Resistance 3

When the PS3 kicked off Resistance: Fall of Man was a surprise to say the least. It is a rarity to see a launch title for any console well and truly go the distance and leave a lasting impression. Most are mere cannon fodder produced as part of the initial bundle to sweeten the deal for punters eyeing out the latest in gaming technology. Taking an alternate timeline and still miring the gamer in a World War Two-esque experience with alien overtones, Resistance was a brilliant concept, executed well. Throw in the inventive weaponry and it had all the markings of FPS royalty.

If you’re not familiar with the franchise, fret not, as Insomniac Games kick off Resistance 3 with a graphic novel styled approach to fill in the gaps and bring you up to speed. Nathan Hale from the first two outings fought against the Chimera after an alien infection slowly spread across the planet, turning Average Joes into snarling gnashing beasts focused on world domination called the Chimera. Taking the fight across Europe and the United States he waged a losing battle against tougher and near monolithic adversaries - this soon became a staple of the series.

Eventually succumbing to the infection himself, current lead Joseph Capelli has the dubious honour of shuffling Hale along to the afterlife and ends up earning a dishonourable discharge for his trouble and the title of villain to those who considered Hale a hero. As Capelli leaves military life behind to start a family, little does he know that the deceased Hale’s blood still holds the key to mankind’s survival. Without spoiling too much, Capelli heads off to New York to put an end to the Chimeran menace once and for all.

To this end he’ll come across small pockets of freedom fighters willing to aid him in his endeavours, usually at a price. Insomniac Games is trying to display the futility of war and illustrate the hopelessness of humanity’s struggle, but the narrative just isn’t that engaging. Joseph himself isn’t nearly fleshed out enough or all that likeable. I didn’t feel for his sense of loss at being separated from his family, nor did the many action pieces give off the sense that humanity hung in the balance.

I might have become a bit more invested if once Capelli was identified by his human brethren; he was reviled for his actions against Hale, but as it stands the plot became a device to move Capelli from bigger boss battle to bigger boss battle. Luckily, the gameplay and weaponry far outshines the plot (as always with the franchise) boasting some of the coolest upgradeable gadgets to outfit your arsenal.

The gameplay was old school at its best, achieving what Duke Nukem Forever could only dream of. Gone is regenerating health in favour of health packs - and that pesky two weapon realistic arsenal has been put out to pasture as well. Resistance 3 gives you a cavalcade of options offering an even dozen weapons and multiple grenade types. Each gun has an alternate mode of fire, as well as upgrades unlocked the more you use it. It’s like having your cake and eating it too with the toughest decision what to whip out first.



The Auger is back bringing with it shielded cover and energy blasts that fire through walls, as is the prickly Hedgehog grenade that turns Chimeras into pin cushions. The Magnum still has those sexy explosive rounds, the Bullseye still “tags” enemies so you can fire from around cover, but Insomniac Games threw in some tasty new treats to tickle your death dealing taste buds.

The Cryogun will have you quipping “a freeze is coming” [Nobody normal would say this - Ed.] with its shattering effects, the Mutator is germ warfare at its finest - turning Chimeras into bubbling biological masses and the Atomizer is electrifying up close and releases an orb that shocks and awes groups of enemies at a time. I found it hard to go past the old favourites though, with the Auger, Bullseye and Rossmore always at the ready. The upgraded Rossmore was particularly devastating with its Dragon’s Breath styled shells shredding through any and everything in my way.

As awe-inspiring as the things that go boom are, there were some glitches which detracted from the overall experience. The graphics were inconsistent, looking extremely average at times with spotty pixelation, lacking smoothness and almost appearing as if someone has rubbed Vaseline over the rendering lens.

The audio was out of sync in the early plot driven scenes of the game and the Rossmore shotgun in particular was about a second off key. It felt like I was playing through a badly dubbed foreign film with the shotgun blast eviscerating a Chimeran bit of cannon fodder, raspberry jam filling the screen, before the satisfying boom cracked. It happened each and every time I fired that bad boy and it’s a little strange that it slipped through.

The Chimeran AI was, for the majority of the time, spot on with troops moving, flanking, gaining high ground as those armed with Augers left no safe haven. I was constantly scrambling for cover. These frantic moments were offset by others with troops standing idly by mimicking statues, almost holding up “shoot me” signs in comparison, earning themselves a headshot for their efforts

As this second sequel hits shelves, the landscape of PS3 exclusive first-person shooters has shifted, with Resistance well and truly overshadowed by its stable-mate Killzone. This latest incarnation hopes that humanity’s last ditch effort against the evil alien hordes of the Chimera will offer a different experience as the tone shifts from all out military assaults to a more intimate struggle for existence as small pockets of resisting humans fight against overwhelming odds to reclaim the planet.

Sadly the inconsistencies were indicative of my entire experience with Resistance 3. It remains solid for the most part, but I can’t shake the feeling that something was missing. A little more spit and polish could have significantly elevated the title to the ranks of the FPS elite. The old school gameplay was a winner in my book; just don’t expect to be wowed by the plot or anything else.