Resistance 2

UK, November 27, 2008- To sayNathan Hale's a man in crisis is a bit of an understatement.Havingseen his way through the Chimera's onslaught on the UK, he'sbarelygiven a chance to catch his breath before he's whisked away tofightthe good fight in the US, and all the while the Chimerainfectionthat's coursing through his veins threatens to consume him. InResistance 2hefinds himself in a game that's as mottled as his genetic make-up, ontheone-hand offering a single-player campaign that's as frustrating asitis breathtaking, and on the other delivering a plethora ofmultiplayeroptions that deal in numbers unprecedented on consoles.Ultimately,though, Resistance 2 falls short of being the sum of itsmany parts andwhile it's a more than competent and colossal package,it lacks thecredentials to earn itself classic status.


Titans can prove infuriating, their firepower often overwhelming.

WhenResistance:Fall of Man flew the flag for PlayStation 3 at theconsole's launch thedazzle and awe of Insomniac's 2006 effort onlyintermittently disguisedthe fact that it was the Ratchet & Clankdevelopers' first attemptat an FPS. Second time round, Resistance 2sticks to the golden rule ofsequels – this is bigger and bolder thanResistance: Fall of Man innearly every respect.

Helpingboost the scale is the transposition of the action to the US –whereasthe original was mired to the confines of the British Isles,the shiftacross the pond certainly helps expand the games canvas andInsomniacdoes its best to visit every corner of America throughoutthesingle-player's generous 10-hour lifespan. Gone are the muted greysanddull browns of the first game, replaced by a heavily saturated sliceof1950s Americana that's presented in a breathless processionofset-pieces.

After a sluggishfirst act the game soon picks up pace before hitting abreakneck speedthat never falters throughout the rest of the campaign.Witnessing theChimera's invasion of San Francisco – a trulyawe-inspiring vista that'sthe measure of anything seen in games thisyear, as a legion of vastbattleships obscure the skyline – is thefirst of many memorablemoments, many of which feature Resistance 2'sshow-stopping bossencounters.

From 30-storey-highLeviathans to mutated Kraken – via a huge cloudof energy that's notquite as spectacular but twice as deadly – thesecreatures are depictedin dimensions that are unlikely to be surpassedfor some time, butthat's not to say they don't have competition fromsome of the game'ssmaller foes. Chameleons are some of the mostterrifying adversarieswe've come across this year, their camouflageconcealing them until thelast moment and ensuring that only awell-timed shotgun blast will saveHale's skin.

Allied soldiers are little help, the Chimera seeming to focus their attacks on Hale.

Furies,theamphibious Chimera that stalk the game's waters, help enliventheoccasional light platforming that links the firefights andset-pieces,while Spinners – Chimera in a premature state of conversion– alsoinspire some great set-pieces, with one particular encounter inaonce-idyllic Idaho playing out like a frenzied partnership ofInvasionof the Body Snatchers and Serious Sam, as hordes of the spindlymutantsburst forth from glutinous pods and furiously chase down Hale.

Halehimself is a slightly different beast this time round – restrictedtotwo weapon slots and a more basic rechargeable health system he'snow amore generic hero, but as before he's distinguished by awonderfullyinventive arsenal. Favourites such as the Auger return,alongside anumber of neat additions like the Magnum. Packing a fairpunch on itsown, secondary fire detonates its slugs making it a handylittlefirearm, plus it's joined by a Splicer - a vicious blade spewingweaponthat's ideal for slicing through hordes of Spinners - and amini-gunthat's equally adept at crowd control.