Games Are Evil Review: Red Faction Guerrilla (PS3, 360)

GrE writes, "I remember playing the original Red Faction on PlayStation 2 way back in 2001. The greatest achievement was the Geo-Mod engine, allowing players to destroy environments. When I approached a door that I couldn't get past, I simply blew up the frame surrounding the door and watched the physics take over.

In Red Faction: Guerrilla, the Geo-Mod engine has reached 2.0 and it shows. 99.7% of the objects in the world of Mars are destructible. Everything from the vehicles, buildings, and even people can all be destroyed or demolished. Only very specific objects cannot be destroyed, and the explanation of why actually makes perfect sense. If the game was Adults Only, I'm sure there would be body parts flying everywhere."

[Neco512]

I loved the original Red Faction, this one looks like a must buy!

[CrAppleton]

No kidding! This looks freeking sweet! Great review guys!

[bgrundman]

Could you imagine if Volition had put this kind of destructibility into Saints Row 1 or 2?

[Jim Hawking]

This game is great fun and lets you play in any of a number of ways (sneaky, clever, precise, bullish). Volition is becoming one of my favorite developers since I (much to my surprise) love the Saints Row games. My only beef is the online has disconnect issues on both consoles.

Give this game a try.

P.S. I never knew that the evil corporations in both red faction and saints row had the same name

[Poopface the 2nd]

Next time itll be on insane. This is a great game.

Funny he mentions Red faction 1 physics, as I remember huge pieces of rocks would stay attached even while hanging from a hair thin piece of rock. Thats the main improvement with geo mod 2.0. when the buildings are just barely standing they will eventually crumble under the weight, which to me made it much more believable than red faction 1.

This game is very different from other 3rd person shooters, and it even has a decent cover system.

My favorite parts were planing how to attack and destroy a building, on the extreme difficulty, before dying, as it took actual strategy.

I read one reviewer saying it was funner for him on casual than normal as he died less. I found it funner on extreme as it really took the attacks to the next level. They said they were able to do more experimenting, but I guarantee you will be more creative on harder modes, as you have no choice. some people like a challenge, some just want to smash building with a sledge hammer while the enemies just watch you.

If you find it too hard, keep trying as it is a game where you really do get better at a mission on the 2nd or 3rd time.

[edhe]

Beat the game last night, i have to admit a couple of things:
1) it's a bit shallow, think Just Cause on Mars, but way cooler.
2) it *is* fun, but it starts slow.
3) it's one of the most bug/glitch free & well polished games ever on retail.
4) the multiplayer could have serious life with coordinated teams.
5) they're planning at least 3 items of DLC to expand on the game.
6) combat walkers a fkn sweet.

[bgrundman]

I was really looking forward to this, maybe I should just pony up and buy it tonight.

[CrAppleton]

Totally.. I'll have to pick it up after I move.. already packed my 360.. well.. and my 360 is broken at the moment.. (don't want to buy it on PS3)

[edhe]

Just thinkg - when twitter comes to the 360 you can follow @redfaction directly on the console itself :o

[killyourfm]

A fully destructible sandbox on Mars? Sure, I'll bite.

But I hope the review mentions the length of the single player campaign, that's usually something that makes the decision easier.

[Neco512]

It's a pretty in depth review ;-)

[joydestroy]

it's a decent length. i'd say close to 20hrs with all the side missions included. it gets old quick though.

i love booting it up on my PS3 and just having some fun. even on easy, though, sometimes some of the fights after you complete objectives gets kinda crazy. dudes just come outta the wood work.

[Shortstop]

Just know that the ground (or any other landscape) is not destructable. Don't go in thinking you can RF1-it your way through the ground or something (that would be the one thing I wish they'd have allowed).

[gamesR4fun]

I dunno how long itws suppose to b but i got 2 sections liberated n a good part of a 3rd done. Playing on normal difficulty n i find a die a lot still fun tho.
Nano rifle rl n the electric gun are my standard load out all pretty much maxed. Nanao n rl are great at taking out building at a distance n the zapper can fry a room full of bad guys without harming any of yur allies. (dieing n killing alies lowers your moral in the sector wich lowers the amount of "help" you get from the locals n how much amo you get from crates.)

the onlines a bit meh imo the only real mode that takes advantage of the game is siege n the maps r pretty small and not very varied not to mention no vehicles or coop both of which would've been hella cool.

[Poopface the 2nd]

and your not forced to do many guerrilla actions in between the missions, although its good to get the moral up. I think there are 20 main missions in the game, and a bunch of guerrilla actions to complete, and alot of buildings to destroy. On the harder difficulties it was almost impossible for me to get hostages out alive, so I skipped those G. actions. The best are guerrilla raids as you just run in a destroy a building.

After you beat the game it unlocks the guerrilla actions you skipped and allows you to go around with all your powerups and 100% the game if you wish.

I was surprised there were no achievements for beating the game on the extreme dificulty as it was pretty hard. After that it replaces extreme with "insane" but I didnt try that before returning it.

[reluctant_gamer]

A very well written review. I don't think it left me with any questions about the game.

[Shortstop]

It's a solid game, I highly recommend it.

[roblef]

Great review great game. Glad this game is getting some attention - it's well-deserved.

[Nikkelz]

the game is decent,dont love it tho,my son gets a kick out of it,he smacks EVERYTHING with the sledge...

anyways,peace and game on

[Ravage27]

got this a week after i platinum-ed inFamous. The game length is quite good by current standards,although it does get old after maybe 10+hrs into it. Still, tearing down buildings is really awesome fun :D

[poeo]

after trying out the demo this game feels like pure unpretentious fun. they didnt try to make the coolest most mature videogame ever, just one that is fun to play. i can get down with that.