Resistance 2 (2008)

Resistance 2 is a direct sequel of the first game and impressed me just as much as the first game. Although the concept and story of the game is not new anymore, its improved visuals, enemies, locations and mechanics provided a great new experience for me.

The game follows the story of the Chimera invasion from the first game, which now have set their eight eyes on the United States of America. A massive invasion is underway, and it will be total war all over again. You play again as Nathan Hale, a sergeant that survived the first war in Europe and who is infected with the Chimera virus. You join a special squad called the Sentinels, which consists of soldiers that all have been infected by the virus but who, like you, can keep it under control for now.

You once again try to repel the invaders, destroy communications lines, towers, bases and eliminate Chimera commanders, while constantly suppressing the virus that roams inside you. Eventually, you successfully repel the Chimera in the United States, but the virus has completely consumed you. Your superior officer sees this and has no choice than to put a bullet in your head, ending your existence. It is as tragic and powerful story, in which you bonded with the character Nathan Hale for two games, and it all came to an end right here, right now.

Resistance 2 features some new weapons like the Marksman, an accurate carbine rifle that can also be used as a sniper rifle. You also got a freaking mini gun, where you can mow down rows of Chimera, Serious Sam style. They are great and feel natural to the game. You also got some new Chimera types, including long legged freaks that charge towards you. They are creepy and their human like shape is kind of disturbing to say the least.

The graphics look amazing in Resistance 2. They are improved and nicely polished from the first game. The biggest upgrade however are the animations and effects. They are mind blowing, smooth and detailed and impressed me just as much as my first-time playing Resistance: Fall of Man.

The sound is just as good as the first game, so are the controls. The inputs are the same and work just as smoothly.

There are some small downsides to Resistance 2. For starters, your glorious arsenal from the first game, in which you could collect a ton of different weapons, is gone. Now, you are limited to two weapons, just like many Call of Duty games, which is a shame considering that you want to carry a LAARK Rocket launcher for tougher enemies, but also need enough Carbine and Bullseye bullets for the regular horde. You also can carry a lot less grenades and grenade types as the first game.

The health bar is also gone and replaced with recharging health after taking no damage for a while. I know that this mechanic is the standard nowadays, but in Resistance: Fall of Man, it added a fair bit of challenge to keep track of your health and scavenge for health pickups.

I also found the story a little bit less interesting. This is mainly because the story “already has been done before” and this time, it felt less of a battle for survival and more of a hunting mission on various Chimera, outposts and facilities. Nevertheless, I had fun with it.

Overall, Resistance 2 is an excellent game with a solid plot, some good (but also some less good) improvements and overall, good play length and excellent multiplayer (that is no longer available unfortunately).

Although the game is, like many, considered a classic or a relic, I still recommend it to everyone to try it.