The puns are destructive.
Red Faction: Guerrilla felt like a game ahead of its time. So it is only fitting that a decade later we get to take a look at what is still considered the gold standard for destructible environments in games. THQ Nordic is slowly resurrecting the original THQ, including all of its IPs. The latest remastered (or Re-Mars-tered if you wanna be ridiculous) brings back Volition’s best game in the Red Faction series. While the destruction is still second-to-none, the open-world mechanics definitely have not aged as well.
The core elements here are still impressive. Breaking down walls and structures with the hammer or remote mines is unmatched in gaming. To this day nothing crumbles as good as it did in this classic. Everything else feels like an afterthought when compared to the destruction. Even some of the side missions know what this game excels at. The timed puzzles that required me to take down buildings with a set amount of explosives are still super satisfying.
MSRP: $29.99
Platforms: XB1 (reviewed), PS4, PC
Price I’d Pay: $19.99
These are the pieces that still work. The game around it definitely feels like an early 360/PS3 open-world game. The guns don’t feel as good as I remembered. It’s also worth noting that aiming down sights was not a standard at the time. The world feels empty and small as well. Everything feels packed into a tight space and not expansive at all. These were all things that could be overlooked before games really adopted the formula.
There are upgrades to this version, but they are all visual. Guerrilla now runs at 60fps on consoles. For those that have an X or a Pro the performance mode runs at 1500p and 1800p respectively. In full 4K mode though, the game can still buckle under massive explosions. There are also upgrades in the shaders and textures. This game certainly won’t be mistaken for a current-gen title, but it still looks sharp.
All of the DLC for the original game is also included. There is a second expansion and some other items. The multiplayer is also here and fully functional. I really enjoyed the premise behind it, but just like the original, it is already a ghost town on console.
Red Faction: Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered brings back the best destruction in gaming. It also opens the door for another game in the series. Let’s hope Volition remembers what made this game so great and doesn’t go the way of its actual sequel Armageddon. That featured more linear progression and not nearly as much destruction. This was a great step into the past and thankfully the things that made it great still hold up today.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
