So you just shelled out $600 or more for a PlayStation 3. What now? The majority of launch titles available for the system were less than compelling though to be fair that is usually the case with the launch of a new console. Out of every game bearing the PS3 logo only one of them could be considered a system seller; Resistance: Fall of Man.

Like many of you prior to the launch of the PlayStation 3 I looked at screen shots of Resistance and thought to myself "It looks like your standard first person shooter". Initial impressions of the gameplay followed suit and to be honest there wasn't much that thrilled me or impressed me. The controls were predictable, the weapon selection didn't impress me, and in many ways I felt the game was merely Call of Duty with a science fiction coat of paint. After about half an hour with the game my preconceptions were broken and I became utterly enthralled in an engrossing adventure that proved to be one of the quintessential FPS titles on any gaming console.

The story is single handedly one of the most impressive aspects about Resistance: Fall of Man. The finely crafted amalgamation of world history and science fiction horror is told with Hollywood caliber quality. Every aspect of the game's presentation oozes inspiration so don't let those pessimistic first impressions mar your enjoyment.

This tale of global doom follows the life of U.S. Army Ranger Sgt. Nathan Hale as he becomes immersed in a battle to save humanity. You see, in this world there was no second World War, there was no Great Depression, and the communism never saw the light of day in Russia. Instead a virus called Chimera has begun to spread across the world. The Chimera isn't just a common cold but something that kills off the human body and transforms it into something beastly. It's a threat that has spread across continents and has infected every human to be infected. Everyone, that is, except Nathan Hale.

Early on in the game Hale is rendered unconscious after being attacked by the virus. Unlike his brothers in arms he awakens shortly thereafter with little more than a headache. For whatever reason it seems that he has immunity towards the virus and it is apparently its fate to save the world. By teaming up with some British agents he undertakes various missions to fight the Chimera and attempt to end the infection. That's not going to be easy with mutants armed with alien technology running around.

Luckily for you and Hale he has contracted some of the Chimera abilities as well such as being able to replenish his health after a short while. Again, this is nothing new to the FPS genre. We've seen it countless times before in any game that gives the protagonist a shield of some sort. This is one of the many things that are slightly generic about Resistance: Fall of Man but it's handled in such a way that it doesn't feel so run of the mill. Your life meter is split into quarters and as long as you don't take damage for a time your health will be restored to the nearest quarter.

Granted the health system takes away some of the difficulty but the oppressive AI will definitely keep you on your toes. I found myself getting flanked by Chimera, having to ferret them out after they were injured, and even watched as they moved into position with suppression fire from one of their buddies. In between these brilliant moments there were times where some of the monsters would just charge openly right at me or stand there at a distance and let me pick them off. The good far outweighed the lame but the challenge remained decent especially as new Chimera and weapons were introduced through the course of the game.

With the blend of genres that Resistance: Fall of Man offers it's not surprising that the armaments are diversified as well. You start out the game with human weapons such as a machine gun, shotgun, and frag grenade. As you progress and kill off Chimera you'll also be able to pick up some of their weapons. The Bullseye for instance is the standard assault rifle for most of the mutated infantry. Other weapons include the Auger which can shoot through walls, the Arc Charger which shoots out a bolt of lightning, and the Hedgehog which is a spiny grenade that impales anything around it.

Each of these weapons as a secondary firing option as well. This is another standby for first person shooters but it finds a welcome home in Resistance. The Bullseye for instance allows you to tag an enemy with a homing needle that sends a signal to all of your bullets once you start firing. Another example is the Auger which allows you to raise an energy shield. The weaponry that you'll find in Resistance is easily one of the game's biggest highlights.

As far as the controls themselves things here are fairly standard. The basic layout follows practically every FPS that came before it with the analog sticks controlling movement, shoulder buttons that are used for shooting, an X button that jumps, a button that makes Hale crouch, and one designed for melee attacks. These controls come together to make Resistance feel familiar. I never really appreciated playing a first person shooter on the PlayStation 2 because of the way the controller fit but the PS3's SIXAXIS definitely felt more natural.

Speaking of which there are times where you'll have to utilizes the motion sensor in order to get something done in the game. Granted most of the gameplay revolves around running and gunning but occasionally you'll find yourself on the receiving end of some Chimera trying to hump you to death. In these instances you'll have to shake the controller as if you were trying to shake off your assailant. That's basically it as far as the motion sensing goes so Resistance easily remains a straight forward shooter for most of your time with it.

The single player campaign will last you roughly 11 hours or so depending on how quickly you speed through it. There is no backtracking which is definitely a plus and with a blend of boss fights and grunt battles the pacing in the game changes constantly. There are some dead zones in between firefights though and these kind of break the pacing a tad. Apart from these moments the game's design and level structure is some of the best that I have ever experienced on a console first person shooter. Of course that is just an impression of the single player experience; the multiplayer game is another beast all together. With the capability to include up to forty players in a single game Resistance: Fall of Man offers some of the most intense online battles this side of Halo 2.

Being a long time first person shooter fan I have been through my fair share of online matches. If you have ever found yourself playing a shooter with people from across the globe then you'll instantly recognize just about every mode here. There is a Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch to tackle as well as a last man standing kind of mode called Conversion. A Capture the Flag mode is available as is a version with a twist where you have to capture nodes and destroy a reactor. I found myself playing Conversion and Team Deathmatch the most because of my personal taste but every mode here is rock solid.

One of the nice twists that Resistance offers that Microsoft's latest Gears of War doesn't is a different in abilities between races. Human fighters can move faster while Chimera can see through walls and such. Add to this the diverse blend of weaponry and you have an experience that is fast, furious, and unpredictable. Each match is a testament to the FPS genre and in many ways the game is a culmination of ideas from past games. Clans, Ranked Matches, and Parties are all present here with minimal bouts of lag for a solid online experience. This is easily the section where Resistance truly impresses the most and will keep you playing for a long time. My only complaint in regards to multiplayer is that the co-op is off-line only which puts it a step behind Gears of War.

Visually Resistance: Fall of Man impresses but not quite as much as you would think for a much touted PlayStation 3 title. With a video output of 720p the game certainly comes to life in HD but it's nothing entirely better than what the Xbox 360 has offered already. The animation is solid and lifelike for the most part with ragdoll physics and realistic movements, the environments are riddled with detail, and the explosions found here are some of the best that you'll see on a console. Period.

Some of the textures are fantastic but at the same time others are only average. For me it was really some of the design elements in the game that detracted slightly from the experience. Character models are kind of generic with only a few of the Chimera and Hale taking on a life of their own. Once the bullets start to fly and the action heats up you really won't care since this game is gorgeous in motion with a solid 30fps that never dips. This is one of the smoothest first person shooters on a home console to date and that's a feat considering the amount of action taking place at any given time.

While a game like Halo focuses on its soundtrack as well as voice acting and sound effects, Resistance paid more attention to the latter. The music in the game didn't really do anything for me but it was the fantastic voiceovers and realistic sound effects that really hit home with an impressive amount of flare. Crank your speaker system up and immerse yourself in a world where bullets fly by you and explosions threaten to damage your ear drums. Resistance: Fall of Man offers one of the better audible experiences on the PlayStation 3 for sure.

There isn't much that Resistance: Fall of Man does that is unique. The controls are familiar, the multiplayer modes are standard, and many moments play out similar to titles that have preceded this one. Where Resistance strikes gold is in the quality found in each of these elements. In so many ways the game does what other shooters have done, only much better.

The CPU's artificial intelligence is dynamic with only a few hiccups occurring during the entire single player campaign. The weapon selection is hands down one of the best that I have ever seen with such a variety to pick from complete with secondary features. Once the game is done the online play will keep the SIXAXIS in your hand for quite some time. Aesthetically the game sounds great and is graphically immersive only to a point but the solid framerate keeps things moving at a good clip. If you own a PlayStation 3 this is the title to get but if you can't get the console yet consider this a step towards making it a must have.