Red Faction II for PC, PS2 and etc. is a sequel to a very successful FPS game released back in 2001. Within the genre, the original game was among the most interactive titles, for almost every object of the virtual environment could be altered, damaged or destroyed, including walls - the game utilized the Geo-Mod engine (Geometric Modification).
Plot
The first installment was set in 2100, on Mars. In one of mines controlled by the Ultor corporation and located therein, begins a rebellion. This time however, the game takes the player to a different setting – the Earth, five years after the said rebellion. During the last fifteen years, Sopot – a corrupt dictator preyed on the citizens of the Commonwealth. The war that was supposed to satisfy his obsessive desire to annex the neighbouring United Republic caused unnecessary casualties and pollution of the environment. It ruined the Commonwealth, as well as the lives of its inhabitants. What is more, the media controlled by the dictator broadcast information concerning the Commonwealth's fake military victories. The citizens begin to rebel against the dictatorship and form a resistance movement aiming to end Sopot's rule.
The player takes the role of an explosives expert called Alias. He is one of six of a squad comprising super-nano-soldiers whose job is to kill the dictator and save the country. The other squad- are called Molov, Repta, Shrike, Tangier and Quill. Each of them specializes in a different field of knowledge, such as electronics, sniping techniques, etc.
Mechanics
Red Faction II for PC, PS2 and etc. offers a complex, interesting plot filled with puzzles. The ending comes in several possible variants, depending on the player's actions. Initially, the protagonist belongs to Sopot's crew and it is only in the second mission when he decides to the rebellion after Sopot's betreyal. The graphics engine was significantly improved of course, but so has been the famous Geo-Mod engine, which is a device in charge of the in-game environmental destruction. Throughout the game, the player makes use of fourteen different weapons, including pistols, rocket launchers, grenades and machine guns. The player also uses special items, such as med kits or nightvision goggles. Moreover, the game features vehicles, such as tanks, aircrafts or submarines. What was improved as well, is the AI of the enemies, who seem to plan their actions and simply use environmental objects as cover for instance. Particular enemy types differ in their behaviour - one encounters regular soldiers, nano-soldiers or kamikaze-mechanicals here for example. These mechanics have made the experience more exciting.
