Sleepy Gamer

For the next installment of the outstanding series of multiplayer-focused Battlefield games, it seems EA and DICE wanted  to make something different.  While the cell-shaded, cartoony look and 3rd person perspective are what first catch the eye, it’s the “free to play” business model, with revenue gained solely via advertising and microtransactions, that make it truly unique.

Despite what the game’s producers may say, the simple look and approachable gameplay do indeed offer a much more casual-friendly experience.  The incredibly low hardware requirements mean that most computers will be able to run it without a serious upgrade.  Five second spawn times, infinite ammo and limited weapon choice make it quite approachable for any gamer used to the mouse and keyboard.  The downside of this approachable nature is that character class distinction is rather lacking among the game’s three classes.  You seem to have more options in customizing your character’s appearance than actual gameplay abilities, with numerous store-bought clothing and emote options at your disposal.

On the flip side, battles are incredibly fun and frenetic, frequently occurring around the game’s flag capture points.  Death leaves you with just enough time to check your stats and catch your breath.  Before you know it you’re back in on the action, thanks in part to the game’s automatic spawning system that does a decent job sending you back relatively close to the action.  The AI system also does a good job of making sure you aren’t constantly ambushed by spawn campers, like in Battlefield 2 when your side was pushed back to a single capture point.  Vehicles, such as tanks, jeeps and planes, are present on most maps, but their awkward controls and tame firepower make them much less important than in the more realistic Battlefield games of the past.  The game also takes a cue from the Halo series, with automatic matchmaking, based on player skill.  No server lists to navigate and refresh, just quick access to instant action.

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Upon receiving a beta key for Resistance 2, I was really eager to rush home and download the beta.  However, after 3.5 hours for 2GB download, in addition to the 10 minute install, plus another 15 minutes for an update, I was finally ready to play.  So is this game worth that 4 hour wait?  Read on.

Beta Basics
Just to clarify, this beta only provides the multi-player feature.  You won’t get a sneak peak at the single player campaign until you buy it.  Starting the beta, you’re introduced to 2 game play options: Cooperative and Competitive.  In the cooperative mode, you have the choice to play online or offline with friends.  This mode allows casual fun play without affecting your ranking stats.  The competitive mode is where the meat of the game is focused on.  Similar to Call of Duty’s “Perks”, Resistance 2 has the “Berserks/Loadout” system.  As you gain more experience and rank up, you can unlock additional “Berserks/Loadout” that enhance your abilities.  The default beserks/loadouts provide small enhancements like upgraded radar or electric burst shots.  But leveling up will provide much better abilities, such as force fields or healing rings, that will help keep you alive longer.

The main appeal that Resistance 2 has over other shooters are the 60 player skirmishes.  When you jump into a 60 player battle, things can get really chaotic.  The first time I jumped in, my average lifespan was less than 10 seconds.  However, as you get more accustomed to the map layout, you’ll realize how grand and epic these matches are.  It’s quite exhilarating when there’s a stand-off between the two factions fighting on opposite sides of the ravine.  One side is desperately defending the beacon, while the other is trying to overtake it.  The whole beauty of this is that this grand experience is practically lag-free, so any deaths that you encounter is because of your own noob skills.

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