Resistance 3: Striking a blow for mankind

The Resistance games are first-person shooters which pit you against an alien invasion. It started as a virus but has now all but taken over the world...

With only 10% of the human race surviving, and the United States seemingly lost to the Chimeran invasion, mankind is no longer just resisting; it's desperately trying to survive. Set four years on from the last game, Joseph Capelli is no longer a loner but now has a family to protect. Unfortunately, hiding is no longer an option, and once again he must take the fight to the Chimerans.

What struck us first about this latest release in the series is that it is a lot darker than previous games. It is now truly a post apocalyptic world of 1957. There is more of a sense of desperation in the story as Joe must weigh the preservation of his family against the opportunity presented by Dr Malikov to strike a blow for mankind. Even the combat feels overwhelming and frenetic.

This game sees the welcome return of the health ring from the first game in the series, but this is paired with a realistic blood effect when you are hit in combat. Also returning is the pistol with the controllable explosive rounds. Shoot a few into a Chim, and then push the trigger to see him (assuming they are male) explode in a shower of alien meat together with any of his brood mates who were standing too close. New additions are a homemade fragmentation grenade and a powerful three shot burst snipers rifle. The more you use a weapon the more power ups you unlock for the gun.

Combat is delivered in set piece combat zones, that thankfully are linked by travel sections and pauses where you pick up ammunition and health before proceeding to the next battle. The combat itself is a mad mash-up of tracers, aliens popping out of cover like ducks in a shooting gallery, and death from above as they drop down on you from all angles. All of this is tied together with a strong story that lays out a world bearing witness to the sunset of mankind.

The game settings and general atmospheric effect are very well done. The initial town really felt like it was deserted, brooding and full of impending menace. There was a lot of rich detail; however if there was a criticism to be made, the game feels like it has brown/yellow wash through the graphics and at times this makes identifying the enemy difficult.

Combat is often played out over multiple levels and you need to be constantly alert to what is going on around and above you to avoid being flanked. The boss fights we played through were intense and had us ducking and weaving to gain every advantage we could.

There is a lot of dialogue in the game with the shouts of combat, while the urgency relayed to you by your companions drives home the desperation of the story. The weapon sounds are satisfying as are the alien death effects. Get some for mankind!

Our preview copy had limited levels, and has definitely whet our appetite to see more. On release the full title also promises a strong multiplayer experience with 16 player matches and a skill progression system. The campaign game is playable in co-op mode both online and split screen. The game will also support Playstation Move.

We really enjoyed Resistance 2, and what we have seen so far of Resistance 3 shows a lot of potential to deliver an even better experience. We can't wait to cleanse the earth and put mankind once more at the top of the food chain... get off my laaand!

* Resistance 3 is available for PlayStation 3 from September 6.

- NZGAMER.COM