Red Faction: Guerrilla - Shits 'splodes Good
Review written by Jay on 6/14/09
Last edited on 6/14/09
The most recent entry of the Red Faction franchise debuts like a proverbial frag grenade. I find it a fitting analogy because much of Red Faction: Guerilla (RF:G) revolves around said explosions wreaking havoc on the surface of Mars. Welcome to Mars, aspiring frontiersman Alec Mason, the lead protagonist you find yourself in control of. Witness the textbook brutality of the Earth Defense Force and prepare to inherit the legacy of Geo-Mod technology let loose in a sandbox-style, free roam game. The result is a satisfying mix of sight, sound and spectacle that dazzles the senses, but beyond shiny baubles presents a cookie cutter plot that takes a backseat to gratuitous explosions and destruction.
RF:G takes a different approach than its predecessors and abandons the conventions of a first person shooter and instead opts for a Grand Theft Auto/Just Cause third-person shooter hybrid. The immediate goal, as can be inferred from the title, is to wage a guerilla campaign against the insidious Earth Defense Force, fabled liberators from the franchise’s first installment, now turned brutal occupiers. The guerilla campaign aspect takes a lesson from 2006’s Just Cause, in which a free-roaming world is divided into several “zones” controlled by government forces and your goal is to destabilize and ultimately liberate said zones through various acts of destruction followed by an uber- assault, which then grants control to the rebel faction. RF:G, for all intents and purposes, lifts this mechanic straight from Just Cause, along with one of Just Cause’s biggest stumbling blocks. Lack of variety instantly jumps to mind when playing through various missions aimed at destabilizing the stereotypical occupiers. Variations on the standard ‘destroy this’ or ‘go from point A to point B’ dominates gameplay, while somewhat innovative hostage rescue missions become bogged down by the one mechanic that defines RF:G.
That mechanic in question is the extreme amount of destroyable environs present in the game. Watching buildings tumbling down is an extremely satisfying and well constructed facet of gameplay and one that will define RF:G. This is the continuing legacy of Geo-Mod technology, originally implemented unevenly in Red Faction way back in 2001. I say unevenly because while you could burrow through the very bedrock of Mars, flimsy doors and cubicle walls would be indestructible barriers. However, this is not the case in RF:G. Every structure is purpose built to be torn down, brick by brick via the utilitarian sledgehammer, or annihilated in spectacular style by hijacked construction mechs. In fact, similar to the GTA franchise, various vehicles can be swiped from their owners and then collided into buildings, making ersatz car bombs. Graphically these explosions are excellent and the visuals are very enjoyable, if not a bit muted with a limited color palette and buildings that conform more to function than form.
Explosions are great, but lead to RF:G’s biggest drawback. Unmitigated havoc, for a time, will keep you playing for hours all the while marveling to yourself at how clever you are for destroying your umpteenth building. Eventually though, this mechanic runs its course and where there should be engaging characters and a solid plot to carry the game beyond the initial marvel and beauty of a destructible Mars, there are none to be found. Characters are largely forgettable and the story is nothing more than the standard ‘rise up against the Man’ shtick. The result is a game that quickly loses its luster after the novelty of blowing shit up fades. However, I was always satisfied, if not consistently entertained, in seeing soldiers’ barracks come crashing down with its erstwhile inhabitants crushed, no matter how many times I repeated the act. Multiplayer can make up for the dull story and cardboard characters with the mayhem that inevitably ensues when gamers can pick up rocket launchers and be set loose on a landscape of fully destructible vehicles and buildings.
Overall, RF:G is a well made third-person shooter with solid graphics and a fulfilled, fully destructible, promise. This game IS fun and deserves to be played, at least once, by most gamers. However, for those with tastes beyond simple destruction and who look for a game that advances the art and pushes what a game should be, RF:G is not that game. Play this game just for the fun of it. Don’t plan on having to think too hard and don’t look for the next step in gaming evolution. Now, get your ass to Mars, if only to marvel at the chaos you can create. Just don’t expect to like the locals.
Review Summary
Clear and concise, I knew what I was looking for and where to get it.
Blowing shit up looks fantastic and the character models have a certain sense of force and motion. Muted colors however, but its Mars so what else do you expect.
Nothing really negative or positive to say here.
Repetitive and uninspired missions, but solid third-person shooter credentials and unimpeded freedom of action.
Open world sandbox places few restrictions, but offers few incentives for repeated exploration. Explore multiplayer when the Resistance grows weary, which it will.
75/100
$60
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