Red Faction Guerrilla

Red Faction Guerrilla was not intended to be a very demanding title, but instead focuses on providing the player with all the ingredients for an exciting and enthralling gaming experience. The result is without a doubt a huge success, proving once more that a game revolving around sheer destruction and creating mayhem, can generate a wave of unbridled enthusiasm.

The game doesn't benefit of a complex and well developed story, but the narration is still cohesive enough to preserve the interest intact throughout the entire 20 hours of gameplay. The action unfolds on Mars, where Alec Mason is looking for work, but finds himself mixed up in the high stakes game of corporate intrigue. Recruited by the Red Faction after his brother is murdered, Alec commits himself on freeing the planet of the oppressing EDF who rules the mining colonies with an iron hand.

Without any previous training in the military but with an iron hand of his own, Mason wields a mighty sledgehammer that quickly shifts from a trusty mining tool into a deadly weapon. It will remain your best friend throughout the game and even after completing several missions that grant access to more sophisticated fire guns, the hammer remains the most potent tool in your arsenal, when it comes to destroying things.

The cornerstone of the whole game in fact is this extraordinary ability to bring down any structure and reduce to rubbles virtually everything. Volition extracted an astonishing amount from this scrap, crafting an exciting video game that will keep players wired, despite the shallow story and the somehow repetitive nature of the missions. Speaking of scraps, it's important to note down that every destruction derby produces leftovers, that can be collected and then turned in for better weapons and upgrades.

Since most of the buildings representing key objectives and side quests alike will eventually collapse, leaving behind plenty of collectable debris, it pays off to make a small detour to explore every possibility. By completing primary and secondary objectives you'll cause the EDF control of the sector to lower, bringing more and more rebels on your side and ultimately allowing you to free the zone of the oppressors.

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Variation is paramount for any game that pits you against dozens of enemies swarming over a huge map, so you'll be able to choose from a large pallet of scenarios. You can either opt for supporting guerrilla fighters in a raid against the EDF main base, defend a fortify position assaulted by enemy forces, recover an important transport, intercept an enemy shipment or simply demolish a valuable target.

Depending on the rewards, this tasks will vary from low level difficulty, when the enemy retaliates with moderation, to massive counterattacks that will send you straight to the safe house. In order to liberate each area you're bound to complete a final mission, which only becomes available once the EDF control is close to zero, and usually these closing assignments are the most difficult, as expected.

Each liberated sector and every accomplished mission help you unlock not only better equipment and weaponry but some cool abilities that enhance the entire gaming experience. One of the most appreciated elements is for sure the ability to travel directly to the safe house, without losing precious minutes driving in your car the long distance. For those who prefer spending the time cruising in one the available vehicles, the capacity of collecting scraps while driving also comes as a welcomed addition.

Regarding vehicles I can't help but mentioning that there is not a great deal of variety when choosing your wheels, basically you can pick one of the omnipresent mining trucks or highjack a military transporter. The developers when to great lengths to create the illusion of movement on the red planet, but instead of coming up with stunning visual effects regarding structures they've crowded the narrow roads with dozens of utilitarian vehicles.

On the other hand it is only fair to say that these kind or trucks would be pretty much one will expect on a mining colony, sports and luxury cars being less appropriate. Putting design aside I must admit that the handling of vehicles is very nice and wielding the weapons mounted on most of them is equally exciting. Occasionally you are allowed to drive a mech, laying waste to EDF camps or fending off waves of incoming enemies. While this is a very fun experience and a good distraction from everyday routine, it is not something you'll enjoy more than once in each sector.

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Conclusion:

Red Faction Guerrilla is one of those rare games that can be purchased by virtually anyone without the risk of regretting the money or the time spent. Destruction will always generate a degree of excitement which will of course vary from person to person, but the overwhelming impression is that of a fun game to play. If only Volition came up with a better narration and more convincing characters, Red Faction Guerrilla could have been one of the best titles of this summer.

Gameplay: 85

Thanks to its solid game mechanics, accurate physics and intriguing challenges, the shallow story becomes less of a concern. Buildings crumble as they would in the real life and destroying reinforced elements that support them, will lead to credible collapses that make the whole experience much better. Various weapons with distinct capabilities spice things up, while not so diverse vehicles but easy to steer and fun to drive, further boost the gameplay.

Graphics: 81

There are only few differences between the way each sector looks like and particularly in the early stages, moving from one area to another won't impress you a lot. The setting is rather bland and uninspiring, but Volition's excuse that a flamboyant Martian mining colony would look odd can't be retort. Other wise this is a good looking game, friendly and enemy characters are nicely crafted as well as the weapons and vehicles design, the highlight of visual effects being of course the collapse of building and the explosions that quickly follow.

Sounds: 82

There is little to complain about sound effects but I find it equally difficult in rejoicing about either music or voice acting. The main themes are appropriate and fit in nicely, generating an atmosphere of perpetual anxiety during firefights, while the guns being fired sound less inspiring. Voice acting is rather weak but since you'll be rarely engaged in conversations I won't make a big thing about it.

Multiplayer: 88

It would have been quite a shame not to share the endless fan caused by the rampage you create, by using everything from the sledgehammer to demolition charges or nanorifle with friends. If you're not very interested in online gaming than you can try Wrecking Crew together with three buddies, trying to inflict as much damage in a given time but the internet is truly the final frontier. Siege and Damage Control modes are the best, having players to destroy and rebuild key structures with the reconstructor gun, providing the much needed adrenaline rush.