PixlBit

The "Microsoft-less" Edition has begun!

So here we go starting off another year of my Top 11 Halloween Games! This year’s list was a bit hard to pull off given that there we not going to be any Xbox 360, XBLA, XBLIG, or Original Xbox titles this time around. That aspect is really sad given that I did have a good idea on what I wanted to play on those consoles. But since my systems are “dead” I’ll keep with the “Microsoft-less” theme of this year by trying to spread out my gaming choices or choosing certain titles that might seem unique. Like years before I try to keep my game choices set at 2 games per console with 1 game as a wild card choice for good measure. Of course that is not the only reason why I decide on one wild card title for a total of 11 games. I also do this out of respect for the “Nostalgia Critic” from thatguywiththeglasses.com in deciding to have a Top 11 list because like him, when it comes to Top 11 lists I as well like to “go one step beyond”. So with that said LETTUCE begin!

Starting off this year I deiced to go with a game that is not unfamiliar to my Halloween gaming lists. It’s been on here before in past so it was only a matter of time before another title found its way on here yet again. Though some might not consider the “Resistance” series to be a Halloween type game, I find myself gravitating toward it for a number of reasons. My love for alternative history games notwithstanding, there was a certain aspect of Resistance that called out to me in playing ever since I purchased my original phat model, backwards compatible PS3. The setting itself to me was just as scary as any jump scare or tension filled moment of dread in any survival horror title. I speak of course the very world of Resistance: All of Europe falling to the unknown menace that is the Chimera. Just the very thought of what went on in the sealed borders of Russia fills me with foreboding. The complete mystery surrounding what went on inside Russia itself as outlying towns, and then later cities were observed to be abandoned. Then the very invasion of the Chimera themselves that swept over all, fast than anything Hitler could’ve produced with his Nazi war machines and troopers. Plus some of the chimera breeds are horrific. And I swear something that tall shouldn’t be able to run that fast! That’s the world setting of Resistance: Fall of Man and it’s that same setting that continues the story in the fight for Europe in Resistance Retribution for the PSP.

Though Resistance Retribution follows the same type of “documentary” narrative when it comes to the story, the game itself plays out differently by focusing on a former British solider by the name of James Grayson who happens to go rouge upon finding his brother in one of the Chimera conversion centers. Forcing him to shoot him in the head to ensure he doesn’t turn into one of the chimeran creatures, he makes the fight personal by trying to destroy any and all means the chimera have in converting humans into the chimeran kind. Eventually he’s captured and sentenced for execution until the French underground (the maquis) strike a deal with England by offering Grayson a full pardon in exchange in helping them fight the Chimera in France as well as helping to assist in investigating a new conversion tactic the Chimera might be up to.

I wasn’t sure originally how this game would play since it was an FPS, with the original PSP never having a second analog nub, but oddly it works well enough by going with a control scheme I haven’t played since my days on the Sega Dreamcast with Quake III Arena. Despite this game being on a PSP the makers of Resistance Retribution did their best to at least keep the “feel” of the previous game it’s based on, Resistance: Fall of Man. The same look of that game is made known here with worn-torn streets, drab colors and alien outer worldliness to the areas of France that are occupied by the Chimera. The weapons and enemies in this game feel right at home in this portable companion, with a few extra changes done to introduce new enemies and weapon’s types as the game progresses. There’s even a chimeran machine stage and hidden classified files to find in the game, much like the original, that helps to add more lore to this dying world.

So if this game is so grand to set the stage of a dying species, why is it at #11 on this list? Well unlike Resistance: Fall of Man, the jump scares and tension filling moments when facing off with various types of unspeakable alien terrors is not that well translated here. The game tires it’s best to give you moments of dread when an enemy comes out of a corner or thru a door but you usually end up missing their arrival, with only the music to warn you of their approach, when your too busy trying to right your view with the face buttons. The game does a fine job in trying center your character’s view but I found it at times to get in the way when I try to search a room or an area before I enter it.

Enemy AI isn’t all the best where most of the time they chimera won’t even find cover and will instead “stand their ground” as you mow them down with rapid shots from your arsenal. Even the flying drones hold little threat unless there are a good number of them. I’m sure this was done due to the nature of aiming (done with an auto-aim system) to help facilitate the lack of better aiming controls but it ends up leaving the enemy as a moot threat unless your overrun and/or lacking cover. The only real threat one could face in this game (besides multiple enemies in groups and boss battles) is the Boilers, human females converted into chimera that have tough outer bodies and have heads that explode if approached. Given that the easiest way to take them out is with a head shot, things can get real tense as you’re trying to manually aim a headshot as more and more Boilers approach. This new enemy does add to the tension level but starts to get tiring fast when you keep restarting from cheap deaths or from endless enemy respawn points till you advance far enough.   

So much like Resistance: Fall of Man, Resistance Retribution finds itself as #11 this year. It gives enough to make it feel like a Resistance title with its dire setting, horrific creatures, tension filled moments of utter futility and the general tone. Yet it doesn’t hold enough scares to be considered a really good smaller number contender this year. It’s a good warm up title for things to come with the next 10 titles on this list.  Sure there are the added incentives to this title. Like being able to hook up the PSP to your TV via AV/component cables and play the game on a bigger screen or the PSP/PS3 system link feature that unlocks infection mode and giving you the ability to play the game with at PS3 dual shock controller (so long as you have a copy of Resistance 2 in your PS3). Yet despite those incentives all it does is give you a better replay options instead of adding to the scare factor, though there is something to be said to see the main character being infected with the Chimeran virus. But it’s enough for Resistance Retribution to be able to stand with its PS3 counterpart at #11. I got it used at one of my usual retro game stores for only $8 complete with case and instructions so this title won’t break the bank if one is interested.

And since I am unable to put Resistance: Burning Skies (no PS Vita) and unwilling to put Resistance 3 (Online Pass) on my Halloween Gaming list this year, Retribution is a fitting choice at #11.

My Top 11 Halloween Games for 2013

#11) Resistance Retribution – PSP: $8 used.