DESCRIPTION

Parker is at an awkward point in his life — he doesn't know what he wants to do. The Ultor Corporation vigorously advertises a new life and new beginning as a miner on Mars. It seems like paradise, the perfect escape from the daily monotony of life on Earth while offering excellent pay.

Parker heads out to Mars in order to find himself, to figure out some sort of direction in his structured life, a life that has been controlled by other people's interests, mainly his parents. After getting off the shuttle, it soon becomes evident that life in Mars is not as appealing as the Ultor Corporation claimed. Guards often harass and mistreat the miners, and beatings are commonplace. Workdays are over ten hours long, and the barracks have miners crammed eight to a room.

In order to boost morale, athletic competitions were created. These competitions, however, are simply a smokescreen for an underground movement of miners who are planning to rise up against the Ultor Corporation. Weekly training missions are actually used to plan strategic attacks against Ultor. The team known as "Red Faction" is headed by a man named Eos, who plans on leading the resistance movement.

Assuming the role of Parker, you'll begin Red Faction in midst of a revolt between the miners and guards. Played entirely from a first-person perspective, the game is built around what is referred to as a "GeoMod" engine, which allows you to completely destroy walls, ceilings, and floors using explosive weapons. You also get to commandeer a variety of vehicles, including fighter jets and submarines. Missions range from infiltrating scientific facilities posing as a doctor to going on an all-out shooting war.

Fifteen weapons are at your disposal, including Control Batons, Riot Shields, Pistols, Submachine Guns, Automatic Shotguns, Assault Rifles, Sniper Rifles, Remote Detonation Charges, Grenades, Flame Throwers, Rocket Launchers, Rail Drivers (allowing you to see enemies through walls), Precision Rifles, Heavy Machine Guns, and Fusion Rocket Launchers. Remaining ammo, health, and armor are displayed on the screen at all times as well as incoming radio messages from allies and enemies.

Multiplayer is supported and includes all of the weapons found in the single-player game as well as nine arenas, varying in types that include office complex lobbies, mining facilities and spaceport hangars. Multiplayer matches can be fought against a friend as well as computer-controlled artificial opponents. Games can be saved at any time in Red Faction, with each saved game taking up 620KB on the standard PlayStation 2 memory card. ~ J.C. Barnes, All Game Guide