4/5 ★ – DeltaCanuckian's review of Resistance: Fall of Man.

Played on PlayStation 3. I randomly had a hankering to go back and play the Resistance series again, particularly the first game. So I headed down to my local games shop and picked up a copy of Resistance: Fall of Man (and the Resistance 2 Collector's Edition!) It was one of the first PlayStation 3 games we ever saw, at a time when I was first really getting into following video games. Its developer -- Insomniac -- was also coming off of the Ratchet & Clank series which I've long been a fan of. So of course, my excitement was through the roof. Unfortunately I didn't get a PS3 of my own until some time after launch, when the moment had passed and my teenage self got hooked on the Call of Duty series. Resistance has always been notable for its atmosphere, but it's impressive how much it holds up over 15 years later. While one could point out a lack of colour in its visuals, it helps set a somber, oppressive tone that fits the alternate history world war. The general premise of Resistance is fairly simple, though I'm a sucker for alternate history stories like this. Its' tone is amplified by documentary-style cutscenes, and the premise is fleshed out further by detailed intel collectibles scattered throughout the levels. Perhaps the one major knock is more relevant today than it is on the game's launch, is that Nathan Hale is just boring. You could substitute Hale with almost any other 'generic space marine' from the seventh generation of video game consoles and it'd be difficult to tell the difference. Of course a first person shooter isn't much without weapons and like any good Insomniac title, Resistance: Fall of Man comes loaded with a powerful arsenal. From standard human assault rifles and shotguns, to the Chimeran Bullseye and Auger, there are over a dozen distinct and powerful weapons at your fingertips. Your arsenal is available at all times thanks to the weapon wheel, meaning players don't have to pick and choose which weapon to bring at any given time. Combat encounters provide an interesting mix of pace, feeling somewhere between the arena shooters that preceded it and the cover-based shooters that followed. Levels move between close quarters and large scale encounters in the ruins of England, and inside the Chimeran structures that now mark the skyline. Finally, the Chimera themselves. Despite their disappearance from the gaming landscape over the last decade, I believe the designs of many of the Chimera were immediately iconic and still resonate strongly today. In particular the Hybrid enemy type is instantly recognizable, and the skull of one adorns the cover of the game. Their design is just cool. There's some nasty difficulty spikes near the end that can be exacerbated by some mean checkpoints, but nothing that can't be overcome with careful play. Resistance is a blast, even after a decade and a half. I was surprised by how clean the visuals look for a PS3 game, the moment-to-moment gameplay is still excellent, the weapons feel good, the enemies are cool, and the premise is still gripping. Admittedly I didn't have any experience with the multiplayer while the servers were up, but I'm curious to see how the PlayStation Online Network Emulated crew does with bringing servers back for Fall of Man and would love to jump in for a few games. This is a series that a lot of fans have clamored for Insomniac to return to, and I'm inclined to agree. Even if we don't see a new entry in the series any time soon, the original is worth a return trip to.