Resistance is a science-fiction horror series of first-person shooter and third-person shooter video games developed by Insomniac Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and PlayStation Vita game consoles. The series takes place in an alternate history around the 1950s, in which an alien species known as the Chimera have invaded Earth, expanding their conquest by capturing humans and mutating them into monstrous, super-powered soldiers to fight on their behalf. The player takes the role of one of the remaining human armed forces as they fight against the Chimera invasion.
Gameplay[]
The Resistance games play similar to most first-person shooters and feature a variety of weapons. The weapons include both conventional weapons for the setting of the game, weapons created by the Chimera that possess unique features, and human weapons that have been modified to take advantage of the Chimera technology.
The two PlayStation 3 games feature large-scale multiplayer modes with support up to 60 players in Resistance 2 and up to 40 players in Resistance: Fall of Man. Both console games offer extensive stat tracking for online combat, with Resistance 2 featuring trophies that require online play to earn.
Synopsis[]
Setting[]
- Main article: Resistance Storyline
Approximate location of the Tunguska event, in Siberia.
The Resistance series sets in an alternate history that diverged in the early 20th century. The First World War ended differently in which an isolationist United States did not enter the war and the Treaty Versailles led to the formation of the European Trade Organization, a continental peacekeeping alliance, and worldwide peace was achieved, preventing the Great Depression, the rise of Nazi Germany, and the Second World War. However, Franklin Delano Roosevelt lost the 1940 presidential election to Montana Senator Noah Grace who leads the U.S into a semi-totalitarian isolationist state, as well as the rise of an isolationist Russian Empire, as before his abdication, Nicholas II appointed his youngest brother Grand Duke Mikhail as Tsar, who crushed the Russian Revolution.
A new menace arises from Siberia, with the epicenter corresponding to the time and location of the Tunguska event of 1908. In 1921, Russia initiated a communications blackout with the rest of the world and built a wall against its European border called the "Red Curtain". Word spreads of small towns, villages, and eventually cities in Russia and Eastern Europe that are destroyed within a single night. A strange cold front also develops over Russia and spreads outwards. European intelligence agencies attempt to listen in on Russian radio stations only to hear a single message repeated over and over: "Brotherhood, Strength, and Fortitude...in the face of the angry night."
In December 1949, the Red Curtain is suddenly breached by numerous Chimera forces. The Chimera overrun continental Europe by February 1950, leaving very few survivors. The Chimera then proceeds to dig underneath the English Channel, invading Britain in late 1950. The bulk of the British forces were wiped out, with the rest fleeing to scattered bases in the northern parts of England.
The United States government was aware of the Chimera's existence prior to their invasion and had tasked the Special Research Projects Administration to eradicate the alien threat. The SRPA conducted research to create super-soldiers derived from the Chimeran virus, Project Abraham. The research's results produced two survivors, Nathan Hale and Joseph Capelli.
Plot[]
The plot began with the first installment, Resistance: Fall of Man. In 1951, the United States deployed a task force to assist Britain as part of Operation Deliverance. However, Americans forces were wiped out by the Chimera, except for one survivor: U.S. Army Ranger Sergeant Nathan Hale. Hale developed increased strength and the ability to regenerate from his injuries as a result of Project Abraham. Using his newfound abilities, Hale assisted the British and American forces in liberating the United Kingdom from the Chimera while learning their weakness tied to the Chimeran towers.
In Resistance 2, after the Chimera's defeat in Britain, Hale is extracted by the SRPA and is subsequently inducted into the Sentinel Program, a military branch of super-soldiers known as Sentinels. Within two years, Hale became the leader of Echo Team while the United States fortified its mainland from the Chimera in the form of the Liberty Defense Perimeter. The Chimera fell under the control of Daedalus, another test subject of Project Abraham who aggressively led the Chimeran expansion across Earth. On May 15, 1953, the Chimera launched an invasion of the United States. Hale defeats Daedalus but succumbs to the virus and is executed by his fellow Sentinel Joseph Capelli.
After Hale's death, the plot continues with Joseph Capelli in Resistance 3, the final installment in the Resistance trilogy. In 1957, the Chimera has taken control of Earth and the human race is on the brink of extinction. Capelli marries Susan Farley, the adoptive-sister of Nathan Hale, and lives with a community of survivors in Haven, Oklahoma. Capelli is soon thrust on a post-apocalyptic journey to finally defeat the Chimera.
Games[]
| Game | Developer | Platform | Release year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Resistance: Fall of Man | Insomniac Games | PlayStation 3 | 2006 |
| Resistance 2 | 2008 | ||
| Resistance: Retribution | Bend Studio | PSP, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 |
2009 |
| Resistance 3 | Insomniac Games | PlayStation 3 | 2011 |
| Resistance: Burning Skies | Nihilistic Software | PS Vita | 2012 |
Special Editions[]
- Resistance Dual Pack (2011)
- Resistance: The Trilogy (2012)
- Resistance Collection (2012)
Future[]
In June 2021, game developer and former IGN PlayStation editor Colin Moriarty revealed that Insomniac had planned for a fourth Resistance game, but was rejected by Sony due to the number of post-apocalyptic games in development, such as Horizon Zero Dawn and The Last of Us.[1] On February 7, 2025, speaking on the Kinda Funny Gamescast, Insomniac's departing CEO Ted Price revealed that a pitch for Resistance 4 was taken to PlayStation by the studio, but it was eventually shot down.[2][3]
Other media[]
Novels[]
Resistance: The Gathering Storm is a novel by William C. Dietz. It details Nathan Hale's actions as a Sentinel and the events leading to U.S. President Noah Grace's unexplainable death mentioned in Resistance 2.
Resistance: A Hole in the Sky is an indirect sequel to The Gathering Storm. It sets before the events of Resistance 3 and details Joseph Capelli's meeting with Susan and the breakdown of the remnants of the U.S. government.
Comics[]
- Main article: Resistance (comic)
Resistance is a six-issue comic book limited series published by Wildstorm that began in January 2009. It is written by Mike Costa, with art by Ramón Pérez, with the prequel being written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning, with pencils by C.P. Smith. The first issue, Resistance #0 (which was available as part of the Resistance 2 Collector's Edition), details the early history of Private Jordan Adam Shepherd, the seemingly innocent soldier who volunteered to be a test subject in Project Abraham, and, due to the machinations of Doctor Fyodor Malikov, would transform into "Daedalus".
References[]
- ^ Eylers-Stephenson, Kes. (June 6, 2021). "PlayStation exclusive Resistance 4 cancelled due to post-apocalyptic fatigue - report". TrueTrophies.
- ^ Insomniac's Ted Price on Retirement, Resistance 4 - Kinda Funny Gamescast
- ^ Daniel Morris (February 8, 2025). "Insomniac Pitched Resistance 4, But Was Rejected". Gamerant.