Set in an alternate 1950s Great Britain, the world is being taken over by the Chimera, a multi-eyed hoard of apparent aliens whose ugliness is only matched by their ruthlesness. Starting in Russia and rampaging across mainland Europe, they`ve now made their way to the UK and are spoiling for a fight. Luckily for us, the Americans are coming. With their country being run as a dictatorship, the troops on their way to help have no idea what they will face. After an ambush by the Chimera in York, the player takes on the role of US solider Nathan Hale, and must make their way through various towns dotted around the Country.

So far, so pretty much by the numbers fare then ? Well, yes & no; in classic launch title style, there`s a depressing familiarity for the first few levels, and it does little to inspire confidence. As soon as you get your hands on the first of the many varied weapons, this all changes. Initially equipped with a machine gun which does the job adequately, finding the secondary fire offers up new opportunities. The Chimera equivalent, the Bullseye, fires a homing beacon which if tagged onto an opponent means they`ll never escape any slugs shot their way. It`s delicious fun & drives the player on to discover what else is lying in wait for them as they progress.

The Chimera themselves are a vicious foe, and not to be underestimated. From Ordinary grunts to the fearsome Gray Jack, they all advance at speed causing a mad scramble for cover. Larger vehicles, especially the Stalker help to add to the sense that a proper, well fleshed out Enemy has been created. The difficulty will also surprise many. While it`s normal when progressing further through a game to come across more devious enemy encounters, Resistance provides some bewildering difficulty spikes at various points which frustrate.

Highly detailed & rich in atmosphere, the colour palette used by Insomniac is inspired - Sepia-toned to match the old pathe news reels that used to be shown in cinemas in the 1940s. It`s a bold choice which works surprisingly well, managing to convey a unique style to set itself apart. Locations become more varied the further you progress into Chimera held areas, with a strange fusion of Quaint Cottages & Alien Biotech in place. It almost comes across as a more Sophisticated take on the Steampunk Phenomenon with a knowing nod to HG Wells` "War of the Worlds". There`s something very special about being in the heart of Somerset, advancing through The Cheddar Gorge & being confronted with a Chimera Tower. The amount of work done to create such convincing areas shines through on more than one occasion and for a title at such an early stage of the PS3`s lifecycle, it`s heartening to see.

The story is told through a mixture of cut-scenes, static shots and narration by a female British officer who`s rescued by Hale at the beginning and they tell it very well. While highly polished, the narration is flat and it`s very obvious that the voice talent employed are`nt of UK origin. Some unintentional comedy moments bring to mind Dick Van Dyke`s infamous "maori parpins" cockney impression in the Disney favourite - and the less said about the Scottish officer's accent the better. What does work is locating the various intelligence reports found throughout the game. Helping to fill in various aspects of the game, it`s an excellent addition and helps flesh out anything not covered by the main story. Ultimately the story feels as if it`s the first act - a taster to what will come in future games, if permitted.

Multiplayer has been promoted largely due to the fact it can accommodate 40 players. Mostly deathmatch scenarios, the huge, meandering maps can lead to the player wandering absent-mindedly around before any action is encountered. Any kind of team gameplay is also hindered by a lack of a dedicated headset, creating a vacuum of dialogue between one another, making team orders null & void. As much as its a worthy inclusion, it merely ticks a box to help it match any of its competitors on rival consoles in the online field.

Resistance is a solid FPS, elevated above the mundane by its sublime weapon set and some excellent enviroments. Whether it convinces the masses who might pick it up at UK launch is another matter entirely.