Resistance 2: PS3 Review

Resistance 2: PS3 Review

Navneet Prakash, Dec 11, 2008 1805 hrs IST

It's a fantastic title deserving to be a part of your PS3 library

Pros: Solid single player campaign, engaging boss battles, the best multiplayer package in the market, amazing visuals, bigger and better than the first game

Cons: Dumb AI,

Expert Rating :

Expert Review

The first game had quiet a lot to prove -- Resistance was to the PS3 what Gears of war was to the Xbox 360, so it had really high expectations. The game proved to be a hit and sold over 2 million copies and racked in great reviews as well. This time Insomniac games are back with their second offering, a direct sequel to the game, simply named Resistance 2 and its awesome.

The game is way better than the first and more feature rich as well. Insomniac has set a new benchmark for themselves, delivering a solid title which reflects on today's demands by gamers, quantity and quality, they want games to do more and do better. Read on to know more about the game and why it should be on your list this holiday season.

Let me divulge into the single player details because I am sure there are many who bought this game to see what happens to the chimera infected world. The single player plot is very simple and stale, the same aliens invade the earth - America sends troops to save our lives, you know stuff that Hollywood has survived on for years. So basically, our hero aka Nathan Hale couldn't get rid of the Chimera in the first game and now has to join a new group of special soldiers called the Sentinels. The Sentinels are a group of soldiers who are immune to the Chimera virus, a virus that turns humans into ugly-yellow-eyed aliens.

So the sentinel have a huge responsibility of eradicating the chimera from US soil, and your character Nahtan Hale is a part of that group, which is constantly on the move, engaging hordes of chimeras and taking control of key locations. The single player is well designed with different locations, and the right amount of surprises. The level design varies from a dense forest to the insides of a huge chimera battleship, keeping things fresh and interesting.

The game is set in the 1950s, but due to the alien invasion there is a mix of gun culture, so don't be surprised with the odd mix of weapons. The player could carry many guns at one time in the first game, but this time around you can carry only two weapons and limited number of grenades. The health system has been changed as well. It follows a call of duty type system, wherein you can regenerate health by taking cover for a brief period of time.

The single player story mode switched from locales quite rapidly, but the campaign has been designed with the constant traveling in mind, so it doesn't feel out of place. The creative team at insomniac has outdone itself, as there is a great mix of retro and alien technology. The destruction and mayhem of a 1950s America has been delivered well, and looks believable. The gameplay is a bit more paced than last time, partly due to the increase in number of enemies. You will often find yourself pinned against the wall, fighting a huge number of chimera quiet regularly. A major change in the gameplay is the huge boss battles which are massive in terms of size and scope. The Leviathan battles in the game are super exciting, challenging and well orchestrated. The locales, the scripted scenes and the Hollywood styled special effects make the boss battles quiet memorable. The single player can be completed in about 10 hours or so, depending on your skill as a player. It's well presented with new enemy types and some really cool weapons.

The weapons in Resistance need a special mention, as they are quiet unique. It's not a surprise as Insomniac are developers of the hugely popular Ratchet and Clank series, and somehow I feel the same is reflected in Resistance, in terms of weapon design. There is the basic but powerful Carbine rifle, which shoots under-barrel grenades. Then there is the Bulls-eye, a crazy weapon that lets you tag your enemies, so your bullets follow the enemy. Also, there is the Auger, a weapon that can shoot through any solid surface and so on. My favorite crazy weapon is the Magnum Pistol, a highly powerful 6-round pistol where the bullets can also be exploded via secondary fire. The weapon design is truly exceptional and although it may not appeal to the purist, its still amazing fun. The single player is much better than the first one, it has more enemies, huge boss battles, plays at a solid frame rate and offers long hours of chimera killing.

Now let's take a look at the Multiplayer. The Multiplayer can be broadly classified into Co-op and Competitive. In co-op, you play with up to 7 other players online, choosing one of three available classes -- Solider, Medic and Spec Op. The co-op campaign follows a different campaign, set in the same universe. You get to play alongside other players from all over the world, against the Chimera, with three different classes to explore. The co-op mode is a great addition, it offers many hours of co-op fun along side other players, and it changes depending on the number of squad members. The game will put more enemies on screen if the player count goes up. There is clan support and an excellent match-making system. The competitive mode has various classic modes like deathmatch, team deathmatch, CTF and Skirmish. The game can be played by up to 60 players at the same time, without noticeable lag. It's amazing how the game handles 60 players so smoothly, even on simple connections we are so accustomed to in India. The 60 player games are designed with objectives in mind and split players into groups, so don't worry about being overwhelmed with bullets.

The visuals are on par with the best in the market due to the highly polished Insomniac Engine, the same engine that powered the brilliant Ratchet and Clank : Tools of Destruction. There are no frame-rate issues and no glitches. The game looks spectacular with some of the best lighting and post processing effects. The game is an audio visual treat, just crank up the volume and have a blast.

The game does have a few issues, most importantly the enemy AI. The enemy AI is not so smart and at times too easy to kill, they come running around when there is plenty of cover nearby. The game difficulty is also pretty unpredictable, which can be a little irritating. I also think that Insomniac should have extended the co-op with some missions from the main plot. The co-op is fun and the fact that it has a different storyline is also commendable, but some single player missions are just too good, and I don't see a reason why, a friend couldn't join in to enjoy the game.

All in all, this is one fantastic title that deserves to be a part of your PS3 library. It's much better than its predecessor, its too much fun and offers more than what you pay for it. I say go buy it now.