Resistance 2

Ever since I saw that glint in Sgt. Nathan Hale’s eye, I’ve been excited for Resistance: Fall of Man’s sequel. Just over a year and a half later, Resistance 2 is here, and I must say, it doesn’t disappoint.

For those of you who missed Fall of Man, here’s a quick story filler:

The year is 1951, the place is an alternate history and Chimera have over-run Europe, hell bent on killing everything. You, Sgt. Nathan Hale of the United States Army Rangers, have been sent into Britain with 5,000 other men to save our hineys and take a look see at this wonderful Chimera killing weapon we Brits allegedly have. Naturally, the 5,000 man force gets infected with a Chimera virus and you are the only survivor. Undeterred, you continue with the war effort, going around some very famous British landmarks leaving a gloriously detailed trail of Chimera corpses behind you (not to mention causing some real life controversy because you kill lots of stuff in what is apparently Manchester Cathedral). I’m not going to spoil the story for those of you who haven’t played it but the American Forces eventually presume you to have been killed in action. Thankfully the British lass you meet along the way, Captain Rachel Parker, is not convinced you’re dead and you’re captured/rescued by the “Black-Ops”.

This is where Resistance 2 hops in. Your first cut scene sees you pinned down by Black Ops troupes in a helicopter and sedated, then once you’re all placid you are informed that you are being taken to Iceland for some Protocol Testing, which apparently has to be carried out on all “survivors”. Your helicopter is then taken under heavy fire and you make an unscheduled meeting with the ground, where you’re promptly thrown straight into the action (but not before you’ve picked your difficulty; Casual, Normal, or Difficult).

Thankfully, you’re trained on the job and within one minute of gameplay you’re on the heavy machinery. Within 15 minutes you’ll have killed your first 40 Chimera. Straight down to business.

The controls are sleek and fluid; I was rusty, but I managed to jump right in without any difficulty. They feel very natural and aim-assist is enabled from the start (though don’t let that kid you into thinking you’re gonna have an easy ride!). You’re running on a checkpoint basis, so no saving and quitting mid-level for you! Your health meter is gone and the “red eye screen” method seen in most newer FPS’ is used.

Those of you who played Fall of Man will be expecting a high level of graphic detail and you certainly get it. The textures on the chimera have come a long way, but the scenery is what will really blow you away. The level of detail is astounding, make sure to take your time and absorb as much as you can (provided you’re not being shot into confetti at the time!) Insomniac have obviously worked hard on this and it really shows. It’s not overly dark like so many first person shooters tend to be , yet it retains it’s atmosphere. Every last detail is wonderful. From the fog 50 miles above you, to your finger around the gun trigger. To add to the atmosphere the soundtrack isn’t distracting, and a la FoM, you’re guided through. Watch out you don’t have the volume too high though, this game is heavy on combat, you face hordes of Chimera straight away on so it’s pretty loud!

There are two multiplayer modes, co-operative and competitive. In co-operative 2 to 8 of you (or just two if you’re offline) can make your way through a campaign which runs alongside the single player as the “Specter Team” special forces. You get the usual multiplayer choices of Soldier (tank), Medic and Special Ops (sniper). You’ll have to rely very heavily on your other team members for this mode, so be prepared for plenty of arguing! Competitive has four modes to choose from: Deathmatch, Team Death Match, Skirmish and Core Control (Capture the Flag). These maps can be up to 30 v 30, prepare yourself. The online modes are great fun and completely manic, I can see myself spending a lot of time on them!

Overall, I am very impressed with Resistance 2. The story is well rounded yet not intrusive, the mechanics are polished and the scenery is fantastic. Anyone who loved the first will love the second, and those new to the game will be brought up to speed very quickly. I highly recommend it, makes me very glad I’ve got my PS3!