Red Faction: Guerrilla (360)

Liberating With Ease

One thing I really enjoyed while playing through Red Faction: Guerilla was the feeling that I really had a large amount of freedom. For instance, the game gives you the option of performing every Guerrilla Action in a sector, and though not necessary, it's a great way to collect salvage (the in-game currency, which you can use to purchase new weapons and upgrades) and also loosen EDF's grip on the area.

Red Faction: Guerrilla (360)

There are nine different types of Guerrilla Actions you can pursue, and I thoroughly enjoyed most of them. Heavy Iron, where you're given either a destructive mech-like vehicle known as a walker or some huge tank to destroy a barrage of EDF vehicles and enemies was a definite highlight, as well as Collateral Damage, which tasks you with riding on the back of a vehicle armed with a giant cannon and causing as much damage as possible. I did find myself avoiding a few types of Guerrilla Actions that weren't as exciting to me, but the variety is there, and I never found myself wishing I was doing something else.

Demolition Derby

Guerilla also has an awesome arsenal of weapons to play with as well. The game offers players a vast array of weapons to use, and many of them feel fresh and unique. I found myself switching between the sledgehammer (one of the coolest and most versatile starting weapons I've ever seen in a game), assault rifle and remote charges early on, but as I progressed more weapons opened up. In addition to the variety of weapons you can purchase and upgrade at Red Faction safehouses, you can also permanently utilize enemy weapons. If you happen to find a weapon on a fallen enemy that you've never seen before, pick it up, and it will be available for the rest of the game from any Red Faction safehouse.

But the most impressive aspect of Guerrilla was the Geo-Mod 2.0 engine, which Volition used (along with the Havok physics engine) to create the ultra-realistic destruction physics in the game. When you blow up a building, smash through structures with walkers, or simply go on a rampage with a rocket launcher in tow, the sense of satisfaction is unparalleled. To me, the game's story and characters could've been as shallow as Crackdown and I still would've had a decent time blasting away.

Get Your Ass To Mars

Though the game has a few faults, such as some occasional background pop-in and a few minor AI issues, the whole experience is a blast (literally), and you'd be missing a great action experience by not checking this one out. I didn't even mention the deep multiplayer (look for a standalone review on GamePro.com) which only adds to the fun.

PROS: Insanely engaging action, fun side missions, large amount of freedom throughout
CONS: Difficulty ramps up quick, some minor graphic and A.I. quirks
Red Faction: Guerrilla (360)

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