Archive for October, 2008

To get straight to the point. IGN has given Resistance 2 a score of 9.5. It’s a pleasant surprise if I must say so. I really enjoyed Resistance and loved the online multi-player so Resistance 2 was always going to be a must have for me, but I’m pleased it has received a high review score from IGN.

Here are some choice quotes from the review:

Not only is Resistance 2 an improvement in all facets of the game, it dwarfs the considerable action of the first title in the series.

Hmm, how else have they improved on the single player?

The first game was well known for its atmosphere, tight corridors and its surreal environments. All of that has been maintained, and even augmented. For instance, it’s extremely strange to walk into the town of Twin Falls, Idaho, and see the entire place covered with flesh pods, which obviously contain the unfortunate remains of the townsfolk. When one of your squad mates remarks that seeing the entire thing makes him miss conversion centers, you can’t help but agree with him. But eclipsing this is the sheer scale and scope of the game, which is nothing short of epic. In every single level, there is at least one moment that will make your jaw drop, such as the absolute devastation of Chicago and its total infestation of Chimeran creatures

Awesome! I can’t wait to get stuck into the single player mode. Insomniac have also managed to improve on what was already an excellent multi-player experience in Resistance. First up the (up to) 8 player co-op story mode:

You’re part of the Spectres, a separate military faction tasked with tracking down and finding Gray Tech, items held by the Chimera around the world. The co-op mode missions run parallel to the action of the single player campaign, and helps to point out that Nathan isn’t the only one that’s fighting this war against the Chimera; other humans are risking their lives trying to defeat the invaders as well.

Players are given a choice between three different classes, each with their own abilities and traits. However, players aren’t restricted to a particular class, and can switch at any time they wish, including during a match. The Soldier is the tank of the squad, equipped with a chain gun that projects an energy shield and packs more health than any other class. Spec Ops are the damage dealers of the group, and while they have less health than others, their Marksman is particularly effective in wiping enemies out. They are also the only class that can resupply soldiers by throwing out ammo packs. Medics are the final class, using their Phoenix weapons to drain the health from enemies and convert it to healing blasts from their weapon. They can also resuscitate party members faster than any other squad.

Berserks are specialized abilities that are tied to a particular class, and can be triggered when a player has gained enough experience points to fill a meter, which will slowly drain when the power is active. For instance, Soldiers can trigger Ironheart, which will reduce the amount of damage taken as long as the Berserk is active. The Ring of Life, by contrast, allows Medics to set down an area that will constantly regenerate health of any allies in its proximity. If a player frequently performs their job, they’ll continually refill this meter, allowing them to try to swing the tide of the battle in their favor. That is an extremely important factor when it comes to the Co-op mode, because the game takes a dynamic approach to play. Initially, you’ll be given an objective and based on how you’re doing, the levels of each class in your party and the number of players in a match, the game will scale the action accordingly.

For example, if you find yourself playing a split-screen co-op game with one friend, fights will be easier to take on than if you move in with seven other players and are surrounded by sixty enemies or more at the same point. But on top of this, you’ll also discover that the objectives will dynamically change as well, making each situation play out in a different manner every time. What’s more, as you blast through each checkpoint, you’ll inevitably go up against some elite versions of these creatures, each of which hold more health than a standard Chimera and can inflict more damage as well. But even outside of the scaling action of the cooperative play, the mode truly embeds a sense of working together with the other players in your squad, because it’s not possible to survive this mode by going commando. Each player is forced to rely on the other skills of their party mates to survive, but the one thing that I’ve found in playing a number of multiplayer matches is that anyone, from a newcomer to a seasoned veteran of the mode easily falls into a specific role and gets a hang of the gameplay, making it one of the most accessible multiplayer modes around

I played this in the BETA and it was absolutely immense fun! I can’t wait to play it with friends. I think it will offer a break from the inevitable spawn killers and campers that will no doubt plague and eventually ruin Resistance 2′s main online multiplayer modes, like they ruined the first game’s.

Or maybe I’m just being cyncial…

The competitive mode is also just as solid. Sure, Resistance 2 features many of the classic game modes that you’ve come to know and love in multiplayer matches, such as Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag (known as Core Control in the game). However, it’s Skirmish mode where the mode sets itself apart, because the game will feature up to sixty players on scalable maps without any noticeable lag or technical hitches. Skirmish mode is objective based just like Co-op mode, with dynamic goals assigned to the six squads of five players each for the Human and Chimeran sides. These will cover a number of objectives such as controlling a particular node, protecting a specific location or eliminating a priority target on the other side. Rival squads on the other side will be tasked with stopping you, so you’ll always have some kind of opponent attacking you and your allies. As time starts to run out in a round, you’ll find that the objectives will start to funnel everyone towards a central point for overall domination of the map. This is where the largest battles break out, and also where the action gets most intense, which only serves to boost the level of fun to huge levels. Toss in leaderboards and lots of other multiplayer features, including the MyResistance.Net functionality that will track stats in real time while also giving a number of social networking features, and you have a title that will expand both replayability and community.

I never really played much of Skirmish during the BETA but it sounds like it could be a great addition. As an overall package, I think Resistance 2 has something to please most people; split screen local multiplayer (if I remember correctly, maybe Henning can correct me on this ), online co-op, online mulitplayer and an epic single player mode.

Resistance 2 is one of those games that manages to expand on its predecessor in every way. The single player is epic in scope and in story, which is practically worth the price of admission by itself. Then you throw in the extremely engaging co-op and competitive play, which expands on replayability in just about every way possible. Toss in a generous number of unlockables, trophies and community support, and you’ve got a phenomenal experience. This is an exclusive that PS3 owners should be proud to have in their collection.

Let’s see if the rest of the reviews are as complimentary towards Resistance 2 and as forgiving of it’s flaws. Regardless, it’s a definite day one purchase for me and I can’t wait to get back into some consistent online play with my friends.

IGN’s Resistance 2 Review