I’d had many sleepless nights worrying whether the PS3 would suffer the same fate as the PS2 in not having a First Person Shooter (FPS) worth a damn. Thankfully, Insomniac has delivered a blistering slice of gunplay from the off, so the only sleepless nights I now have are the ones spent playing Resistance: Fall of Man (FoM). And as the graphics are gorgeous and the frame rate never skips beat, it’s always a pleasure.
Playing the part of a US soldier, the exciting part is that you get to fight your way through such locales as Grimsby, Manchester, and York. The early Manchester levels are standout FPS classics, depicting violent, running gun battles with an intensity that matches anything yet seen in the genre. The ensuing story of Earth’s last stand against the Chimeran menace is well told through the cut-scenes.
Taking its cue from the Ratchet & Clank series, FoM introduces a varied and often-times brutal weapon set. Being able to attach a homing device to a foe and them pumping them full of death from a safe distance is matched in brutality only by the sheer nastiness of the hedgehog grenades. FPS staples such as the shotgun and sniper rifle also feature, along with the usual machine guns and Chimeran equivalents. While some of the weapons will quickly fade to redundancy after initial experimentation, there is enough variety in the levels to ensure that most weapons are useful throughout the game.
The key to a good FPS is the quality of the opponents, too difficult and frustration sets in, too easy and it’s boredom that results. FoM provides good AI, as Chimera often seek to out-flank you rather than just approaching you head on. Even the more stupid of the Chimera can surprise you with a quick face-chomp if you’re not wary. These face-huggers can be dispatched with a quick shake of the SixAxis, and it’s a good way to use the new controller’s capabilities.
Heavy weaponry also features when you get the chance to drive a tank, but the battles against similar Chimeran armour are tiresome when compared to the ground-based battles. However, mowing down wave after wave of Chimera from the safety of a tank is a welcome break from the intensity of some of the levels.
Online play is very well supported and you’ll always find plenty of opponents willing to shoot you in the face. Various types of game are available, but mostly people will shoot you in the face. We suggest you get a headset so you can ask them to stop shooting you in the face.
Insomniac weren’t finished with FoM when it was released and already a multiplayer maps expansion pack is available, either through the PlayStation Store or in-game. It seems like Insomniac are going to suffer their own sleeplessness as they keep this brilliant game fresh and playable.
FoM ticks every FPS box and adds some panache with the story and cut-scenes. It’s a stunning start to PS3 development for Insomniac and is an essential purchase.