Resistance: Retribution Out Today, Chat with the Devs Tomorrow

Resistance: Retribution arrives in stores today and there is a lot going on this week in celebration.

First, reviews have begun appearing. Below is a selection of a few that have shown up over the last week including three which have given it Editors Choice Awards!

• “Resistance: Retribution goes toe to toe with it’s big brothers on the PLAYSTATION 3 and it’s a must play for fans of the series or those looking for a shooter for the road.” 9.4 out of 10 GameTrailers
• “PSP owners don’t want to miss out on this one.” 9.0 out of 10 - GameZone (Editors Choice)
• “Resistance: Retribution is excellent.” 9.2 out of 10 – IGN (Editors Choice)
• “Resistance: Retribution is easily one of the best looking PSP games available.” 9.5 out of 10 – PGNX (Editors Choice)
• ASK MEN: 9.2 out of 10
• GAME PRO: 4 out of 5
• SPIKE.com

Additionally, the soundtrack is set to appear on iTunes beginning today. Composed by Garry Schyman the soundtrack he created really evokes the action and suspense of Resistance: Retribution. Here’s a sample of one of the tracks called “Chimera Attack.”

Last week, Bryan Intihar at Insomniac Games wrapped up their feature stories on Resistance: Retribution at MyResistance.net. With topics ranging from The Story to The Weapons, the feature ended with information about Resistance: Retribution Connect. Check them all out here.

Finally, the Bend Studio is going to participate in a live chat tomorrow, here on the PlayStation Blog. John Garvin and Chris Reese will be on hand to answer your questions about making the game, the story, working with Insomniac, etc. Come back by the blog on March 18th at 12:00 Noon PDT and check it out.

And check out the Resistance: Retribution Facebook fan page!

I told you there was a lot of stuff!

Reviews

What Retribution lacks in multiplayer, it makes up for with a fully loaded single-player campaign.
Resistance's name carries quite a bit of weight with FPS fans, but as a Sony published title, the only place to extend the franchise (without an all-out sequel) is on PSP. And that's just what Sony Bend has done with Resistance: Retribution, the latest chapter in the franchise. There's a lot that could have gone wrong in transitioning the console-centric title to the handheld: The lack of a second analog stick presents obvious problems for a shooter, and the game eschews its first-person roots for a third-person perspective. But while hardly perfect, it succeeds in living up to the Resistance brand and is one of the best run-and-gun shooters on PSP.

The game addresses the solo analog stick issue with a lock-on, auto-aim system. When you first pick up the game, it's easy to assume the simplified setup is just a crutch -- you automatically lock onto enemies when they pass through your large aiming reticule's line-of-sight, leaving you to open fire without worrying about precision aiming. As you spend more time with the game, it becomes apparent that the developers made the right choice. Not having to worry about manually targeting enemies allows you to pull off quick headshots (something that is borderline necessary for tackling a certain kamikaze enemy), effectively take cover, and nimbly dodge enemy Auger fire (which can pass through solid objects). And when you need to target a specific enemy, pressing up on the D-pad allows you to take manual control of your aim, but this also leaves you in a precarious position since you're then unable to move.

As effective as it is in mitigating the lack of a second analog stick, Retribution's auto-aim can cause problems in the heat of battle. Occasionally, your sights will target a relatively harmless enemy ducking behind cover 30 feet away when there's a much more pressing threat within arm's reach. Without any way to quickly swap between targets (other than moving the camera and hoping the lock-on switches), you'll suffer a substantial number of deaths as a result of the auto-aim targeting the wrong enemy.

But no matter how you decide to dispatch your enemies, it's hard to tell whether or not your bullets are having any effect until your foes are dead. Outside of a red blip on your targeting reticule (which I hadn't noticed until more than halfway through the game), there's almost never any indication that your bullets are finding their mark. Outside of the rare, huge enemies, the Chimera grunts stand their ground when being shot, seemingly unaffected -- even when taking a shotgun blast to the chest. The reticule blip makes sense when using the Auger to fire through walls at enemies, but it's annoying that enemies don't react to your gunfire when shot.

The inconsistent AI further compounds the problem. You'll never see anything as complex as a flanking maneuver, but enemies sometimes use cover when it's available. Other times, your target will make the boneheaded decision of running directly up to you -- not taking any cover whatsoever -- almost as if he's asking to be killed. It would be one thing if they were trying to rush you with a purpose, but the choice seems arbitrary and only leads to the aforementioned situation where the auto-aim locks onto a distant enemy rather than the more immediate threat.

Retribution's multiplayer also doesn't quite live up to the Resistance name. Eight players can face off online in five different game modes, which, for a PSP game, sounds like a pretty full-featured package, though none of the modes are unique (deathmatch, CTF, last man standing, and a slight twist on king of the hill). While the sheer number of players the PS3 games have wouldn't be possible on PSP, surely Retribution could have offered some customization in unranked games beyond just toggling auto-aim on or off and adjusting the score limit. And the positive reinforcement that rewards even the bad players in Resistance 2 -- you net experience for shooting an enemy player (even if you don't get the kill) and can cash it in for a temporary buff -- is glaringly absent.

Retribution's portable aspect does allow for some minor innovation, though; namely "Retribution Connect," a feature that lets you connect your PSP to a PS3 running Resistance 2. Linking the two unlocks extra content in Retribution, like new weapons and access to new areas, which also provides an incentive to replay the campaign. And, if portability isn't a big factor, Connect also enables you to play Retribution with a DualShock controller. Unfortunately, your PS3 copy of Resistance 2 doesn't get any similar benefits. Still, it's a great example of what's possible for PS3/PSP connectivity.

In spite of its many flaws, Retribution is most certainly worth playing for any shooter fan with a PSP. Even after completing the single-player story, there's reason to go back and replay individual levels: Each has separate goals, like getting a certain number of headshots or not taking damage through a particular area, as well as hidden intel pickups that flesh out the back story. The multiplayer component isn't likely to keep you occupied for long, but there's more than enough single-player content -- especially if you can take advantage of the Retribution Connect extras -- to warrant a purchase. Resistance fans won't be disappointed and newcomers to the franchise will find a very competent portable shooter in Retribution.