RED FACTION

Reviewed By: Jason McMullen
VOLUNTEER GUEST REVIEWER

GAME TECH INFO

Computer Platform: Playstation 2
Produced by: THQ & Volition
Price Range: $50
Learning curve time: 30 min.
Age level: 17+
ESRB Rating: Mature

Genre: FPS
Christian Rating: 2 of 5
   (offensive)
Gameplay: 5 of 5
   (excellent)
Violence: 2 of 5
   (heavy)
Adult Content: 3 of 5
   (mild)

"The genre of first person shooters is about to get a much-needed kick in the pants."
—PC Gamer, September 2000

Box art for 'Red Faction' I couldn't have said it better myself. In “Red Faction,” you take on the role of Parker, an oppressed miner working on the planet Mars, for the Ultor Corporation. In this game, a revolution is on the move (kind of like Christianity, eh?). The miners for the Ultor Corporation, tired of long hours, little pay, brutal conditions, and a mysterious, disfiguring Plague running rampant throughout the mines, are kicking off a rebellion.

This fine game spawns a brand new generation of First-Person Shooters. Made for the Playstation 2, it packs quite a punch. It has lush graphics, a decent plot (scarce in FPS's), great sound and voice-overs, 19 levels of mayhem, 15 beautifully crafted weapons, and a spectacular, new innovation in gaming. It's called Geo-Mod technology. This advanced engine does not follow the traditional system of scripting everything, which means that you can actually alter the environment you're in (ex. blowing holes in walls, ceilings, bridges, etc.). This makes the game quite interesting, especially in multi-player mode, which is also quite enjoyable.

Screenshot from 'Red Faction' Though not perfect, the only real gripes I have pertaining to this game are the lack of character differences, and the controls are a little difficult to get used to at first (even though you can customize them). These downsides are quickly cast aside, though. I would like to definitely give kudos to THQ and Volition for their excellent variety of weapons. If you buy this game, you will quickly learn what I mean. The Rail Gun is particularly nice.

From a Christian standpoint, I really don't think this game is that bad. I've been in gaming for many years, and this one, although there is blood and animated violence, is rather tame in comparison with games such as "Half-Life", “Quake” (series), and "Unreal". People do not explode into bloody chunks when struck with a rocket. There is not a massive amount of gore. I really don't think there is any vulgar or lewd dialogue in this game, which should make it more appealing to Christians.

Finally, I must say that if you're fortunate enough to have a Playstation 2, you should definitely buy this game; don't rent it, for it is far too long to play out in its totality. And I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, and do.

Year of Release—2001

Positive—Red faction is a good game which although has it's problems, is a very stable and enthralling game. The main problems I found with Red Faction are * The Geo-Mod was not implemented nearly enough - there was only one point in the game where you needed to use it (where you have to blast round a door) and much of the scenery was rendered indestructible (even stuff that didn't need to be) * The game got a bit repetitive after a while with you just fighting the same people over and over again - the only vaguely different part was the monsters, but that was quite short * It was so short and easy - only takes about 5 hours to complete and once you've completed it once you can do it again in a couple of hours And the good points: * the vehicles were good - although the digger stopped working pretty quickly * an editor was included to make your own maps * multiplayer can be interesting, sometimes. My overall score: Gameplay 85% / Graphics 70% / Innovation 90% / Challenge 25% / Overall 75% My Ratings: [4/4]
—J Rees, age 13, non-Christian

Positive—I have played HalfLife and Soldier of Fortune and compared to these 2 games, Red Faction is quite tame. The most violence that you see is tiny spots of animated blood falling from an enemy, or spots on the wall/ground. No one gets blows to tiny pieces like SOF, and you can't admire various body parts like HalfLife. Like story line is far greater than SOF and not quite as developed as HalfLife. The graphics are well done. On the highest setting you can see facial expressions on most of the faces in the game (including yourself in the mirror). Unlike most other games, when you shoot the wall, theres a hole instead a tiny black dot where your shot hit. Or if you use explosives then a hole appears. Most of the time, you really would need the doors because you are able to (if you have the patience and ammo) put holes in the wall. I like the game and it is quite entertaining. I would not recommend for the younger ones, but it is not that graphic and is not that objectionable. My Ratings: [4/4]
—Chris, age 18

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this Christian Spotlight review are those of the reviewer (both ratings and recommendations), and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Films for Christ or the Christian Answers Network.