Resistance 3 Review

Resistance 3 is the third and final Resistance game being developed by Insomniac Games. Whether or not there will be a fourth Resistance game remains to be seen. However, let’s not get ahead of ourselves just yet as Resistance 3 still proves it can deliver action and suspense much like a Hollywood movie can. Many PS3 gamers loved the first two games from the franchise, so how does number 3 stack up?

Is Resistance 3 a difficult game? Can I play the main campaign with a friend? Are the weapons cool to use in this game? We will provide answers to these questions and more as we take a look at the HOTs and NOTs of Resistance 3.

HOT

No Health Regeneration
Although FPS games are the most abundant and overused genre in the whole video game industry right now, Insomniac Games still manages to keep Resistance 3 a fresh and innovative experience. One of the more surprising additions to the game is that it has no health regeneration. The good old life bar makes its triumphant return to the FPS genre courtesy of Resistance 3.

The great thing about having no health regeneration is that it makes the game a bit more challenging. Recent games have been far too easy with the use of health regeneration that it became boring and overused. Players could easily shoot without thinking and still complete the game with ease. Thanks to the reintroduction of the life bar, Resistance 3 offers an experience I have not had for quite some time. The thrill of shaking in my boots and panicking when I had low life gave the game a survival-like atmosphere. Resistance 3 is not the type of game you can just run-and-gun like a madman!

If you’re worried about this, there’s the chance to unlock health regeneration if you wish. It can only be unlocked if you complete the game once on any difficulty. Any gamer that misses health regeneration in Resistance 3, will be happy to know they can unlock it eventually. Health regeneration is also an option to use on the game’s multiplayer too.

Lots of Guns
Insomniac Games has never been a stranger when it comes to including numerous out-of-this-world types of guns in its games. The company included many weapons in the Ratchet and Clank franchise and Resistance 3 is no different. Although there are still your machine guns, sniper rifles and shotguns in the game, every weapon has a secondary firing option that results in many unique and (often times) explosive results.

There are two personal favorite weapons of mine that I love to use which I’ve never seen in any other video game before. One of these weapons is a Chimeran gun called the Auger. The Auger can shoot enemies even through walls. The yellow lasers can travel through most surfaces so any enemy that is hiding cannot escape the wrath of the Auger.

The other cool weapon I loved using was the Mutator. There’s a point in the game where you have to shoot at human prisoners. The Mutator gun is given to you so you can shoot at these prisoners and turn them into mutated mush. You have to see it for yourself to know how cool (or disgusting) the results of the Mutator can do.

I forgot to mention if you use a specific weapon frequently, that weapon will automatically level up. Leveling up weapons in the game can save your life as the having more powerful guns will prove very helpful during the latter stages of the game.

Split-Screen Co-Op
There’s nothing better than a game including some old-school split-screen co-op. The great thing about Resistance 3 is that a friend can help you out during the game’s main campaign. Although this feature isn’t anything new (it’s been used in the Halo and Gears of War series), it’s a feature that hasn’t been used too often recently. Games like Modern Warfare 2; co-op is featured on a separate game mode while other games like the Battlefield games, there’s no split-screen multiplayer at all.

It was very fun playing the game alongside my brother in the same room. Even though the screen size was truncated, it didn’t hinder our gameplay experience. The last time we played a game via splitscreen was Motorstorm: Apocalypse. That was a game that was hard to play via split-screen it was too hard to see all the destruction in front of the road.

We did not have this problem in Resistance 3 because most of the Chimeran enemies in the game are larger than humans. This made it easier for us to aim and shoot at them, therefore making the split-screen experience more enjoyable for the both of us.

Engaging Story
The story of Resistance 3 takes place in 1957. It is set straight after the events of the second game. Only ten percent of the world’s population is left alive and Joseph Capelli is one of them. He now has a family to protect since he married Susan Capelli and has a young son. When Joseph meets Dr. Malikov again, Malikov advises him that a mysterious spire has erected in New York City creating a wormhole. This is causing the Earth’s temperatures to plummet to potentially enter another ice-age. Joseph reluctantly decides to leave his family to save the world from freezing. Will he survive to see his family again? That’s for you to find out!

Multiplayer
Resistance 3 has a very fun multiplayer mode that can also be enjoyed with a friend via splitscreen gameplay. When you first start the game, there’s only one gun and two multiplayer skins for you to choose from. When you level-up more skins and guns will be available for you to kick your opponent’s butts online. The best part about it is that I can play the game online against other players during splitscreen multiplayer. My brother also has a chance to play others online too.

Although this feature has been done before in other games, it’s great to see it included in Resistance 3. It would have been a bit boring playing online by myself without my brother watching my back.

The different perks you can earn when you get a killstreak are also very fun to witness. They include a shield, a cloaking device, a hologram (like in Halo: Reach) and extra ammo just to name a few. My personal favorite perk is if you manage to reach a killstreak of nine kills. You will turn into a huge Arnie-like figure holding a huge turret. The perk doesn’t last too long but it is very fun to use in that very short timeframe.

Not

Linear Level Design
If there is anything I disliked about the game, it was the linear level design. Graphically, the game is okay but the levels themselves weren’t as varied as I’d hoped they would be. There are far too many levels set in dark and enclosed spaces. It got a little boring exploring these dark areas all the time and killing all the enemies in such a small space. People who play this game via splitscreen multiplayer will have an awful hard time trying to navigate their way through some of the levels. The snowy New York level was my favorite area because it was more bright and open than most other levels in the entire game.

Rewards Only Unlocked On Single Player
The first time I played Resistance 3, I completed the game on the normal difficulty setting with my brother. At the time, I thought I was able to unlock the “health regen” and “unlimited ammo” bonuses as a reward for completing the game. Sadly, they were not unlocked and I realized you had to complete the game by yourself first before you’re rewarded with those aforementioned bonuses. It isn’t really a flaw in the game, I just wanted to advise others that it’s best to complete the game by yourself first if you want to unlock the bonuses available in the game when you finish.

VERDICT

There are numerous FPS games released each year that it’s hard for some of them to stand out in the overcrowded market. Thankfully, Insomniac Games has managed to make Resistance 3 a fun and innovative experience. The addition of unique weapons, cool looking enemies and split-screen multiplayer is a major plus for me. The feature to reintroduce the health bar system is also a refreshing experience that sets Resistance 3 apart from many other games. The multiplayer mode is also heaps of fun to play and will add hours of more entertainment beyond the single player mode. Although it’s only September, Resistance 3 is sure to be a contender for “Game of the Year”.

[Editor’s Note: Resistance 3 was reviewed on the PlayStation 3 hardware. The game was provided to us by the publisher for review purposes.]