Like destruction? Do you usually favor demolitions in your action titles? Do you, more or less, like to blow things up and watch the world go up in flames around you? Well, THQ and Volition have a little surprise for you and it comes in the form of Red Faction: Guerrilla – a third-person shooter that does all the right things, and does so in an impressing manner. Taking the series out of the first-person shooter genre and thrusting it into the third-person action genre, Red Faction: Guerrilla has a special flavor that many will grow to appreciate. What is this mystery flavor? To be exact, it’s the sandbox gameplay elements that have merited the decision to switch to series to the third-person view.
Serving as a sequel to the first game, and including a wide number of missions throughout the story, Guerilla is definitely worth the time of gamers who are looking for offline entertainment. Even without the storyline – it’s not exactly the most ground-breaking story – the offline campaign is worth investing time in. How the single-player works is that players take control of Alec, a guerilla member as he is out to take down the Earth Defense Force (EDF) on Mars. To do this, Alec must free six zones from the EDF and liberate everyone that they can. At his aid are his trusty sledgehammer, remote mines, a jetpack, and rockets – so you have weapons at your disposal to take the fight to the EDF. As you advance through the areas, AI teammates will join Alec’s cause and make the missions tremendously easier.
Overall, the experience is one-of-a-kind and it boasts one of the better sandbox campaigns of 2009. Red Faction: Guerrilla isn’t a single-player only title though; the multiplayer is equally as thrilling. Engaging and offering a good amount of options, players should find the replay value they are seeking in their video games within Guerilla. Earning experience points to gain bonuses to their character models, unlocking new gameplay modes, and the same plethora of weapons from single-player campaign, players should keep coming back to Red Faction: Guerrilla throughout the summer for their multiplayer fix. Having the ability to reconstruct buildings, fly with your jetpack, run faster with a temporary speed boost, and much more, I see no reason why competitive gamers won’t flock to Guerilla with as much ambition as they did with Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
With online and offline multiplayer, Red Faction: Guerilla is addictive and compelling. Playing through countless hours of multiplayer, and an equal amount of single-player, it’s easy to make the claim that Red Faction: Guerilla is one of 2009’s best titles. There are a few shortcomings, such as boring art design and repetitive mission types, but overall, the package is inspiring. With the level of destruction at an all-time high and, simply, electrifying multiplayer combat, THQ and Volition have done a great job at reviving the once dormant Red Faction series. My recommendation: rent, borrow or steal Red Faction: Guerrilla from a friend to see what the fuss is all about – you won’t regret it.
