To say that gamers have been expecting much from the PlayStation 3 launch lineup would be quite an understatement. Unfortunately for video game consoles as a whole, launch titles are usually not the most spectacular or enjoyable. However, Resistance: Fall of Man may have changed that for the Playstation 3 launch.

Resistance: Fall of Man takes place during the 1950’s in an alternate reality where a race of beasts called “Chimera” have taken over all of Europe, with a last stand being made in Great Britain. The main character, Nathan Hale, is part of a task force sent by the United States to assist the British in fending off the Chimera. This task force is soon wiped out and Hale, the only survivor, is left to fight with the British.

Resistance is, quite literally, a non-stop, fast-paced first person shooter that stands out proudly among all other PS3 launch titles. The game’s structure of short cutscene sequences between intense gameplay sequences makes it quite difficult to put down the controller.

However, the game could have used less of them seeing as there were several cutscenes in the game which could have instead been replaced by a boss battle or interactive demolition sequence. In one part of the game, a lot of suspense was raised over the living beast inside a container that could either kill Hale or control him. When this container is finally encountered, it goes to a simple cutscene of Hale opening it up, killing the large never-before-seen beast inside and moving on. No boss battle and quite disappointing.

Unfortunately, all the potential for this game to have been considered epic was ignored. There were no major boss battles, deep character development or relationships. In fact, this game goes by so quickly that at the end, the identity of Nathan Hale and the people he worked with is still generally a mystery. Not much about his background or how he feels or thinks.

Suffice to say, it’s no Half-Life. However, it is just a launch title after all and manages to make a great gameplay experience despite all these missed opportunities. Resistance is a great game and does the Playstation 3 launch line-up proud. If you’ve gotten your hands on a PS3 and are looking for something to play, this is it.