Resistance 2 Review

Nathan Hale Takes the Fight to the Chimera

May 22, 2009 Felix Kemp

Insomniac's third game already this generation features a lengthy, enjoyable campaign and a robust multiplayer component.

In the mere three years of the Playstation 3’s lifespan, Insomniac have already delivered three games of such quality, Resistance, Ratchet and Clank, and Resistance 2, that it boggles the mind and casts an unimpressed gaze over the other developers stumbling towards release. Resistance 2 is an impressive feat in technology and design, delivering an experience rich in scale, competition and fun.

Nathan Hale and the Sentinels

After demolishing the Chimera Tower in London, Nathan Hale is whisked away in a helicopter by a team of masked soldiers, the Sentinels, who, like Hale, have yet to succumb to the Chimera virus thanks to daily inhibitor doses. Hale is soon promoted to Lieutenant of Echo Squad, who must assist in the defence of America’s east and west coasts, currently being invaded by the inexorable Chimera.

A major plot-point in Resistance 2 is Hale’s resistance to the Chimera virus. Without his inhibitors, Hale will become his enemy, just like former Sentinel Sheppard did, transformed by the virus into the bloated, tentacle-writhing Daedalus who is orchestrating the Chimera assault.

It’s a solid story with succinct if forgettable dialogue, hampered by a lack of any real character or emotion. Hale is a dull, boring protagonist, replete with ubiquitous bald head and gruff voice. Daedalus is an intriguing adversary, taunting and teasing in his brief glimpses, but he cannot rescue a story drowning in its own mediocrity.

Chimera Invade 1940s America

Resistance 2 imagines an alternate reality where World War 2 never happened, but an alien invasion did. It’s an interesting artistic choice, with the Chimera’s futuristic technology juxtaposing the antiquated aesthetics, although some elements, such as wireless radio communications, feel anachronistic.

The atmosphere, however, is excellent. From the eerie trip through a deserted suburban town, to a chilling trek into a misty forest, Resistance 2 continually offers up compelling, evocative locales.

And the Chimera have grown. Boss-battles bookend most levels, with colossal creatures towering over buildings and landscapes and inspiring fear in more than just the virtual characters!

8-Player Co-op and 60-Player Multiplayer

Along with the campaign, Resistance 2 features a hefty dose of multiplayer and co-op to enjoy. The co-op doesn’t actually concern Hale’s plight, but a separate story alongside the primary narrative. Eight players can participate in the co-op, which is somewhat repetitive but fun, nonetheless.

The online multiplayer is frantic and very rewarding. Although maps can support sixty players, teams are often employed, splitting the large number into more manageable pieces to avoid chaotic encounters devoid of strategy or tactics.

The multiplayer highlights just how important the weaponry is in Resistance 2 is. The Chimera’s weapons have better abilities, such as the Auger being able to bore through walls and solid objects, whereas their Human counterparts feels stronger and are often more explosive.