Resistance 3
Review
The first game to make Oklahoma fun
by Kiran Sury
reviewed on PS3
Toned Down and Tuned Up
First things first – you need to be warned. Resistance 3 is one of the first PS3 games to incorporate Sony’s Online Pass system. This means that you have to enter a one-time use code found on the back of your manual to play online. While this isn’t a problem for those who buy new, players who buy used will have to fork over some extra cash to play the multiplayer. This also causes problems for those who bring their games to their friends' houses. Better bring your console too.
That aside, Resistance 3’s multiplayer is great. Resistance 2 was too ambitious. The 60 player matches were meant to be epic, sure, but every time I entered the fray I was gunned down on all sides. I eventually discovered the winning strategy for every match: pick the Auger and shoot enemies through walls. Resistance 3 reduces the player cap back to 16 – it was a very smart move. Maps are well-designed and encourage teamwork. The game plays like (in my opinion) a better Call of Duty. You have enough health that if someone gets the drop on you, you have a chance to survive rather than die instantly. Customizable loadouts let you choose how you want to gear up, with abilities having a Resistance spin. Special weapons or abilities like the Auger or invisibility cloak are wisely limited to kill streaks. As you gain experience and levels you unlock new weapons and abilities. The leveling system isn’t as robust as COD’s, but the unique Resistance weapons make the game zany enough to carve out its own niche in the multiplayer market. The eight-player co-op from the second game is sorely missed, but the split-screen and online co-op campaign, as well as the split-screen online competitive multiplayer options should keep gamers happy.
What Can Brown Do For You?
The first two Resistance’s were pretty monochromatic games, but Resistance 3 brings brown to a whole new level. The game is definitely a graphical step up from R2, if not as good as Uncharted 2. However, the color palette is quite limited to shades of brown and grey, with the occasional orange. It seems like a wasted opportunity – where are the bright neon green, purple and pink Chimera? The final level in New York takes place in an artificial winter, but that just blankets everything in white. The game obviously wants you to notice the engine – there’s an entire (rather useless) section where you carry a package and just run behind another character. I assume I was supposed to marvel at the destroyed beauty around me, but I was too busy dodging explosions that couldn’t actually hurt me to notice.
Sound is a strong point for Resistance 3. Characters are well-voiced, and the guns sound great. The background music swells and wanes appropriately, and keeps to the epic theme all shooters seem to have nowadays.
The game was stable throughout, no matter how many explosions went on, except for one point. I finished clearing a section of enemies early on in the game, and then went to rendezvous with my fellow resistors. One of them was supposed to open a door leading back to camp, but he just stood there looking at me. A restart solved the problem, and it never popped up again, but it’s worth a mention. That, and the various clipping problems that arose between larger enemies and the environment are the only less than flawless sections I remember in the game, performance-wise.
And Now a Paragraph in Which I Whine
I was hoping for a Resistance to end all Resistances. Perhaps my expectations were too high. Insomniac has stated that it is planning no more games in the franchise, and is willing to hand over the reins to other developers. I thought they would use this opportunity to go out with a bang, but it seems they chose to leave with a well-timed explosive instead. Don’t get me wrong; Resistance 3 is a thoroughly enjoyable, excellent game. The fact that I’m complaining that it’s not more epic, more thrilling, and ignoring it’s stellar pacing and gunplay speaks to the strength of Insomniac as a developer. Go out and get it if you have a PS3 (might as well buy it new because of the &$#% Online Pass system) – you will not be disappointed. But I’ll still be waiting for the next entry, the inevitable Resistance 4 from whichever developer, to really make me feel like the one man standing between mankind and its extinction.
8.5
fun score
Pros
Expertly crafted campaign that, if not jaw dropping, is quite fun. Unique weapons add to the experience. Solid multiplayer guarantees replay value.
Cons
Core ‘Resisting’ theme seems lost, eight player co-op mode lost, Online Pass required.
