Resistance 2 Review

8.0 out of 10

"Resistance 2" from Insomniac Games is everything you come to expect from a sequel to an amazing Playstation 3 launch title - and nothing else.

"Resistance 2" begins where its 2006 predecessor "Resistance: Fall of Man" left off. The year is 1953 and the battle against the alien mutant invaders called "The Chimera" wages on. You reprise the role of series protagonist Nathan Hale who was infected with the "Chimera virus" in the previous installment in the series, but controlled by inhibitors which prevent the virus from spreading.

In this bout with "The Chimera," Hale is taken across the United States to do battle his enemies and this time opponents are larger and in greater numbers.

Hence the first drawback in the game.

Whereas, "Resistance: Fall of Man" blended a perfect harmony in the number of enemies thrown at you with amazing visuals, "Resistance 2" maintains excellent visuals but drowns you in a nearly insurmountable number of enemies.

Most clever gameplay tactics from its predecessor are boiled down to a steady stream of aimless fire at either a massive amount of enemies or opponents that are far to large to be defeated alone. Furthermore, when you think you've toppled one of these giant behemoths you are meet with three more just around the corner.

Many surprise tactics from enemies usually yield your certain death the first time around due to the unpredictable nature and shear force of each wave. Eventually you have to memorize where exactly each attack is coming from and how to perfectly utilize your environment and weaponry in a robotic fashion. Thankfully this possibly tedious process is saved by frequent check points so respawn from death is only a few feet away.

The game's average-in-length single-player campaign boils down to this system of trial and error when met with a healthy supply of enemies. Nevertheless, these foes are focused a little too heavily on scare tactics - in one section you will make your way through a pitch black building infested with berserk zombie enemies. This all comes from a unmemorable story which you ultimately don't care about.

Controls in the game are well in-tuned for the Playstation 3 and certainly not as wretchedly clunky as "Killzone 2."

Surprisingly the best feature of the game comes from the online cooperative mode.

This class-based multiplayer mode allows players to select between an infantry soldier, medic, and special-ops sniper as they revisit environments from the campaign with up to eight fellow team members. Each cooperative mode asks players to complete a series of tasks and defeat an onslaught of fire from more powerful enemies than in the campaign. Each mission features some unique variation which keeps the action feeling fresh each time and the class systems adds an element of strategy to each bout.

Competitive mode with up to 60 players in numerous gameplay modes does create an interesting online experience, but often allows for greater confusion since death occurs too frequently from unseen foes. Also, player health seems too large for an online match which sometimes feels unforgiving and unfair when met with more veteran players.

Both online modes feature a wide array of incentives via upgrades, power-ups, weapons, and trophies, but does not feel as satisfying as the "Call of Duty" multiplayer system.

The visuals of "Resistance 2" is another positive for title. Its predecessor was well known for its graphical display and "Resistance 2" meets those expectations. However, the game's visual beauty is not consistent throughout the entire campaign since some environments are obviously less polished than others.

Or it may have something to do with the massive wave of enemies encompassing your entire screen.

"Resistance 2" is a formidable title for the Playstation 3, but is not as enjoyable as its predecessor.