Red Faction: Armageddon

Red Faction: Armageddon for PC, PS3 and X360 is the fourth installment of a series created by Volition, in which the plot revolves around events on Mars. This installment introduces a lot of changes and enhancements to the series, and for the first time, introduces fighting with an alien race.

Plot

The action of Armageddon takes place fifty years after the events shown in Red Faction: Guerrilla. A mysterious cult, led by Hale, causes destruction of a Martian terraformer, forcing humanity to descend into the depths of underground. The actual game begins a bit later, introducing the main hero, Darius Mason (a grandson of the previous game protagonist) investigating some ancient ruins. The protagonist accidentally causes a race of enemy creatures inhabiting Mars to wake-up. The awoken aliens are very aggressive and bloodthirsty, taking over further colonies, killing or imprisoning the population in cocoons. Darius not only has to deal with the invasion, but also refute the allegations that he holds the full responsibility for the outbreak.

Mechanics

Red Faction: Armageddon for PC, PS3 and X360 is a fresh approach to the series. The open-world, known from Guerrilla, has been substituted for a more linear structure, with more emphasis on the plot and movie-like approach to narration. The trademark element of the series, the ability to reshape the area using a set of powerful tools, is still present. The most valuable item in the game is the Magnet Gun. It’s principle of operation is very easy, as it allows for connecting the first hit object to the second one. This means we can, for example, tear away a wall fragment, and send it in the direction of a nearby alien, or by reversing the order, make the alien hit the wall. Among other interesting weapons, we can find interesting toys such as a rail gun, a plasma rifle, or a black hole generator. Mason can also use the Nano-forge, to shove monsters away or rebuild damaged buildings. As the time progresses, even such fancy gadgets cannot suffice. Then, the game introduces exoskeletons, mechs, or even a fighter jet, which allows us to sow destruction on even a larger scale.

Aside from a single player campaign, the authors prepared two alternative gameplay modes. In Plague, we defend against continuous waves of aliens, either as a lone wolf, or cooperating with other players. Our task in Ruin mode is easy – we have to score points by causing the highest possible destruction in the allotted time.

Misc.

Most of the game takes place underground, but Volition studio made sure that we won’t complain about the lack of variety. During the game, we visit icy locations, as well as volcanic, filled with burning lava. Human ingenuity cannot stand boredom, so even the colonies and underground cities surrounding them also provide exceptional visual experience. Additional selling-point is a realistic destruction model called Geo Mod 2, resulting in realistic and convincing effects of our actions.

Last updated on 28 June 2011