Difficulty:

Hard

Time Spent:

10 to 20 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"All it's cracked up to be"

Red Faction is one of the few first person games that you can call 'innovative' without expecting to get funny looks from people. It isn't just about running and firing from behind corridors - even though that element is in it too - it also puts platforming of all things in a first person game. The gameplay is great and the graphics are good - for a game of its time anyway.
The game is about two factions of miners that seem to be at war instead of doing their job. Maybe. But of course the enemy miners had to be extremely overpowered, with better equipment and weapons and vehicles. The red miners are just there to get killed. You, as a red miner, rebel and decide not to get killed. How come miners are using guns instead of pickaxes? No reason.
The gameplay is fun. Platforming elements are present in the game, and one of the most notable things is that you can blow your way through simply anything. Often this is necessary when they lock you outside and you need to make a hasty getaway from the blue miners. They're coming for you. You can go on and on exploding your way through an area and as long as there is matter there, it WILL blow up. Vehicles are also there and the weapons sound good.
Overall, Red Faction is an enjoyable and innovative FPS.