Red Faction – PS2 – Review

The back story basically states
that our soon to be hero voluntarily signed up to work in corporate owned mines
on the planet mars and then realized that it was a bad idea.  Poor work
conditions, mysterious illnesses, little food and sadistic guards all contribute
to make the mines what any science fiction fan should have immediately expected
them to be.  The corporation’s name is Ultor and the opposing force, which
you soon find yourself allied with, is Red Faction.

Many nights of playing "Golden Eye" on
the N64 prepared me somewhat for the extensive use of the analog controls.
However I would recommend playing a few rounds of multi-player with a friend
until you get the hang of them.  I was wary of the analog controls because
I was unsure that they would provide a comfortable level of sensitivity unlike
many other games I’ve played using them.  This is especially important in a
game that relies fairly heavily on aiming (though guns will lock on and the
range is adjustable through the options).  I was also skeptical of the
games claims regarding interaction with the environment.  I was pleasantly
surprised however to see its claims completely verified.  The package says,
"If you don’t have a key then you should make your own door" and as
long as you have a rocket launcher or explosives (neither of which are hard to
find) its just that simple.  There are areas that cannot be destroyed but
for the most part you are faced with a hugely malleable environment.

The graphics were good and I would expect nothing
less from a high end game but there were times particularly when traveling
through tunnels that it became extremely difficult to figure out where you were
going.  The sound however is where the game really shined through.  An
extensive soundtrack that goes far beyond the traditional filler music
entertains at the same time that it enhances the atmosphere of certain game
sections.

I found the overall concept was nothing
special.  Undoubtedly influenced heavily by movies such as "Total
Recall" and games such as "Half-Life”, Red faction offers
little in the way of new ideas.  The characters are not particularly
interesting but the game does not bore you.  It is a great first person
shooter and undoubtedly one of the best I’ve seen on a console system.  The
multi-player aspect can get a little tedious but the addition of several
well-trained bots to the mix can easily heighten the action.

Red faction is a great game because it takes
interaction with your game environment to a new and remarkable level.  But
it doesn’t stop there.  It goes on to provide you with an intricate and
entertaining shooter.

Install: Easy
PS2 game

Gameplay: 9
Complicated but easily handled control system utilizing the analog controls
as well as an amazing engine that allows for and unprecedented interaction with
your play environment make red faction a revolutionary game.

Graphics: 8.5
Well done movies as well as detailed environments and characters combine for
an excellent showing.

Sound: 9.5
Great soundtrack.

Difficulty: 10
Four difficulty levels offer everything from "easy" to
"impossible"

Concept: 7
Not terribly original and at times hard to swallow let alone follow the
story while not terrible is probably the games weakest point.  This game is
a cross between "Half-Life" and "Total Recall".

Multiplayer: 8.5
If it supported four players it would be a ten.  The multi player can
get a little boring when you spend all your time trying to find your friends in
the often-enormous levels.  The addition of bots changes this but nothing
is a substitute for live opponents.  Bots don’t get angry when you laugh at
them.

Overall: 9
A revolutionary engine combined with a concept which has been tried
successfully by other publishers sets the stage for a great game.