Gamescom 2011: Three Random Facts About Resistance 3

Here at Gamescom 2011, Sony is showing off a hefty roster of upcoming PlayStation 3 games. One of those, Resistance 3, is so close to being released that it's practically on store shelves. If you haven't been following our coverage of Insomniac's latest shooter, we really like what we've seen of this game and are quite eager for that release date to just get here already. But before that happens, we thought we'd share a few things we learned about it from the demo shown here at Gamescom 2011.

Something strange happens on the way to New York.

Most of what we've seen of Resistance 3 has been a bleak and moody story. As Joseph Capelli, you're making your way across the ruined remains of the United States in a seemingly hopeless effort to stop the alien invaders that have devastated every last corner of Earth. It's somber stuff. So consider us surprised, then, when Insomniac showed a quick teaser from a later portion of the game where you appear to be in an arena-style prison brawl against swarms of Chimera as onlookers cheer you on from all around. Not only that, the battle isn't being fought with the usual exotic weaponry that the series is known for but, rather, a giant sledgehammer that accumulates gore every time you smash another Chimera grim to death. The while thing was a noticeable change from the tone of the rest of the game. It would seem that things get a little odd later on in this road-trip story.

Chimera don't always fight on the same side.

Apart from that quick teaser, most of the demo took place in the St. Louis level that we've previously covered. However, Insomniac showed a bit more of what happens in St. Louis than previously seen. One of the highlights is a giant spiderlike creature called the widowmaker, one of those Chimera creatures that are so big they practically block out the sun. The interesting thing about this guy is that Insomniac described it as "feral," with no allegiances whatsoever. He simply exists to kill; whether that's you or the other Chimera on the ground. It's an interesting departure from the well-organized Chimera troopers you spend so much time fighting--especially when you see those very troopers taken out by one of their own. We're wondering if this guy is the only one or if we can expect to see more Chimera turn against each other as the campaign progresses. Who knows?

When weathering an alien invasion, it helps to be super cool.

When you arrive in St. Louis, you quickly run into a band of survivors known as the remnants. They're not too quick to trust you, but after you after you prove your worth with them in one particularly harrowing set piece battle, they take you back to their leader so you can ask a favor of him that'll help your journey to New York. Here's the thing about their hideout: It's basically a bar turned into a militarized fort, complete with ammo stockpiles, a pool table, and lots of beer. And the leader, Charlie Tent, has the hair of a 1950s greaser and a cool Southern drawl to boot. He's basically the coolest person you encounter in the entire game by far. No wonder he's the leader of a group of very successful survivors. To make it in this alien invasion, you have to be awesome.