In 2006, Sony would release the PlayStation 3 to follow up the massive success of the PlayStation 2, which became the best-selling console of all time. The PS3 had some issues early on including the price point, but one of the brightest spots was the launch title Resistance Fall of Man which was developed by Insomniac Games and produced by Sony Computer Entertainment. Resistance didn’t have too much competition in 2006 but would be crowned PS3 game of the year by many outlets. We’re heading to an alternative 1950s in this Resistance Fall of Man review.
Resistance Fall of Man Plot:
Set in an alternative timeline of the 1900s, an Alien race landed in Russia in the early 1900s. The aliens have slowly taken over the continent with the spread of infecting humans and turning them into Chimera. Despite the efforts to keep the Chimera at bay, they’ve been effectively invading other countries and eventually reach Europe by the 1950s.
It’s time for the United States to do what it does best and save the world! The U.S. certainly doesn’t want the Chimera setting their sights on America so U.S. troops team up with the British to take back Europe. The main protagonist in this Resistance Fall of Man review is a soldier named Nathan Hale. History experts should know the name well, but it’s not that Nathan Hale. His team begins the operation of taking back starting in England but his unit is ambushed and everyone becomes infected by the Chimera virus which is spread by cockroach-like creatures that enter your body.
Hale’s body has unusual natural immunity to the virus which allows him to continue to fight when his team is abducted and taken to a conversion center. At the center, he meets a woman named Rachel Parker who is a British Intelligence Officer and frees her. She has Hale team up with her unit and launches an offensive attack on the Chimera. Hale shows extreme abilities including speed and natural healing. These Chimera-like abilities freak Parker out as she begins to realize Hale may not be human anymore but still allows him to fight as he is kicking a lot of Chimera ass.
After surviving a few more battles, Hale and a British sniper named Stephen Cartwright discover a number of tunnels connected to central command centers that the Chimera have built. It’d be a suicide mission essentially, but if they can make their way through the tunnels and blow up the command tower they would make a significant dent in the Chimera’s hold over Europe.
In the command centers are special Chimera called “Angels” that can telepathically communicate to the masses of Chimera and command them. Cartwright is mortally wounded, but Hale makes his way to the center of the command and is able to destroy the core. Within a matter of minutes, the entire tower is blown up and Hale is assumed to be killed in action. It’s a massive victory for the humans but the Chimera invasion is still in Russia and parts of Europe. After the credits roll, Hale is seen to be walking around in a snowfield before being picked up by a human task force who seems to know that Hale isn’t quite himself. Hale allows the humans to take him.
Resistance Fall of Man Gameplay:
As a launch title for the PS3, Resistance Fall of Man is immensely impressive. It helped usher in the new era of gaming and gave gamers an idea of what the PS3 could do. During my Resistance Fall of Man review, there were many moments of “Wow” from the realistic window-breaking physics, unique weapons, and helpful A.I. teammates.
I played my Resistance Fall of Man review with my wife. It was at least my fifth time beating the game, but it was my wife’s first playthrough. She’s no stranger to first-person shooters but I was curious about how she’d handle it. The controls for Resistance aren’t overwhelming and the ability to quickly switch between your weapons was welcomed in swarms of chaos.
One of the most fun aspects of Resistance was experimenting with the generous variety of weapons. During my Resistance Fall of Man review, I started with the typical 1950s machine gun but as we progressed deeper into the game we received alien technology that breathed fresh air into the gameplay and battles. A must-have weapon included the Auger, which can shoot energy balls through any object making it ideal in killing hiding enemies or ambushing squads. Another favorite was the hedgehog grenade which elevated about five feet off the ground before sending spikes everywhere. Not only were these weapons useful, but they were fun. Overall, Resistance offered numerous weapons to fight a number of enemies.
Speaking of enemies, there are a few different Chimera soldiers you’ll face. The basic grunts are manageable, especially when they drop health packs for you. About halfway through, new Chimera started to show up including beast-like dogs, enlarged scorpion Chimera, larger and more deadly grunts, and a few goliath creatures that would fit at home in Lord of the Rings. My wife’s favorite enemy was the “Stupids”. These near harmless creatures are weaponless but act like zombies as they make their way toward you. One or two shots will drop them but watch out as they are near silent. They gave my wife a shock a few times but she enjoyed killing masses of them in factories and facilities.
Resistance had a near-perfect pace of play for level length. Levels lasted anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes which felt satisfying and avoided the overwhelming feeling that some video games can give. Throughout levels, there were checkpoints to restart and if you are playing two-player, you’ll be able to heal each other when the other dies. One small complaint would be the lack of bosses or memorable characters. Most levels end with a medium-sized battle that you must survive. There were no alien generals or monsters to kill at the end of any levels that would count as a “boss”. Not every game needs in-depth characters, but it would have been fun to at least face off with a few unique enemies.
To complete my Resistance Fall of Man review, it took about 12-15 hours to beat. That’s a great length for an FPS and it was rewarding when completed. If you’d like to start the campaign over again, the game unlocks new weapons that can be collected. My last minor complaint about Resistance would be the cut-scenes. They were presented in dull black and white slides as the camera panned out. With this being a launch game for the PS3, I would have liked to see more firepower to showcase what the PS3 can do during cutscenes. It felt a bit outdated in a game that was for the next generation.
Memories:
Resistance Fall of Man was one of the first games I played on a PS3. My first was Motorstorm, and I think the second game I picked up was Resistance. It was tons of fun and offered me a glimpse into what the future of gaming could be. I beat the game by myself and then invited a friend over a few weeks later. We beat the game in three days. In college, I completed a playthrough of Resistance with a girlfriend, and then for this Resistance Fall of Man review, I beat the game again with my wife. Each playthrough was full of fun and it’s a game I’d recommend to anyone.
Resistance Fall of Man Review Score:
There’s not a whole lot more you could hope for in a PS3 launch title. Resistance Fall of Man showcased the next generation of gaming with improved physics, stellar weapons, and helpful A.I. in your quest to eradicate Europe from the clutches of the Chimera. This is a must-own for all PS3 lovers and it started one of the most underrated video game franchises.
Resistance Fall of Man scores a 9.7 out of 10.
What would you write in your Resistance Fall of Man review? What was your favorite weapon? What was the first game you played on your PS3? Do you wish to see this series revived? Did you play it with friends? Let me know your thoughts and comments on Resistance Fall of Man, I’d love to read them.
Tiger Chainsaw 