While not up to par with its console counterpart, Resistance: Burning Skies is still a decent shooter for the Vita.
The plot remains similar to past Resistance games, with Chimera forces invading and the protagonist fighting them off. This time around however the hero is but an ordinary fireman caught in the middle of all of chaos. Of course his family also gets involved in the entire conflict, so he's not only determined to defeat the Chimera, but to reunite with his wife and daughter. A few other characters are thrown into the mix, but overall they aren't all-that important, with the exception of one character who acts as sort of the side-kick throughout the game.
To get to the point, the story isn't the strongest aspect of Resistance: Burning Skies by any means. It, along with the voice acting is passable, but it doesn't leave much of an impact on the player at all. There are a few attempts at creating emotional moments, but those fall flat. In all, the story is basic and easily not the main focus of this game. This is generally to be expected in most straightforward first-person shooters, but past Resistance games have offered more intriguing storylines, so it's a tad disappointing to see the story fall well short of what this series generally has to offer.
The gameplay is by far the primary attraction to Resistance: Burning Skies. Perhaps the best thing about this game is the fact that it shows how well the PS Vita can handle a first-person shooter. It takes a little bit of time to get used to, but the learning curve in all isn't steep due to the smooth movement, which is all thanks to the dual analog sticks. Shooting is for the most part just as smooth, but it's definitely enjoyable. Switching between weapons is seamless, and a weapon wheel adds to the easiness of slaughtering enemies with a variety of weaponry. There are icons of grenades and a knife on the right side of the screen to touch for the appropriate actions. This overall works well given the buttons there are to work with, and rarely does the combat feel overly cumbersome.
A great variety of weapons keep the gameplay experience from getting too dull, which is an occasional occurrence thanks to some levels being a bit unexciting. There are some familiar weapons along with a few new ones that can be accessed any time after obtaining them, which makes you a one man army as a result. Secondary fire is also implemented in each weapon, as in previous games. Most secondary fire actions rely on using the touch screen, but it's usually worth it as they provide all sorts of advantageous outcomes. While it's entertaining slaughtering enemies left and right, the action can still prove be slightly tedious, especially with less than impressive enemy AI and the fact that their movements are quite predictable. The same enemies also appear again and again at times in all too similar waves.
Concerns with the gameplay don't stray too far from general first-person shooter grievances, a few of which I've already gone over. The checkpoint system for one is inconsistent and not all that forgiving. Due to the smooth controls, the game rarely gets too overwhelming on lower difficulties, but the checkpoints can seem flat out illogical for the every once in a while you may die. One such example I experienced was at a boss fight and having to make an unnecessary run to said boss while hearing the same dialogue over and over until it was finally beat.
Resistance: Burning Skies' greatest flaw though is simply that it doesn't match the greatness its console counterpart has had to offer. The fact that it's on a handheld doesn't excuse it either. Just look at how well Resistance: Retribution turned out on the PSP. Burning Skies in my eyes is definitely not a bad game however, in fact it is indeed good. Though some of the levels as aforementioned are more on the dull side, there are a few good ones, especially towards the end that have some rather neat sections in them. Unfortunately the game ends on a relatively weak note, with an uninspired boss fight toward the conclusion as well. There are a few riveting moments here and there, but again my finger points back to prior Resistance games that outshine this game in virtually every aspect.
The feeling sometimes that the game was rushed may be to blame for some of Resistance: Burning Skies' issues. Visually, this game looks fair, but with objects at distances appearing significantly blurry. However, it's some of the technical quirks that are the real problem. Again, the gameplay is pretty damn smooth, but there are still some oddities here and there that I ran in to. For starters, dialogue completely cut off during one scene, though some sounds continued to play. In fact, sounds cutting off seemed to be a recurring issue, though lack of sound in some areas jumbles up the reliability of that accusation. So while it's more than playable, don't be surprised if you run into a couple of minor dilemmas like the ones mentioned.
A competitive online multiplayer is an unsurprising addition to Burning Skies. Assuming you've dropped the money on the game or an Online Pass, the multiplayer is somewhat easy to jump into, minus connectivity issues that may occur, just as in virtually every other online game ever. The gameplay is just as smooth as it when playing single player. The components of the multiplayer are basically standard. You can customize your weapons/abilities, level up via experience, upgrade, and so forth. There are only three game modes, with "Survival" being the only non-generic one. In a nutshell the multiplayer is intense and easy to pick up, but it's still generic and easily comparable to most multiplayer games out there, though it's probably one of the best online FPS as well as one of the only online FPS out there for the Vita.
Overall, Resistance: Burning Skies is a bittersweet entry for the PS Vita. While it without a doubt shows off the Vita's ability to handle shooters, it also leaves plenty of room for a truly great first-person shooter to make its mark on the struggling system. The gameplay in all is enjoyable, and that alone does make up for some of this game's flaws, but it still does fall short of other games in the series as well as its potential. With only six levels, the single player campaign is a brief 5 hours or so long. The multiplayer is the only possible saving grace for lasting appeal, so that said, Resistance: Burning Skies is a questionable purchase, but a definite rent.