Resistance Retribution Review (PSP)

Resistance the Chimera on the Go.

“I have to save Rhaine”” Pretty Women are kinda hard to come by.” (James Grayson)

The best thing about Resistance Retribution is the simple fact that Bend put so much effort into making the experience so versatile

Resistance Retribution marks the third released Resistance game and takes place after the events of Resistance Fall of Man and before Resistance 2, but this PSP journey is brought to us by Bend Studios (creative minds behind Syphon Filter).
Resistance Retribution begins with us meeting an outcast on death row in James Grayson, a former British Marine who defied orders and now faces the firing squad. Instead he is offered a proposition from a French scientist who is aware of the fact James Grayson went on a Chimera killing rampage after his brother was infected and he was forced to kill him. So you are sent to help the French resistance known as the Maquis and embark on a journey throughout Western Europe to help the French push back and kill the Chimera there. With the help of Maquis Colonel Mallorey, and British Marines Major Cartwright and Lieutenant Parker, you become a one man wrecking crew taking out any and all chimera put in front of you.

While the Insomniac Resistance titles follow Nathan Hale who just so happens to be a very special American solider, James Grayson is hell bent on revenge and sheer annihilation of the Chimera, and this is what drives the story in which suffers from the main flaws of its console brethren the story gives the portrayal of a linear follow the star of the show experience but your interest is really intrigued by what has happened in the past and what isn’t told in the main story. Intel docs aren’t the best way to tell a story especially when you have to go through multiple play throughs just to find them all. As I said before the Resistance series suffers from the fact that the story not found in the main games storyline is more intriguing than what you are doing.

The best thing about Resistance Retribution is the simple fact that Bend put so much effort into making the experience so versatile, it has its portable aspect that fits perfectly with the PSP, they have created an all new unique control scheme, offering standard in which you move with the analog stick and aim with the face buttons, and then there is alternate which you look with the analog stick and you move with the face buttons. I tried both control schemes through multiple chapters and I felt the best way to play the game was through the alternate controls, it gives you more movement and the ability to strafe and go at a faster pace, that’s more tailor made to the play style of the PS3 games.

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Resistance Retribution Connect
This is the big back of the box feature for Resistance Retribution, using the PS3 and a copy of Resistance 2 you are able to unlock to major additional features to the game, Infection mode and Plus mode where you can use the Dualshock 3 controller to control the single player portion of the game.

The way it works is you turn on your PS3 and load up your copy of Resistance 2, and then go to options Resistance Connection, then take the USB cable out of your PS3 controller and put it into your PSP USB input, then load the game to the start screen this will bring up the menu on your PS3 where it says infection mode and plus mode. The infection mode gives you different intel and different dialogue in different areas.

Since there are 67 different intel pieces, and skill points (which are basically achievements) to find when you run through the single player you will have to play this game multiple times, (don’t worry the game is good so playing it multiple times wont be bad) now the Plus mode is a different story, at times its excellent to use especially when you are facing multiple large enemies but its pretty much useless when facing leapers, even when the sliders are maxed out it still feels to slow and clunky to use in close spaces shooting at small items.

The game is best mixed in areas, a lot of the starting portions of the game are perfect for playing uninfected but using the DS3, and then there becomes a portion in the game where the wall hits and its best to play from that point on as infected and without the DS3.

Regardless of how you play the game and if you have access to all the features the game is really fun and does a great job of leaving a lot of unanswered questions about the Resistance franchise that makes you want to drool more.

Single Player Experience (PSP)
Score: A