The journey from Oklahoma to New York is a breathtaking one, as bridges and 1950’s era buildings collapse and crumple around you. Things are bleak, and there’s a greater attention to character this time around. The cold, military gameplay of the first two games is gone, replaced by one man’s desperate attempt to provide for his son’s future. It’s dark territory and fairly well done. Also, props to some of the twists in the story. There are some truly original plot-points that you won’t see coming.

But that’s not to say things are perfect. The game has a rather abrupt ending, with plot lines left unexplored. (Minor spoiler ahead, so skip to the next paragraph if you want to go in spoiler-free.) Let’s face it: the game could have ended one of two ways. Either a good, happy ending where the humans win, or a dark, I Am Legend-esque ending. But the developers leave it somewhere in between, and as a result, things are left wide open with a strange, added resolution in the credits. It’s not as epic or appropriate as other video game trilogies (Metroid Prime 3: Corruption is how trilogies should end).

But that’s enough on the story. Resistance 3 shines in the most important place: gameplay. The controls are familiar and comfortable; it won’t take long to fight alongside the resistance like a pro. And like its predecessors, Resistance 3 offers unique and brilliant weapons. Each one has its own handling with some really interesting innovations. The leveling-up system works great, too.

I also like that the developers got rid of the regenerating health. Usually I prefer regenerating health, as it’s a pain to find health packs. But here, it adds to the experience; in the middle of a battle, the experience is much more nerve-racking (and exciting) to actively seek out health instead of standing behind a wall for seven-seconds.

As a whole, Resistance 3 offers a great experience with a strong campaign and great multiplayer. I highly recommend it.

-MP