Resistance 3: A Great Improvement

The wonderful thing about sequels in video games is that you can go back and correct past errors to create a more enjoyable experience. Insomniac Games has done just that with their latest installment in the Resistance franchise. The third chapter in the series could possibly be the best, with a more concise campaign and challenging first-person combat.

Storyline

The game’s fictional universe is based on an alien invasion before World War II by a race called the Chimera. By the events of Resistance 3 the aliens have almost completed their domination of the planet Earth.

Players take the role of Joseph Capelli, one of the last surviving humans hiding out from the Chimera in the Midwest. After narrowly escaping death, Capelli teams up with Russian scientist Fyodor Malikov on a journey from New York City to fight back against the Chimera.

Once more, the series’ amazing array of weapons is what really steals the spotlight in Resistance 3. Every weapon has its own unique feel and both the weapons’ designs and sound effects are pretty good. Every weapon in the game has both a primary and secondary attack, like the Rossmore shotgun that also fires concussive grenades or the Mutator, a biological weapon that fires a green cloud that leaves enemies continuously vomiting.

The more players gravitate towards certain weapons, the more experience they get to purchase upgrades for those particular weapons. In the instance of one weapon called the Marksman, it can upgrade from a long-range sniper rifle to a longer-range sniper rifle. The game’s developers have also continued the weapon wheel, which enables players to stop everything and pick from 12 different weapons. Players can also use the triangle button to quickly cycle through a pair of guns. The wheels works pretty well, but it’s easy for players to choose the wrong weapon.

The game’s campaign can last anywhere from six to eight hours and flows pretty well. Developers seem to have actually gotten the flow perfect; they know when to give the players some time off to relax and when to keep the intensity levels up.

Changes

Maybe the most significant and important change in the game is the way that the game’s enemies perform. In the earliest games in the franchise players were often ambushed by scores of enemies. Because of this, players often had to play levels a few times before finally mastering them.

Resistance 3 has a much better combat system. Enemies are pretty straightforward so there’s no fear of running around a corner and finding a bunch of enemies waiting. Since players don’t die nearly as much they get to enjoy some of the amazing action sequences in the game.

Although, just because you don’t die quite as often doesn’t mean that the game isn’t difficult; the Chimera are still very difficult opponents.Overall, the game is a huge improvement to its predecessors and functions very well. It’s a great addition to any gamer’s arsenal and is definitely recommended.

USA Today Photo by : InsomniacGames