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Resistance 3

Resistance 3

Mankind timeline on the planet is grinding towards close. The end of nigh for the species, but that doesn't mean its going without a fight.

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Such is hinged the last act of Sony's Resistance trilogy, the console exclusive franchise that has one of the PS3's leading lights.

Yet despite the bombast afforded its introduction at Sony's E3 conference this year, the presentation proved underwhelming for one of the company's biggest franchises. Even with a scattering of action sequences, the demo was brutally short before being ushered off-stage with little fanfare. Strange, given the trilogy's prominence. Was Sony holding back due to doubts that Insomniac could deliver a brilliant finisher?

Thus, doubts and questions lingered when we sat down with a preview build of the game. What we play makes the showing at E3 seem all the more bizarre. We're dealing with finely-tuned action, firmly firing an all cylinders which lives up to the franchise's reputation. This already promises to be one of the year's best shooters and sells us on the promise that Insomniac will deliver.

The studio has piled muscle where once there was leanness on its predecessor. Brimming weapon wheels have replaced the two-weapon setup, while regenerating health is replaced with a energy bar. Add these returning classic weaponry.

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Resistance 3

Weapon variety is something to be celebrated in Resistance. No basic pistol here; you start with something fun, and build from there. A Magnum who's explosive bullets can be detonated once punched into an enemy's body. Switch between that an the Bullseye, a submachine gun that can fire around corners. Soon you'll be handling a gun with built-in X-ray telescopic sights that can shoot through walls. You'll have fun juggling the arsenal.

It's not a shooting gallery out there, as the enemy are tactically sound. The brightest exploit the terrain, and try to flank you or flush you from cover using grenades. We have flashbacks to the original Half-Life's soldiers that set a new standard of enemy AI, and the constantly shifting tide of battle is intoxicating.

Even for those that the cerebral lightbulb glows dim cause problems through simple diversity. Charging enemies and half-flying Long Legs, which jump from roof to roof to attack from new angles, when mixed in with the smarter Chimera cause havoc. It's good to see in a field that so readily will stack two sides of conflict against the other as tidily as a chess board, we're seeing the illusion of a dynamic battlefield here.

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Resistance 3

It's four years since the end of Resistance 2 and ninety percent of the populace is dead or turned into Chimera. Hero of the hour (though he doesn't know it just yet) is one Joseph Capelli, survivor who lives in hiding with his family and others amidst the ruins of Oklahoma.

He lives a relatively peaceful life until the Russian scientist Malikov arrives in town, having been looking for Capelli for months. He has discovered that Chimera has opened a wormhole in New York that is slowly engulfing the Earth. Should humanity have a chance to survive, it must be closed and Malikov believe that Capelli is the only one who can get it done.

It's a responsibility Capelli has little time to ponder on as the Chimera are close behind. In a snap decision that might cost him dear, Capelli joins the scientist on a road trip across land and sea, through the devastated wastelands that used to be the United States, as he family go to ground once more.

Resistance 3

It is hardly surprising how good Resistance 3 looks, given it follows two previous titles and a swift PSP detour. Fans already know the mission statement, but for newcomers not yet acquainted with Insomniac's take on human destruction and terrifying threats, this is definitely one to keep watch on.

While the opening parts of the game followed a fairly rigid cutscene-action-cutscene structure, we were not much more than an hour in before the balance between being a passive spectator and active player tipped tremendously in the latter's advantage. What we played once again emphasised how Sony has some of the best exclusive titles on the current generation, and we're eager to return to the fight once the game finally marches on retail shelves later this year.

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