Red Faction First Look

3D shooters have long been a staple of the gaming industry. Classics such as Doom, Quake, Half Life, and Unreal have defined the industry and set the standards for others to follow. Sadly, there have been more than a few duds in this genre, less we forget Daikatana and Corridor 7.

The coming months will see releases of new 3D shooters including Renegade, Aliens vs. Predator 2, and Return to Castle Wolfenstein. While each game will bring new features to the genre, one game is attempting to create a new gaming experience but remain faithful to the spirit of the games that inspired it. The game is "Red Faction" by THQ.

While at first glance, it might be easy to dismiss Red Faction as just another shooter, as it does not sport the most cutting edge graphics or a company with a tradition of 3D shooters. What the game does feature based on the demo I have played is pure action and fun. The game is built on the new Geomod technology engine that allows many elements of the terrain to be destroyed. Cannot get a door to open, simply blast a new one in the wall with one of the many weapons your player is armed with. This feature is especially fun in multiplay where you can get the drop on an opponent by blasting away the wall that they have been leaning against and crushing them with the debris.

The story of the game is set on Mars and casts the player as a miner fighting against the devious ULTOR Corporation who have been very brutal to the minors. A simple altercation between a guard and a minor soon erupts into a massive revolt, and you are left fighting for your life. Before long, you are drawn into the resistance and fighting for the liberation of Mars and your fellow workers.

Red Faction also allows players to operate various vehicles in the game and the designers have included five vehicles for brief stints, APC, fighter, driller, jeep, and subs for player use.

The in game sound and action is top notch as ricocheting bullets, and screaming characters add a sense of realism to the game as the walls and players shake from weapons impacts and explosions. The AI for the game is solid and is centered around combat. The enemies in the demo did not do much more than charge and duck, but they are very accurate with their shots and adjust to the player's skill level.

A level editor will be included in the final version of the game so the mod community can extend the value of the game by creating new scenarios, maps, and mods to keep gamers blasting away long after they have finished the game.

There is also a multiplay demo for the game that shows off the great online potential for the game with two deathmatch maps and one capture the flag map. The final version of the game will support up to 32 players in some of the fastest action ever to cross a monitor. While the graphics for the game seem to be more in the mode of Half Life and are dated when compared to some of the others titles that are on the market and pending release, Red Faction is fun to play. If the levels and solo play live up to the potential of the game, then Red Faction looks to be a solid hit, and should become a staple of all 3D shooter fans.