enery bars - but rarely altogether, or executed with such quality. Aliens look evil, moving in packs, taking cover and exhibiting dogged AI; while slo-mo sniper shots just feel right - often slipping foes clean off their feet. Death animations could be more exaggerate, but it feels so tight and satisfyin, you don't even notice the lack of pad rumble.
http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/resources/2007/02/resistancefall.jpg
The menial class chimeras don't carry weapons, but when they get close, they'll attack. You need to shake the sixAxis to smash them loose.
Alien Nation
The plot fuses two creaky concepts - World War 2 and Aliens - in novel unity, with the secrets of the alien takeover gruesomly drip-fed as our hero suffers a mysterious transformation. As the plot thickens, so does your resolve for revenge, as the environments twist further from gritty, real world, locations like, er, Bristol and Nottingha, into gnarled alien hives. The pacing is equally sublime - lurching from intense open-world squad battles against hundreds of aliens, to claustrophobic spotlit corridors, and jaw dropping one-on-one boss fights.
Decent, if underused, vehicle sections break up the action, with Halo-style tank and buggy driving. The weapons are diverse, tactical and visually distinct, with perfect spot-effects - from the satisfying whistle before a gas grenade explodes clearing half a screen of alien, or the 'click' as you tag a foe and pump him full of bullseye homing bullets tucked safely behind cover. Each weapon is perfect for different aliens but, brilliantly, there's always an alternative tactic if ammo runs low. For example you could lob a 360 spike-firing hedgehog grenade into a crowded room and snipe the survivors, or charge in with a shotgun while dashing intelligently between cover. Weapons are drip-fed, so you never get bored, and aliens constantly evolve and alter tactics, so you never feel settled.
http://ps3media.ign.com/ps3/image/article/719/719896/resistance-fall-of-man-20060721111432537.jpgThe chimera come in all shapes and sizes, with the most aggressive, heavily armed and powerful fowes saved until the end. Typically, they've all got weak spots unique to specific weapon. The character design is impressively grotesqu, so you'll take real pleasure in snuffing them out and scoring one back for mankind.
E.T. Go Home
While Call of duty 4 is more chaotic and, arguably, more atmospheric, Resistance is purer and more tactical - like Timesplitters. Personally, I prefer it's punchy consistent approach. Call of duty can feel a bit like spray painting distant shadows until they fade, while Resistance is more like popping balloons.
Problems? The limp ending, vague feeling you've seen it all before and lack of online co-op plus a few over-long trudging bits. It lacks the breathtaking "Rules have changed" impact of something like Halo - like when you first tackled the silent cartographer level or rode the warthog buggy - but it's still one of the finest launch games in console history, and online it' an absolute treat. Think PS3 is all hot air? Resistance shatters the cliché. And then some.
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e256/Exile31/resistance-fall-of-man-200608310549.jpg
Scoring;
Graphics;
A bit dark and depressing but set-pieces fizz with ambient detail.
90/100
Gameplay;
Nothing too innovative for FPS fans, but superbly executed.
86/100
Lifespan;
The main game takes about 10-15 hours; online games could last years.
90/100
The good;
- The diverse weaponry, solid visuals and tactical depth.
- The steep difficulty and engaging plot.
- 40 player online deathmatches!.
The bad;
- The clichéd "Face hugger style" rip-off aliens.
- The odd wonky British accent.
- The occasionally grey and dreary building.
Overall;
A roll call of superbly executed FPS clichés fuelled by an engaging plot.
90/100
Resistance, as it turns out, is futile. Sony's shooter might be a polished fusion of first-person-shooter clichés, but after initial doubts, you'll start to relish the difficulty, master the complex weaponry and lose yourself in the engrossing plot. Before you know it, you're furiously clutching the pad, rifle-slapping falling aliens in the face and yelling "Want some do you? huh?" - while playing arguably the best launch game on PS3.
Insomniac's FPS borrows heavily from Halo, Half-Life 2 and Call of Duty. You've seen almost every element before - constant squad chatter, boss battles, vehicles, vicious aliens, regenerating enery bars - but rarely altogether, or executed with such quality. Aliens look evil, moving in packs, taking cover and exhibiting dogged AI; while slo-mo sniper shots just feel right - often slipping foes clean off their feet. Death animations could be more exaggerate, but it feels so tight and satisfyin, you don't even notice the lack of pad rumble.
http://cache.kotaku.com/assets/resources/2007/02/resistancefall.jpg
The menial class chimeras don't carry weapons, but when they get close, they'll attack. You need to shake the sixAxis to smash them loose.
Alien Nation
The plot fuses two creaky concepts - World War 2 and Aliens - in novel unity, with the secrets of the alien takeover gruesomly drip-fed as our hero suffers a mysterious transformation. As the plot thickens, so does your resolve for revenge, as the environments twist further from gritty, real world, locations like, er, Bristol and Nottingha, into gnarled alien hives. The pacing is equally sublime - lurching from intense open-world squad battles against hundreds of aliens, to claustrophobic spotlit corridors, and jaw dropping one-on-one boss fights.
Decent, if underused, vehicle sections break up the action, with Halo-style tank and buggy driving. The weapons are diverse, tactical and visually distinct, with perfect spot-effects - from the satisfying whistle before a gas grenade explodes clearing half a screen of alien, or the 'click' as you tag a foe and pump him full of bullseye homing bullets tucked safely behind cover. Each weapon is perfect for different aliens but, brilliantly, there's always an alternative tactic if ammo runs low. For example you could lob a 360 spike-firing hedgehog grenade into a crowded room and snipe the survivors, or charge in with a shotgun while dashing intelligently between cover. Weapons are drip-fed, so you never get bored, and aliens constantly evolve and alter tactics, so you never feel settled.
http://ps3media.ign.com/ps3/image/article/719/719896/resistance-fall-of-man-20060721111432537.jpgThe chimera come in all shapes and sizes, with the most aggressive, heavily armed and powerful fowes saved until the end. Typically, they've all got weak spots unique to specific weapon. The character design is impressively grotesqu, so you'll take real pleasure in snuffing them out and scoring one back for mankind.
E.T. Go Home
While Call of duty 4 is more chaotic and, arguably, more atmospheric, Resistance is purer and more tactical - like Timesplitters. Personally, I prefer it's punchy consistent approach. Call of duty can feel a bit like spray painting distant shadows until they fade, while Resistance is more like popping balloons.
Problems? The limp ending, vague feeling you've seen it all before and lack of online co-op plus a few over-long trudging bits. It lacks the breathtaking "Rules have changed" impact of something like Halo - like when you first tackled the silent cartographer level or rode the warthog buggy - but it's still one of the finest launch games in console history, and online it' an absolute treat. Think PS3 is all hot air? Resistance shatters the cliché. And then some.
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e256/Exile31/resistance-fall-of-man-200608310549.jpg
Scoring;
Graphics;
A bit dark and depressing but set-pieces fizz with ambient detail.
90/100
Gameplay;
Nothing too innovative for FPS fans, but superbly executed.
86/100
Lifespan;
The main game takes about 10-15 hours; online games could last years.
90/100
The good;
- The diverse weaponry, solid visuals and tactical depth.
- The steep difficulty and engaging plot.
- 40 player online deathmatches!.
The bad;
- The clichéd "Face hugger style" rip-off aliens.
- The odd wonky British accent.
- The occasionally grey and dreary building.
Overall;
A roll call of superbly executed FPS clichés fuelled by an engaging plot.
90/100