Resistance 3

No matter how many hours of fun I had in Resistance 2’s single, co-op and multiplayer modes, it’s difficult to say that it was an improvement over Insomniac’s first venture into Chimeran territory. The scale was larger than almost anything else on the market, but the sequel seemed to compromise its identity by incorporating generic FPS tropes that shouldn’t be treated as requirements. With only two weapons on Nathan Hale’s back and his health regenerating at rapid rates, it was difficult to differentiate Resistance 2 from any other military shooter dropping in 2008. Now three years separated, it’s obvious that Insomniac has listened to the pleas of their fans. A weapon wheel, health packs, and all the crazy, upgradeable weapons that defined the first title make a much needed return in Resistance 3 – making this feel like the product that Insomniac wanted to make all along. There’s nothing revolutionary here, and you won’t see a creature that rivals the girth of the Leviathan, but the thick layer of polish and high level of quality make every moment of play a joy. Resistance 3 is a strong a return to form for the franchise and a wonderful edition to the PS3’s already stacked library.

The first thing Resistance 3 does right is the tone. Things aren’t looking too good in the old US of A, which is now overrun and occupied by the Chimera. Actually, over 90% of the world’s population is either dead or infected with the virus, and unlike in the first two games, there are few men with the resolve to fight back. This isn’t a war anymore – humanity is just trying to survive a full scale invasion. Even Joseph Capelli, the soldier who was dishonorably discharged after infamously ending the life of Nathan Hale, has lost his will to fight. Five years after Nathan Hale’s death, Joe hides with a group of survivors with hopes to live as normal a life as the world will allow. Of course, an old friend has other plans for this “war hero”.

Capelli isn’t the same loner he was during his service beside Hale – he’s now a family man. His wife plays a big role in informing the survivors of incoming Chimeran attacks, while his son spends most of his time sick in bed. After losing contact with one of the scouts, Joe heads above ground to investigate the situation. A Terraformer (a colossal weapon in the sky with the power to obliterate anything on the ground) is waiting to greet him, forcing a full retreat to be issued to the underground outpost. This isn’t just a random occurrence, though – Malikov, the man responsible for the creation of the Clovin and what Nathan Hale became, has been followed all the way to the survivor’s location. Malikov is convinced that he’s found a way to stop the Chimera and adamant that the wormhole located in New York City is quickly freezing the planet – making Earth a more hospitable home for the Chimera. The human race will not survive the next winter, so Malikov begs Joe to accompany him to the tower in the city so that they may shut it down. Capelli quickly refuses his request, but his wife’s insistence on the importance of this mission puts him in a difficult position. Leave his family and risk his life without a sure result, or continue running in fear with his loved ones until the inevitable happens? With only his son’s lost mitten for comfort, Joe follows the scientist who dreams of redemption.

Besides his change in demeanor, Joe has also grown hair.

The emotional tale of humanity’s last stand feels genuine. The game opens at a slow pace, but the simple walk through the outpost in the opening section may be one of the most memorable. You witness plenty of folks barely hanging on, with IVs in their veins, painful expressions on their faces, and hope absent from their hearts. It’s an understandable state, as bleak may be the only word that can sum up the situation. Yet, the human race is also highly resilient. Capelli encounters many brave souls that won’t let hope die, and it’s an inspiring thing to see. There’s a perfect balance of highs and lows in this campaign containing 20 chapters, as well as a handful of beautifully delivered cut scenes that strike a chord that Resistance hasn’t been able to hammer down until now. It’s a brief ride, as I witnessed the ending in only six hours on the medium difficulty, but with so many big moments that won’t be soon forgotten, it’s tough to complain.

Joe may not be the same action-ready soldier that he was five years ago, but that doesn’t mean he’s forgotten how to shoot a gun. It’s good, too, because he has more than enough crazy weapons at his disposal – all of which are crammed into one beautiful wheel. The list may not seem very impressive to a Resistance veteran, as there are far more familiar tools than new gadgets, but it’s the variability of each weapon that adds multiplicity. Similar to Ratchet & Clank, weapons level up through repeated use, and the fun surprises that come with each upgrade encourage experimentation with every weapon. You may not like the Mutator that shoots volatile goop now, but maybe the second level will make it shoot kickass explosive acid. There’s no shortage of fodder for your weapons, either. The Resistance series has always excelled at throwing terrifying amounts of Chimera against your much smaller human force. It perpetuates the overwhelming feeling of hopelessness, but also creates a slew of fantastic and memorable situations. War may be hell, but the battlefield is a beautiful place to be in Resistance 3.

Even with loads of Chimera stomping through, the battlefields themselves are a sight to see. Joe does his fair share of traveling – stopping by in locations like Oklahoma, the Mississippi River, and Pennsylvania –which prevents you from ever seeing the same thing twice. While they may be linear, the diverse environments make entering each new area an exciting experience, and encourage smart play from the AI. Though a dense stream of Grim may be effective in the narrow underground tunnels, the open planes at night are a scary place to be when cloaked snipers are in the vicinity. There’s always something new to think about when wandering from place to place, and the Chimera’s ability to take cover, flank, and rush efficiently put more emphasis on intelligent play – even on the medium difficulty.

While not as memorable as Uncharted 2's train sequence, the boat ride here is full of thrills.

If you find your resolve fading due to the Chimera’s unrelenting numbers, there’s always the option of enlisting a friend to help in the resistance. Every single chapter of the campaign can be played cooperatively, bumping up the reply value even further. Local play is a blast, and if that friend who loves killing Chimera just as much as you do is a little too far away to visit, you can always just invite him and play online. There may be no online matchmaking, but with constant teamwork almost being required, you probably won’t mind not dealing with disgruntled strangers. What you may actually miss is the 8-player co-op mode from Resistance 2. While not perfect, the class-based experiment had some serious potential, and was a great way to rally a big group of friends together who didn’t just want to play other game of team deathmatch. Insomniac may have spread themselves too thin in their last effort, but with the extra year of development time, I had high hopes for a strong return of the unique co-op campaign.

The competitive multiplayer, on the other hand, far surpasses anything Resistance has ever done before in the online space. It offers five game modes: Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Capture the Flag, Chain Reaction and Breach. The first three are exactly what you’d think they are, but both Breach and Chain Reaction are fun and different objective-based game types that add a few twists. Chain Reaction asks each team to capture specific points in sequential order, with the game ending when either all points are captured or one team runs out of lives. Breach also hands out a set number of lives, but only for the team on offense. The attacking team must destroy the defending team’s spawns before their life counter hits zero – putting a greater emphasis on survival with each respawn. Each mode is enjoyable in its own right (even if it’s just the basic deathmatch), but it’s the deep progression system that makes it difficult to logoff. Reaching a new level rewards you with points that can be used for new weapons, upgrades and abilities that drastically affect how you play the game. You unlock the Marksman, upgrade the shotgun to shoot incendiary rounds, add an ability where Leapers jump from your body after death – there’s a cornucopia of options. All of this, along with the killstreaks that vary from Chimera to human, may make this sound like another military shooter in an overstuffed market, but it’s the unique weapons and Insomniac flare that give Resistance an identity.

Bosses are still pretty massive.

A change to the multiplayer structure that will anger a few fans is the smaller scale. Resistance 2 could hold up to 60 players in a single map. Resistance 3 only allows 16. Is this a problem? No. Resistance 2 became so busy at times that the kills and deaths felt haphazard. It was quantity over quality, which Resistance 3 remedies. The maps are structured so that big, hectic moments still arise, but not nearly as frequently. There are no awkward jaunts through empty space, yet there are moments to breath. It’s a scaling back for the best, and a much more enjoyable outcome.

It’s sad to watch a franchise lose its identity, but a simple misstep makes the return to glory all the more sweet. Resistance 3 is an emotional present wrapped with the finest of gameplay mechanics. The ending may fall flat, but the lack of complete closure only means more Resistance games can be made. It probably won’t be remembered as a game-changer or the best shooter of 2011, but it’s a high quality product that I’ll not soon forget. Insomniac has gracefully delivered the best game in the Resistance franchise, and a wonderful addiction that will entertain far beyond the holidays.

Josiah Renaudin

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