Gaming Target - Xbox: Red Faction II

Written by Nick Doukas on May 07, 2003

First Impressions: If it bleeds, we can kill itЕ

Red Faction debuted on the Playstation 2 in May of 2001. While not exactly starved for First Person Shooters (TimeSplitters and Unreal were available at launch) the game did represent a solid leap forward for console FPS. Excellent graphics, cool weapons, and a fairly involved plot made Red Faction a fantastic adventure, and the Geo-Mod technology (basically, the ability to blow holes in walls and ceilings) created some interesting moments for fans of the genre. Fast-forward to today, and Red Faction II is on its way to Xbox. Fortunately, the game looks like a killer follow up to one of the best console FPS to date, and Xbox owners will receive the additional goodness of enhanced lighting, upgraded texture resolution, new character models, and unique multiplayer maps. As always, Xbox owners get the real deal. Nine times out of ten, it's worth the wait.

Fans of the original will remember playing as Parker, a disgruntled miner working in deplorable conditions on Mars. Joining up with the rebel group Red Faction, Parker fought his way through various hostile environments to overthrow the oppressive regime. Make way for a brand new oppressive regime in RF II, in the form of Chancellor Sopot and his minions. You'll take on the role of Alias, a Nano Tech-enhanced soldier and demolitions expert who actually received the Quattro-Cluster for heroism and service to Sopot. By the time you pick up the controller and begin RF II however, Alias has had a change of heart, and is now fighting against the dictator he formerly served. Heads up, cause our boy's got a brand new bag, and one hell of an arsenal for dealing destruction.

In addition to playing as a different character, Red Faction II will change localesЕ. to Earth. It's the 22nd century, five years after the rebellion on Mars, and Chancellor Victor Sopot continues his reign of terror. An endless war of unification with the United Republic has all but destroyed the Commonwealth, and the city is mired in filth and ruin. The Public Information Building continually broadcasts disinformation and hysterical ranting, as citizens are misled about the Commonwealth's military superiority and the state of the conflict. It's at this point that Alias and his squad of super-soldiers, who each possess specific attributes and talents, take up the fight against Sopot, battling on foot, and in a variety of powerful vehicles. In addition to a submarine and a tank, you'll also take to the skies and battle enemy gunships in a sleek little fighter, all while zipping around tremendous skyscrapers at the top of a futuristic city. If that's not enough, you'll actually get to seize control of an armored mech, and take on a staggering number of foes with it's heavy weaponry.

Speaking of heavy weaponry, fans of the original Red Faction will be pleased to see the return of some old favorites, as well as new armaments to round out Alias's stash. The CSP-19 Semi-Automatic Pistol can be wielded in both hands, while the CAS-14 Automatic Combat Shotgun is the perfect hole puncher. The CMRD-32 Magnetic Rail Driver fires a metal slug at high speeds through walls and ceilings without losing significant velocity, and also allows the user to see through solid objects with the scope. Amidst the numerous other weapons, the NICW assault rifle will probably be the favorite. Featuring an extremely high rate of fire (7.62 mm armor piercing rounds) and a secondary grenade launcher, this weapon also identifies and targets enemies from behind walls, and features a customized HUD-device that visually relays pertinent information to the user. In addition to all of that firepower, the game will feature other useful items, such as various types of grenades, night vision goggles, and a few other interesting surprises.

Red Faction II features some gorgeous graphics. The environments look great, and sport serious futuristic urban decay (think Verhoven's Robocop). Weapons fire and animations look top notch, as do the character models and particle effects (explosions look particularly nice, featuring brilliant, white hot blasts and realistic smoke and debris). Blasting at enemies fills the air with a gory mist of blood, and walls and peripheral environmental objects display real time damage. Overall, RF II looks excellent, and the visual enhancements of the Xbox version should further increase the eye candy.

Finally, what FPS would be complete without multiplayer? Red Faction II has that covered nicely, with several game modes including Capture The Flag and standard Deathmatch. Unfortunately, there is no Live support, which is disappointing to say the least. A title like this is a perfect match for online multiplayer, and it is unfortunate that it couldn't be included. Either way, RF II is shaping up to be yet another killer FPS for the Xbox library. Check back with us here at Gaming Target for a full review when the game releases.