by Josh Komon

Created on: April 13, 2009

Fans of other "Resistance" games, and those who are just fans of shooters in general are likely to pick up "Resistance Retribution" on Sony's PSP. This top rated game has been hailed as the best portable shooter ever. Does it really live up to the hype? The answer is a resounding, "yes." Shooter fans will love the complexity of the story, and variety of weapons available. Non-fans will love the simplicity of the targeting system, and the ability to retry sections easily.

GAMEPLAY

The controls are a little confusing at first. The analog stick controls movement, but must be in used in concert with the X, square, triangle, and circle buttons, which control the direction Grayson (the character players control) faces. The R-button performs a regular attack, whereas the L-button controls various secondary attacks. The directional pad is perhaps the most confusing, as there is no logic to how it is used. Down interacts with objects, often, climbing up. Left reloads, and right changes weapons. Up puts players into manual targeting mode (not recommended unless weapon has no automatic targeting mode.) or zooms in with sniping weapons. Players who have never dealt with controls such as these are likely to be frustrated at first. However, once used to it, these controls make it very easy to control Private Grayson.

Beyond the controls, the gameplay continues to be very good. The stages are well thought out. Battles are difficult, but not impossible. There are over a dozen different ways to kill your enemies. Sadly, the variety of enemies is lacking. That being said, the most important aspect of gameplay is fun, and "Resistance Retribution" offers tons of it.

GRAPHICS

Simply put, the graphics for this game are the best of any handheld game ever. This is not an exaggeration, nor is it an arguable point. The gameplay graphics are top notch, while those of the cut scenes are better (that's right "better") than any game that was ever on the original playstation, and on par with the best to grace the PS2. It's not just the quality of the graphics, though, every design for characters, enemies, weapons, landscapes, etc. are all created with buckets full of creativity.

AUDIO

The musical score definitely heightens the gameplay experience. Areas without enemies (of which there are very few) are accompanied by peaceful restful ambience. Areas of danger are accompanied by a symphony guaranteed to get your heart pounding. The sound effects are good, though nothing so spectacular or original that you'd notice. The voice acting, however, is amazing, and is really one of the most entertaining aspects of the game. I feel like I could listen to Grayson's jaded ramblings all night.

OVERALL

It does not matter what type of games you prefer, you will like this game. It is THAT good. And to expound well beyond this review, there is an expansive multiplayer mode, and an "Infected" mode for those who have "Resistance 2" for the PS3. This surefire bet for "Hand Held Game Of The Year" gets a 5/5.

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