Game Review: Resistance 3

NZ Herald

14 Sep, 2011 05:30 PM2 mins to read

Resistance 3. Photo / Supplied

When protagonist Nathan Hale was killed at the end of Resistance 2 it was the ultimate cliffhanger ending. Two games had followed Hale as he and his unit fought for mankind against the invasion of the Chimera.

These ugly interlopers infected humans, turning them into aliens. Hale was turning, and fellow fighter Joe Capelli was the man who pulled the trigger.

Back in Resistance 3, Capelli is the new lead man, but he's out of the military and fighting to survive long enough to save the world. This leap from military first-person shooter into a survival battle has kept the game alive in a sea of high-end FPS fare.

The gameplay has improved markedly, with more effective enemy AI that has turned Chimera into a sneaky and skilled enemy.

A variety of battlegrounds are on offer, from the deck of a boat in flooded cities, to all-but-destroyed metropolises and quiet rural hideouts. These areas have moved away from offering a single, linear way to allowing for a very strategic war to be waged.

Multiple hides and spots allow players - especially in the fast-moving new co-op mode - to refine their assault on existing and brand new Chimeran enemies for better, and bloodier, results.

The weapons system again uses a "wheel" selection system which, at the hit of the triangle button, pauses briefly and allows fast access to a wide range of armaments.

Each weapon responds to effective use, and follows an upgrade path that is noticeable in their use. The PlayStation Move can be used in-game, but is a bit clunky without employing the Sharpshooter add-on.

3D is available, but the frame-rate takes a pretty solid hit from using the technology. Keep it in 2D for better results - the graphics are slick, even in 720p, giving the desolate, Chimera-shagged landscape an eerie feel and making the enemies even scarier, except when you take their heads off with the Rochester shottie.

Surround audio is well-steered, letting the wonders of Dolby reveal sneaky flanking Chimera.