To say Resistance is mind-blowing is an understatement of epic Porportions. This, my friends, is perfection.
The story starts in the middle of the great war. The U.S., deciding that there is no immediate danger to her from the war (the infamous communication between the Mexicans and the Germans was never detected), and that the economic hardships by France and Britain's destruction could be overcome by ties with Germany, America left Europe to fight her own war. At the same time, a workers revolution, sparked by the vision of Karl Marx, begins in Russia. The Czar, however, is quick to crush this rebellion. The status quo is kept, and Russia continues to hold the eastern front.
With no Americans, the war must continue into the 1920's. However, it comes to a close not with a battle, but with a truce. Neither side is the evil one, and neither must pay the Treaty of Versailles. Add to this the continued boom of the War economy, and the Great Depression is a figment of some economists mind.
All is not well, however, as after the war, Russia begins to cement herself in. Her former allies become suspicious, but not overly so. She is allowed to live her own way. How foolish.
A comet, carrying with it a mutagenic virus, has crashed in Russia's ideal frosty climate. From those first infected, are born horrible creatures with minds and bodies built for only one thing - war.
I dare anyone to say that this is a sub-par story. And this is the prologue.
Resistance also combines the best of both worlds, hybridizing the classic health-bar with todays self-healing health. The protagonist has a health bar divided into four sections. If shot, you can heal a bar back, but once you drop beyond one mark, you cannot just self-heal; you must find the necessary energy.
Enemies manage to be both horrifying and distinct. In your adventure, you will fight against the collosal explosive-spitting, 4 legged spiders (I know a spider has 8 legs, but there is no other description for it), the suicidal Hardfangs, who'll rush you, guns ablaze, the Titans, huge beasts who'll fire at you using the cannon they ripped off a tank, Greyskulls, a cross between Spider-man and a sniper, the Steelheads, who'll find their safety and fire at you, through walls, to force you into the path of the Hybrids, giant dogs, living mines, small(ish) living mines, and the Angels. Each one will strike fear into your heart at the sight at one point.
However, you can of course fight back. This is Insomniac, so the weapons are brilliant. You start with an M15 Carbine with Grenade launcher, and only get better. You have your classic shotgun, your dual wielded machine guns, your rifle that can fire energy through walls, your gun that can place liquid mines, a sniper rifle that can slow down time, a flamethrower that can set clouds of gas as traps, a straight port of the every-bullet-to-the-first gun from The Fifth Element, a Minigun that can fire its rounds as a hovering orb that autotargets enemies, a Rocket Launcher with rockets that can be easily navigated around corners, and a gun that fires a wall of rockets. This is the sort of stuff that could raise Chazrlton Heston from the dead. And in addition, you are complimented with 4 different grenades, from the standard Frag Grenade (Which can still clear out a room nicely) to the Hedgehog grenade, which jumps and shoots large spikes in every direction, the Air Fuel Grenade, which creates a giant solid cloud of fire around the enemy, to the Baclash grenade, a portable Bullet returning shield. Now its seeming fair.
The visuals are stunning, as is the soundtrack. There is enough classic staples to intrigue die hard FPS users, but enough new fun stuff to attract people who've grown tired of it over the years and new users alike.
Multiplayer is set at an unprecedented maximum of 40 online players for a single match, but there also the intrigue of local (same Ps3) multiplayer or Co-op if you want to play with some friends. There are also some new modes for multiplayer, including a core-meltdown mode in addition to capture the flag and deathmatch.
There is nothing that is not excellent about this game. Go ahead and try, you cannot come up with something that could make Resistance more awesome. It is creative and intriguing, bloody and fun - everything an Fps should be, and nothing it shouldn't.