MOGS

Red Faction: Guerrilla, Long Awaited Release

Some of you may remember when the original Red Faction came out in 2001, and others may not.  Red Faction was one of the first games to allow players relatively limitless level-altering possibilities using the GeoMod gaming engine.  The game takes place on Mars around the year 2078.  Earth’s minerals are being depleted and humans need more of them to survive.  The vast Ultor Corporation runs the mining operation on Mars.  The living conditions are deplorable, human rights for the miners are few and a disease called “The Plague” is running rampant throughout the colony with no known antidote available – predominantly within the confines of the mine complex.  Parker, a downtrodden miner, came to Mars to make a new start in his life – taken in by the promises and advantages Ultor has to offer in the mines of Mars.  After a routine day in the mine with the typical aggression toward miners and cramped living conditions and poor nutrition, he witnesses the spark that starts a rebellion when a security guard abuses a miner at the end of his shift and heartlessly kills him.[3]  Parker takes up arms with the help of Hendrix, a rebellious Ultor security technician who guides Parker through the complex.  Hendrix tries to get Parker to join up with a group of miners who are about to steal a supply shuttle and escape the complex.  Parker arrives too late. The shuttle takes off but is destroyed by missiles.  Thus beginning Parker’s battle against the Ultor resistance which ultimately ends in victory.

There is quite a bit different with this third entry.  Guerrilla isn’t a first-person shooter; it’s a third-person action game that plays out entirely on Mars’ surface.  Taking place years after the events of the first game, Guerrilla is again set on Mars, this time under the control of the violently oppressive Earth Defense Force, or EDF.  You play as Alec Mason, a newcomer to the planet who was just looking for work, but soon finds himself wrapped up with the Red Faction resistance movement to wrestle control of the surface away from the EDF.  To do so, Mason must liberate six zones on Mars, each with their own set of side and story missions.

There’s no lack of destructive freedom in Guerrilla, as structures and objects can be toppled and demolished not only by using explosive weaponry or your hammer, but with any of the vehicles you can pick up around the game world.  Since there are so many ways to cripple a building, be it detonating mines set along its base, whacking apart supports with your sledge, or speeding an EDF armored transport right through the center, the game makes it easy to participate in its most entertaining aspect.  It also rewards you for blowing things up, as bits of salvage will tumble from what’s demolished, which contributes to making your actions feel more satisfying.

Even if you haven’t played the previous two games be sure to check this one out!

Christian

Gameplay Video