Today Gearbox showed off Duke Nukem with a live playable demo that players could get their mitts on. This has certainly been a long time coming with the title being in development hell for the past 10 years. In fact, development was shut down last year due to the developers being shut down.

Even better, we have a date that Duke Nukem will once again be chewing gum with us next year. Duke Nukem will come to the PS3, 360, and PC in 2011.

SCEA has gone on to say that Killzone 3 will be released on February 22 2011, around the same time Killzone 2 was released in 2009. No other details, such as Pre-order goodies or Special editions were announced.

The game’s multi-player was shown at Gamescom with a few lucky people at PAX getting special cards that will get them into the beta when it starts.

Killzone 3 is exclusive to the PS3.

Ueda recently was quoted in Famitsu talking about the game and being almost ready to show it:

“I believe we’ll soon be able to make some announcements that will please everyone, so please look forward to it,” he said at a recent conference in Yokohama.

People are very hungry for the sequel.  Ueda has been talking for months about upcoming announcements, in fact this has been going on all year.  With the game a no-show at both E3 and Gamescom, it would make sense that he wants to show it in his own backyard.

Well now we shall pray and hope.

It was only a year ago that the game was first announced in Game Informer. Ninja Theory, the developer, are famous for titles such as Heavenly Sword. Also they have once again recruited the talent of Andy Serkis (Gollum, King Bohan) to provide motion capture and portray the main character. The game is loosely based on the Chinese tale Journey to the West.

Enslaved is set to be released on October 8th for the 360 and PS3

Next week’s line-up for Playstation+ subscribers has been released with a very awesome bonus.  God of War: Ghost of Sparta demo will be exclusive to PS+ subscribers, no date for a public release has been mentioned.  Check below for the full list of exclusive goods.

-Full Game Trial: Warhawk

-Free Games: Blast Off – mini

-Early Access Game Demo: God of War: Ghost of Sparta (PSP)

-Game Discounts: Ratchet & Clank Dynamic Theme (50% off)

Free Game Add-ons:

-UFC Undisputed 2010 TUF Unlock Key

-Warhawk Booster Combo

Free XMB Themes

-Warhawk Dynamic Theme

-Mystical Fractals Theme

Free Media: Qore September Issue

Last Chance, Get Them While You Can

-Early Access Game Demo: TerRover

-Free Offers to PlayStation Plus Subscribers: Minis: Aero Racer (original price – $2.99); Themes: Nebula Tunnels (original price – $1.99); Qore: August Episode (original price – $2.99)

Discount Offers to PlayStation Plus Subscribers: Wipeout Fury HD DLC – 20% Off (PlayStation Plus Offer – $7.99, regular price – $9.99); High Velocity Bowling – 50 percent Off (PlayStation Plus Offer – $5.00, regular price – $9.99); Uncharted Eye of Indra comic bundle – 50 percent Off (PlayStation Plus Offer – $1.25, regular price $2)

Story

The plot follows Vito Scaletta, an Italian War veteran who has just come home from World War II. He learns that his sister and mother have been stuck with the debts his father accumulated over the years. Vito recruits help from his longtime friend Joe Barbaro and the two enter a life of crime and gain rank until they are eventually recruited into the Mafia itself.

Mafia II’s story is rather good. It truly emphasizes the American Dream and that it isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be. Vito experiences losses, revenge, and retribution throughout his journey and it is one journey. All the characters within the game are given very nice specific personalities, although a little cliché. Thankfully the game strays away from what other open-world games try to do which is shoving tons of characters down the player’s throat. Mafia II minimizes the characters to a manageable number making sure the player can keep up.

The campaign is also home to some absolutely fantastic cutscenes that truly help carry the game. It’s easy to force yourself through some of the games missions just to get to another cutscene. The story really is that interesting, even if some of it may be a little bit predictable.

However there is a glaring issue within the game, because if you have to force yourself to get to the next cutscene then there’s a problem. Pacing is the problem here. Despite having an excellent tale, Mafia II makes some slip-ups in some of the chapters. Some of them are just really boring and add little to the plot as a whole. In fact some of the stuff feels just like filler to pad out the games length. There is no bigger crime to this then the Fuel stamp mission, which just wastes time and brings nothing to the overall tale. Plus it is these missions that make it very hard to continue on when it feels like you’re learning nothing in return.

Mafia II tells a great story especially with its cutscenes. The only real problem is the pacing of the tale. Other than that though, it’s very easy to get sucked into the world and care about what happens to certain characters.

Score: 9/10

Design

Mafia II puts on a very good first impression. The game opens up with a long car-ride through Empire Bay (New York City equivalent) that introduces you to all the fantastic sites while you listen to 1940s Christmas music. From the very get-go the game is able to pull the player into its setting making them forget that it’s just a videogame. The first set of missions also give you sense of freedom that a bunch of side-quests will open up and you could sink hours into Empire Bay. Heck, even the in-game map shows 10 square miles to enjoy.

However after spending a couple of hours in the game it becomes painfully obvious that there is nothing to do in Empire Bay. All the dots on the mini-map are nothing but gas stations, mechanics, and places to get a drink. It doesn’t make much sense why Mafia II even has a giant open-world when there is just nothing to do but drive around in the outside, which becomes very boring really quickly.

Missions within the game follow a very linear path. A destination is displayed on the mini-map and Vito has to drive there. The missions are then started with each one varying. Some involve intense shoot-outs while others involve being stealthy. This wouldn’t be a problem at all if the missions just didn’t end so quickly or go on to long. Some of the stealth missions and fetch quests go on far too long past their welcome while the shootouts never reach their full potential and end right when things are starting to get good.

The always-bright spot is the atmosphere though. Empire Bay is dripping in it and it never fails to impress. From the many soundtracks to the propaganda posters to the fashion, everything just feels authentic. Plus watching the change from the 40s to the 50s is quite impressive as literally everything changes.

Mafia II’s design is very flawed. The game always feels like a linear game trapped inside a sandbox with neither managing to provide much to the experience. Plus while the story spans 10-15 hours, there just isn’t much to do within the game, which is a pity since the city is so detailed.

Score: 6/10

Gameplay

Like the design, Mafia II tries to be many things with its gameplay. While it isn’t broken or anything, it just feels uninspired.

Mafia II splits its time between driving, third-person shooting, and melee combat. Basically the game tries to be Uncharted/Gears of War, Gran Turismo/Forza, and Tekken all in one game. This becomes a huge problem in the game because none of the sections are fleshed out and remain in the simplest form.

Driving is very slow and very painful due to many reasons. A giant foray of cars, each with its own handling and stats, are available to drive, but these cars just aren’t made that well use of.

Cops are literally everywhere making even stealing a car a real pain. While it is easy to escape from them they are still everywhere. They turn on you even if you tap the car in front you and they will most certainly turn their sirens on should you go above the speed limit. The most glaring issue though is the Mini-Map. Usually mini-maps are supposed to help a person get from one spot to the other but 2K managed to make the mini-map as difficult to decipher as possible. At times it is literally impossible to decipher where the red line is. Many times you may find yourself take a wrong street and when you try to correct it you hit something or someone and the police come at you. It is mind-numbingly frustrating to have to drive when dealing with the mini-map.

The next 3^rd of the game is dedicated to third-person cover shooting. Here the controls never feel natural in any way. Mafia II becomes like other open-world shooters and their controls. It feels awkward to shoot and hide behind cover. Some strategy is employed with a destructible cover mechanic, but it’s never really developed enough to make use of. The mini-map is also a glaring problem here. Vito is a pretty fragile man and can die very quickly, he also can’t blind-fire for some reason so he needs all the help he can get. The mini-map is supposed to be there to help you figure out where enemies are, but sometimes it doesn’t. This is very frustrating when the map shows nothing yet there is an enemy in a corridor with a shotgun and annihilates you especially when the game employs a very crushing checkpoint system.

Melee combat is actually pretty good despite being simple. You have light, heavy, dodge, and counter-attacks. While it is simple it is also extremely satisfying, especially the excellent finishers that adapt to the location of the player. It’s a nice detail that adds some fun to a mediocre game.

Mafia II’s mechanics all work, but it just isn’t fun to play. The mini-map is a huge culprit in this, especially when such a large portion of the game depends so heavily upon this device. Nothing is broken, but it feels very uninspired and if they had just focused on one part, then the game could’ve been something great.

Score: 5/10

Presentation

Despite problems in the way the game plays, there is no denying that the game is a looker. 2K really did put some time into making the games presentation fantastic and it does pay off. Models and textures for the main characters are fantastic and the way their lips move when they talk and how their faces react are just perfect.

Empire Bay is also a very pretty city. While there isn’t much to do, there is a lot to see. Empire Bay certainly is some very good eye-candy. The atmosphere that comes along with the city is also very authentic and really provides the sense that this is a real breathing city.

A great cast also fills in the shoes of the characters providing very strong performances. Some of them are cliché, but you really need that cliché in this genre to really make it work.

Of course Mafia II does have some problems. There is a lot of noticeable screen-tearing and frame-rate drops. There were actually a couple of times where the game froze for a couple of seconds and then picked up. Pop-in is also a giant problem, especially with some close-up objects.

The worst problem found though was that the game managed to crash once after a certain cutscene. The screen just remained blank and the console had to be restarted.

Mafia II is a great looking and sounding game. It has some visual problems, but there isn’t much that can detract from this good-looking game, especially the expertly crafted cutscenes.

Score: 7/10

Final Thoughts

Mafia II is a game that tries to do too much when it doesn’t have to. Anyone looking for a great story presented in a great way should defiantly come and give Mafia II a look if they are willing to overlook quite a few issues. Overall Mafia II is an ok game.

Final Score: 6.7/10

The Good
Great Story
Dynamic Melee combat
Great Cutscenes

The Bad
Empire Bay is just Eye-Candy
Gameplay is uninspired
Problematic Mini-Map

It sees players journey back nearly a year since the passing of the Archdemon, and sets players on a quest to find out what happened to Morrigan.

Key features include being able to earn powerful rewards that transfer into your Awakening or Origins campaign, and being able to import your character from Origins or Awakening, along with the “dramatic conclusion to the Origins storyline”.

It’s scheduled for release on September 7 for Xbox Live, PlayStation Network and Windows PC for 560 MS Points / $6.99.

Check out the first batch of screens below.

The game takes place between the events of first and second movie, as players assume the role of Detective Tapp’s estranged son Michael, who is on a journey to find out the true cause of his father’s death. As they navigate through Jigsaw’s terrifying world, they will encounter stomach-twisting traps, puzzles and more visceral combat.

It’s being developed by Zombie Studios for release on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Check out the latest batch of concept art below.

Story

Resistance 2 takes place two years after the destruction of London’s tower. Hale gets recruited into the Sentinel program with fellow soldiers to combat the Chimeran threat that has now reached the U.S. shores. It’s up to Hale and his group of Sentinels to find a way to stop the Chimera before it’s too late.

Unlike Fall of Man, Resistance 2’s story just doesn’t hold up that well. Rather than the third-person narration with still images that made the original so compelling, we get a strict first-person narrative. Not much is learned about anything really except form the Intel that is possible to miss if you aren’t paying attention. Despite the fact that we now get the story from the character, we learn virtually nothing until the correct pieces of Intel are collected.

What is in the Intel though tells a great story. Like Fall of Man, the Intel details what happened in the 2 years between the 1^st and 2^nd, more info about the Chimera and their origins, and also some great government conspiracy. The game falls under the pressure of a B-line action flick. The material we’re given to watch and play is standard action material. The stuff we get to read tells us the interesting parts that fans want to read, because of this though Insomniac alienates a lot of potential fans that do not want to read through hours of Intel.

A new addition to the franchise is a central Villain. The character Deadalus is a Human-Chimera hybrid. He comes in at the worst of times to create Hell and havoc for Hale and the rest of SRPA. The problem with Dadealus, like all the other characters, is that we don’t learn anything about him. His motives are clear but due to the small amount of time spent with him we never learn about him. There isn’t even much Intel relating to him.

Resistance 2’s plot and story has numerous pacing issues. The game starts strongly with the first 2 levels, and then it pretty much dies until the end. Nothing of true significance happened with many levels feeling like they didn’t need to even happen. In fact an entire level ends up being a wild goose-chase. Kind of like how all of Super Mario Bros. was a goose chase to find the princess. It isn’t till the end that things really pick back up and it becomes enthralling again.

This also feeds into the locations. While the original was set in England, every area visited felt fluid and belonged within the game to help tell the story. Resistance 2’s locations feel like they’ve been shoehorned in. Some of the locations make absolutely no sense to go to, especially the one level that is a wild goose-chase. Nothing about these locations feels inspired other than the fact that Insomniac wanted to get some amazing sites from America in.

Resistance 2 feels like it’s trying really hard to be a hardcore action game, but because of this it lost what made the original’s story so special. Every change that Insomniac employed to make the story more like other shooter stories just backfires and for that the game’s story feels like a complete backseat. If it were not for the Intel, then the story would be a true backseat.

Score: 6/10

Design

Resistance 2 falls into a lot of clichés that other First-Person shooters have fallen under. The game still offers a meaty playtime, but it isn’t always a fun playtime.

Many missions in the game can get wearisome especially because the game is just not built to handle the cliché shooter conventions the game tries to emulate. Some breathtaking environments are shown, and they reek of exploration, but invisible walls litter everywhere cutting off exploration. This problem also leaks into gunfights which feel a lot weaker then Fall of Man. Set pieces just aren’t as big and battlegrounds feel much more sparse then the original. What is there basically screams to find different ways to fight the Chimera, but this is a false hope as everything is just so streamlined.

It also gets down to the point where the entire middle of the game gets boring. The story does take some fault while the design takes the other.  Everything is just so bland and straightforward.  At times the game hints at bringing something truly amazing, but it soon becomes repetitive and wearisome. This includes the proclaimed epic bosses. They all give off a great first impression, but it is soon lost once you find out their attack patterns and just how easy they are to kill. Behemoths like the Leviathan should not be so easily killed off by 6 small rockets to the face.

What really gives Resistance 2 its legs is the excellent replay value. The campaign is still a meaty length with so much left to do after the game. Once again, many Intel pieces are scattered throughout the levels detailing the rich back-story of the universe. On top of this are the excellent co-op and competitive modes that will keep you coming back for more.

Resistance 2 doesn’t have a horrible design. It truly does succeed in making the player come back for more. However, many things in Resistance 2 just lack in comparison to Fall of Man. Many things that made the original so unique were lost as Resistance 2 aimed to be much more like current shooters.

Score: 8/10

Gameplay

Fall of Man was made famous by its unique weapons, run-and-gun style of gameplay, and its huge sense of variety. Insomniac opted out of their formula for a Call of Duty like game. Resistance 2 relies heavily upon certain mechanics that truly do not feel like they fit the game.

Unlike the original, Resistance 2 relies heavily upon the Aim down the Sights System. Due to this, many buttons had to be re-mapped to the point where it does feel like a mod for Call of Duty. While the system isn’t broken at all, it doesn’t feel like it fits the game. Returning guns such as the Bullseye and Carbine don’t work very well with the system. In fact, during multi-player it is much easier to get kills with these guns by just pointing and shooting rather than aiming. Newer guns do feel good with the new aiming system but the old guns just aren’t built for it.

Speaking of guns, Insomniac continued their tradition of providing inventive ways to kill with Fall of Man. Insomniac has forsaken this tradition in this game. While it is understandable that some guns have to continue over since it is a series, far too many guns return and barely any new guns make an appearance. Guns like the Bellock, Splicer, and Marksman just aren’t interesting and have been done in other games better. Another problem is the reloading and clip sizes.

Instead of a fast-reload, large clip-size, and tough enemies, Resistance 2 features slow-reload, small clip-size, and still tough enemies. Common hybrids take far too many bullets and they’re just a simple enemy! While it isn’t as bad towards the beginning of the game, once the enemies get more armor it can become a huge problem and it just takes away from the enjoyment of the game.

What can be said though is that everything just works. While it isn’t as enjoyable as the first, the game manages to stay playable with no bugs. The new gameplay system also works really great with co-op since the slow nature and smaller clip sizes force players to work together to overcome the various obstacles.

All in all, Resistance 2 provides average gameplay. Unlike other shooters, it just doesn’t have much charm or originality.

Score: 7/10

Multi-Player

Resistance 2 ups the Multi-Player from Fall of Man in more positive than negative ways. While the gameplay isn’t as fast or intense the game is still quite fun. Competitive-wise the game hits all the right spots. The maps are smartly designed to take advantage of a large amount of players.

Games take place in 30 vs. 30 teams. Resistance 2 manages to never lag despite the fact that 60 players are causing mass mayhem throughout some truly remarkable maps. There is a large variety of modes including some excellent objective based matches. Even with the slower controls it manages to find the sense of speed the Single-Player just can’t capture.

What’s even better than the Competitive Multi-Player is the deep and rewarding Co-operative play. The Co-Op in Resistance 2 sends groups of 8 players on Campaign-esque missions. The group is given a main objective across 8 locations (6 from the campaign, 2 from England). Some of these objectives could include killing a boss, gathering a certain amount of “Grey Tech,” or rescuing civilians. Every time the map changes to keep you on your toes. The loading screen also unlocks even more Intel which details events that happened before the game and what is going on in Europe with Parker from Fall of Man. Three classes are given, the Soldier, Recon, and Medic with each getting a specific weapon to use. It is a bit of a disappointment that more classes are not available, as this could’ve further increased the depth of this already fine Co-Op mode.

What pulls every mode together (Co-op, Competitive, and Single-Player) is experience. You earn experience from everything you do that goes towards building your own personal Avatar for both the Humans and Chimera. Different skins are available for both factions as well as miscellaneous gear to customize your look. Co-Op allows you to buy weapon and armor upgrades with Grey Tech. This experience based system gives Resistance 2 an edge over other shooters because it is fun to collect all those little things to create an avatar that just looks awesome. Plus this gives the game a deep RPG feel that is truly unique.

Sure, it isn’t as fun as Fall of Man, but Resistance 2 does a lot of things right with its Multi-Player and offers up a lot of content not found in a lot of other shooters.

Score: 8/10

Presentation

Resistance 2 puts it best foot forward from the very beginning showing spectacular epic battles with a giant Goliath. However things start to go downhill from there. With the advancement in visuals on the PS3, one would expect Resistance 2 to take full advantage of the PS3 and its architecture, however the game doesn’t.

Once again the Chimera take the spotlight from the humans. All of the Chimera and their toys are superb. The models, textures, animations, and even the saliva that crawl down their teeth are rather impressive. While not as many variations appear, the amount that can be shoved on screen is quite impressive with the frame-rate never buckling once.

The problems once again come from the humans. Like Fall of Man the models, textures, and animations are sub-par. No one ever looks quite right with the humans looking more alien then the Chimera.

Effects border the line between fantastic and creepy. Water looks good when it’s in puddles or small amounts, however when in large amount it just looks extremely creepy as it wobbles around like jelly. Blood looks great with entrails and intestines popping out of bodies in glory goodness. Clipping does happen every once in a while, especially with falling water.

The atmosphere exchanges dreary England for sunny America. While there are some truly jaw-dropping moments in the game, it never manages to capture the same feeling that Fall of Man captured. It never really ever feels like all hope is lost or that you really are alone. It isn’t horrible, but America just doesn’t add much to the game.

Resistance 2 is a fine looking game. It may not be the best looking on the block, but it still manages to hold up ok in today’s market with its impressive Chimera.

Score: 9/10

Final Thoughts

Resistance 2 is clearly the weakest link in the franchise. Rather than sticking with what worked, Insomniac went out and almost ended up creating a whole new game and while some of the new ideas add to the universe many other fail. Hopefully Resistance 3 will not follow Resistance 2’s path. It’s not a bad game by any means, but it just doesn’t do enough to stand out.

Final Score: 7.6/10

The Good
Co-Op is awesome
Always plenty to do
Chimera are looking better then ever

The Bad
Story is poorly relayed
Gameplay doesn’t work with the system
Lack of new and unique weapons

Story

Resistance: Fall of Man takes place in 1951 over a span of a couple days. The world created is an alternate-history. After World War I the world remained peaceful, no more World War II or the Holocaust. Instead the Chimera happened, a race of alien like creatures that quickly took over Russia, mainland Europe, and are in the process of capturing England. This is where the player comes in as Army Ranger Sergeant Nathan Hale who is sent in with an American Force to supply the British. Little do they know that they’ve walked into a nightmare with Hale somehow having semi-immunity to the Chimeran virus.

Resistance: Fall of Man isn’t like most other shooters nowadays. The game truly puts in its best efforts to tell a fantastic story. These are conveyed strongly through slideshow-esque cutscenes narrated in third person by Rachael Parker, a key character in the game. These cutscenes are excellent drivers in the plot as they keep it interesting. Information is conveyed to us in a very historical way that just makes it feel fresh from all games on the market.

In terms of characters, there are really only three. Nathan Hale of U.S. Army Rangers is the protagonist and only has three lines. Rachael Parker, head of British Intelligence who also narrates the story to us during all cutscenes. Finally there’s Stephen Cartwright, a Lieutenant in the British Royal Navy. Cartwright lends some comic relief to the plot with his British banter while Parker helps to create the tone of the game. While both are very much appreciated, you never really see either of them much in the game (Parker does narrate a lot but barely seen in person). This is a real shame because Cartwright is easily one of the most likeable NPCs in recent FPS memory.

The show-stealers however are the Chimera. The brilliance of the Chimera is based in their story. Mysteriously they enter and mysterious they still are. A brilliant stroke in the story is just how the Chimera and their processes are revealed as the game progresses. It really sinks into you and the curiosity it brings just begs for more information. Chimera are the perfect villains. They’re story is brilliant, and even though we are left with more questions than answers, they are still fascinating.

The story isn’t without its faults though. There are quite a few pacing issues within the story. Sometimes it can really drag on due to little exposition in between certain missions. There is also the blaring fact that so many questions were created at the end rather than getting answers. Plenty of plot-holes pop up due to this, with some of them being a little bit alarming.

Resistance manages to do the seemingly impossible in FPS games nowadays. No, it’s not perfect, but it manages to engage the player in ways many games just can’t with their single-player campaigns. A great story is present with a truly mysterious villain that will make players want to play the next games just to learn more.

Score: 8/10

Design

Fall of Man features intense shoot-outs in locations all over England. Every locale is detailed to perfection; England looks completely realistic with actual buildings and architecture. Manchester Cathedral was so realistic that Sony and Insomniac actually got sued because of it. Some of these locations, such as Manchester and Nottingham feature huge scale battles that really put into perspective just how powerful the Chimera are and how weak the humans are. Other areas like Cheshire and London feature more enclosed areas that put your wits on end as you try to survive in the dark. Intense vehicle sections also appear putting you in command of a tank, an unstoppable jeep, and a Chimeran stalker. These sections are very fun as you roll over Chimera and send them flying with explosive rounds, though some of the controls do feel a little loose.

The game features plenty of unlockable goodies to keep players coming back for more. Intel within the game details much of the background story and also provides more details about the Chimera and the mysterious Cloven. While trophies didn’t materialize on the PS3 until the later half of 2008, Insomniac created achievements within the game that unlock other things such as filters, textures and so on. It also helps that the campaign is very meaty, clocking in at around 10 hours, plus it can be played in Split-screen co-op with a buddy. Finally there are also weapons that can only be unlocked once the game has been beaten. Of course then you have to add in the fantastic multi-player that will add hours upon hours onto the already healthy dose of playtime.

Chimera are very formidable. Unfortunately you’ll mostly just face hybrids, the most human-like of the bunch. Hybrids come in different flavors with some having more armor and a different gun. More interesting Chimera like the leapers and Angels don’t come around too often, but when they do you know they mean business, as they require more strategy. That is quite a problem with Fall of Man. At times it can feel that there isn’t much variety in the enemies with the Hybrids just being so similar. It’s a good thing though that you can tackle the Hybrids in many different ways. The level variety is what keeps things fresh and moving.

Score: 9/10

Gameplay

Fun, fast, and intense are the descriptions for Fall of Man. Unlike many modern shooters, Fall of Man doesn’t rely on the recharging health and aiming down the sights.  Instead it goes for a run and gun approach. Health is allotted to a 4-area health bar. Hale can heal one area provided that area hasn’t been fully picked off. Health Packs are available, though become sparser once Hale becomes infected.

Insomniac Games once again manages to outdo themselves in terms of weapons. Ratchet and Clank showed their ability to invent ways to destruct and Fall of Man takes it a step forward. Every weapon in here is unique with an interesting second function. The Bullseye allows you to place a laser homing tag on an enemy and have every bullet fly off towards them. The Auger allows its ammo to burrow through walls to hit enemies without you ever having to see them. Hedgehog Grenades erupt in spikes that shoot out in all directions. The weapon list is just huge and so fantastic that it’s a joy to use each weapon. It is a pity that some of the more interesting weapons have such sparse ammo. Though the standard automatic weapons (Carbine and Bullseye) pack a heavy punch that still makes them exhilarating to play with.

As a launch title, the game had to show off what the PS3 could do, even if it was something bad. The Sixaxis controls make an appearance within the title, thankfully not much. Certain Chimera can latch onto your “face” which requires a shake of the controller to knock them off. These scenes are mostly comical due to some poor animations and the fact that the Sixaxis controls just aren’t very precise.

It’s clear that this game is addicting, why else would the game still be one of the more popular PS3 titles. Most 2006 games have been dumped with many servers offline. Fall of Man still manages to draw in a giant audience because it is fun.

Score: 10/10

Multi-Player

Resistance: Fall of Man shipped with a very impressive Multi-Player mode that still remains unique even today among other titles. While the 360 had to wait a couple a months to get its first online hit, the PS3 received its on day one.

What made the online unique? Mostly everything. Players are split into two teams, the humans and the Chimera. Both factions were distinguished from each other in that they both possessed different abilities that suited them. Humans could sprint and had access to a radar that pinpoints where the enemy is.  The Chimera have a Rage meter that increases damage they deal and their own speed, however left on too long and it will damage them. This uniqueness given to both factions adds a different sense of strategy to how the multi-player is tackled. Humans require more of a team-based play style while the Chimera work more as a one-man-army.

Fall of Man splits players into two 20-player teams. A maximum of 40 players provides some intense firefights with even smaller counts providing an intense experience thanks to some smartly designed maps. The game never feels crowded or over-populated. Lag never becomes a problem even with all the effects going off and 40 crazy people running around. Balance also never becomes a problem. The weaker guns have more ammo and are spaced around while the more powerful guns are limited in terms of ammo and location.

It is fun and people still play the game online. Fall of Man just does what few games nowadays do. It is fast, balanced, lag-free, and not aggravating.

Score: 9/10

Presentation

Fall of Man set the standard for all PS3 games to follow. The game was advertised with graphics that screamed reality. It really had a lot to live up to. Did it live up to it? Why yes it did.

Sprawling wreckage from the Chimeran War on England littered the streets in striking reality. Destroyed England had never looked so good. While it is true that not much color palette is shown, what is shown works well in setting an excellent atmosphere of lost hope. Areas such as the Manchester Cathedral, which were created from pictures and schematics of the actual buildings, look absolutely fantastic and photo-realistic.

Chimera textures and models look realistic and horrifying. Their size and looks are enough to strike nightmares into the hearts of young children. Humans aren’t so lucky.  Some of the human textures look flat and contain little detail with a lot of textures repeating. The same goes for the models, which look less then spectacular and repeat.

Animations in the game struggle. It’s quite easy to see that the game was not motion captured. In-game cutscenes look a little awkward at times with some weird facial animations. Characters look stiff and some don’t even move at all.

Resistance: Fall of Man features some amazing sounds. The soundtrack may not be that big, but what is in there is a fantastic score that raises emotions when needed. Sounds for the Chimera, guns, and voice acting are excellent. The guns pack a serious punch, the Chimera are scary, and the voice-acting works without getting in the way.

Score: 8/10

Final Thoughts

Fall of Man was and still is a fantastic title that every PS3 owner needs to own. The game still manages to feel relevant in today’s market and with Resistance 3 on the way, you’re going to want to know the whole story. Out of the 3 games out on the market right now, Fall of Man lands in 2^nd place.

Final Score: 8.8/10

The Good
Well-developed story that remains interesting throughout
Weapons are fun to mess around with
Multi-Player is intensely fun

The Bad
Little variety in enemies
Humans look flat and boring
Tacked on Sixaxis controls