At least TimeSplitters 2 (also released in 2002) had variety; Red Faction II is all action, all explosions, all the time, and generally to its detriment. Admittedly, this all-thrills approach is fun for a while, but after a few hours things start to get tedious. In a genre as staid as the first-person shooter, where all you do is shoot things with slightly different arsenals, even a modicum of variety is incalculably valuable. Red Faction II ignores basic, even fleeting, stealth combat in favor of complete demolition. Not surprisingly, you play as an explosive expert named Alias, teamed up with a band of genetically-enhanced super soldiers, on loan to the rebellious Red Faction. Though the single-player campaign is remarkably short, I enjoyed the way in which your surroundings can be manipulated. More often than not, you need to use your expertise in explosives to progress in the missions, the most obvious example being the dynamiting of barricades or walls. Too often what you need to do next feels rather forced, but seeing these obstacles crumble so realistically is enjoyable. And it's always a treat to hear the voice-talents of Jason Statham. I also enjoy the multiple endings available to you, all based on your heroics throughout the game, such as completing optional objectives and sparing the lives of innocent civilians. However, these endings are not diverse enough to justify slogging through the game again. Thankfully, though, multiplayer fares much better. You and your pals can skirmish with up to 6 bots on over 30 (admittedly small) maps. These bots can be customized and saved onto a memory card; they can be named, given specific attributes such as agility and accuracy, and fitted with a substantial selection of character skins. The game will even track their stats as they develop as players. Certainly, this is a very unique feature, especially for those of us who enjoy bot deathmatches. If you can find it cheap enough, I'd recommended it for the bot customization alone. Just don't expect to come back to it as much as you would for TimeSplitters 2.
