Resistance 2 is one of the most schizophrenic games I’ve ever played. It’s a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ title displaying elements of pure genius alongside some of the most uninspired and downright lazy development witnessed in a FPS. It’s one part visual feast, but two parts some of the blandest virtual environments I’ve ever had the misfortune to visit.
In order to navigate our way through such a minefield, I suggest we keep it simple. Let’s consider the hard facts, the positives and the negatives and then hope we can reach a conclusion on whether it’s worth both your time and money.
The facts:
Resistance 2 is the official follow-up to Insomniac’s Resistance: Fall of Man, itself a launch title on the PS3 and a FPS of mixed opinion. The original was set in a fictitious 1940s where the Second World War was inconveniently interrupted by an alien invasion. Not only was this premise fairly original, it also took the brave (foolhardy?) decision to set the game in parts of Britain virtually unknown to the game-playing masses. Thus you found yourself engaged in electrifying firefights in such exotic locales as Grimsby and Cheddar Gorge.
The follow-up, again by Insomniac starts in a similar way. You once more take on the role of Nathan Hale, a US marine with suspect supernatural abilities having been held captive by the villains of the piece, the Chimera. Events unfold as the Chimera overwhelm Europe and Nathan is transferred to the US (via Iceland) so top scientists can try and uncover the secret behind his immense abilities, thus unlocking the key to defeating the enemy. What follows in the single player campaign is an attempt to repel the Chimera’s attack on a number of major US cities.
To aid you in your quest are a feast of weapons, from carbines, rocket launchers and shotguns to an alien arsenal comprising of such nattily-named weapons as the Bull’s-Eye, Auger and Splicer.
The positives:
For the campaign mode the positives are unfortunately scant. To its credit, the game throws around some enormous set pieces containing dozens of enemies with virtually no slowdown. Clearly the engine has been built to withstand some incredibly crowded environments and there are terrifying moments when wave after wave of chimera charge towards you.
Additionally the size and scope of some of enemies and bosses is mind-boggling. From literally the first act you’re introduced to the scale of enemy you might associate with the giants of Shadow of the Colossus. Taking down such beasts can give you a real sense of achievement after you’ve pinpointed and exploited their key weakness.
I must also make mention of the range and sophistication of the weapons. The ‘human’ arsenal is both robust and effective giving you a secondary option for each item used. There can be few pistols in gaming history that are as much fun to use as the magnum, blasting through Chimera scum like the proverbial knife through butter. This is probably not an enormous surprise considering Insomniac is also responsible for the excellent Ratchet and Clank series. While graphically, the game is a mixed bag, there are occasions when the action really jumps out of the screen at you.
Early in the game your platoon is ambushed in the forest. You barely escape with your life and take refuge in the trees to escape your camouflaged foes. The forest itself is shrouded in fog and mist, and amazingly atmospheric. I just wish such originality and quality was visible more often, but much more on this later.
The negatives:
If you’re any type of FPS aficionado then you’re going to be gobsmacked by the license Insomniac has taken in referencing other popular shooters. If you’ve played Half Life 2 and all its episodes, be prepared to play through wood mills and deserted towns all over again with Resistance 2. Not only is the art style scarily similar but many of the props appear to have been lifted directly from Valve’s masterpiece. Just witness the rockets embedded in the ground and the pulsing cocoons in almost every building.
The first boss encounter also has a distinct whiff of Déjà vu if you’ve played through Gears of War 2, although the closeness of each game’s release would suggest this was pure coincidence. Factor in enemies that are clearly influenced by the movie Predator and stampedes reminiscent of Pain on the PC or the Flood in Halo and the campaign mode often just feels like a FPS homage rather than an original title.
The original Resistance was heavily criticized by some for having bland graphics and environments, with a colour palate that didn’t stray far beyond green and brown. Insomniac obviously took this criticism to heart; Resistance 2 is quite the opposite displaying garish environments that lean much more heavily on yellows, reds and oranges. Although this results in a more vibrant-looking game, it also gives a less realistic feel to proceedings which I’m not convinced works. It’s a marmite look that may well divide gamers. I’d also like to nominate Resistance 2 for the least convincing water effect this generation! (can it be worse than Quantum of Solace’s “water” in Venice? -Ed.)
The multiplayer
If this were all Resistance 2 had to offer, this reviewer would be hard pushed to give it more than 5 or 6 out of 10. Thank heavens then that Insomniac has seen fit to put considerable effort and originality into the multiplayer modes. The bulk of the multiplayer is based around the skirmish mode which allows up to 60 players to take part at once!
This isn’t a total free-for-all; instead the players are split into competing squads who each have a set objective to achieve in each scenario. This feels quite intimate and at times you won’t necessarily be aware of how many players are actually involved in the battle. There are other times however when everything comes together and the scale is really impressive.
Co-operative play is the jewel in Resistance 2’s crown. Not satisfied with allowing you and a friend to tackle the campaign mode together, they’ve developed six specific maps that run parallel to the main game and can be tackled by up to six players. You get to choose from three classes: soldier, special ops and medic and each has randomly generated objectives. Success in this mode is based on great teamwork and you’ll need to maximize the strengths and perks of each class to defeat the maps and the boss encounters.
Longevity in co-op is provided by a CoD-style levelling-up system that rewards experience points for great teamwork, defeated enemies and completed objectives. Experience points can be traded in for armour, weaponry or new ‘berserk’ modes which give you additional perks per class once you’ve racked up enough kills. It’s not co-op in the traditional sense, but it is a fresh perspective on the genre which should be applauded.
The Verdict
As a single-player experience, there’s little to recommend Resistance 2 over the glut of quality shooters available right now. The rare glimpses of graphical and level design brilliance are horribly over-shadowed by the garish, uninspired locations and complete lack of originality. As a multiplayer game it really comes into its own offering up to 60 player battles and a sublime co-op experience that redefines the way you’ll look at the mode in other shooters.
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