I would be willing to bet that many gamers out there still only know Sony's "killer launch app," Resistance: Fall of Man, as the game that U.S. PS3 owners scalpers purchased at a paltry system attach rate, while an overwhelming majority of U.S. Wii launch owners came home with The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. The obvious reasoning for such a discrepancy is that far too many of those PS3s came home alone, just to find their way onto eBay before the day ended. However, could it also be that Insomniac Games' first game beyond the Ratchet & Clank series since 2002 just wasn't up to snuff? Not a chance! The same love and care that has made every Insomniac game nothing short of awesome is present and in full effect in Resistance, as sprawling levels littered with scripted events and smart enemies, robust offline and online (with up to forty players!) multiplayer options, and one amazing sense of ambience fill out its résumé. This isn't just one of the top games on the PS3 - it is already one of the top console first person shooters of all-time.

Resistance: Fall of Man spins a tale that rewrites Twentieth Century history as we know it. After World War I, the world enjoyed a period of much needed peace and prosperity. None of the terrible events that would shortly follow WWI's close - such as the U.S.' Great Depression, the spread of Communism and even World War II - came to be, placing the world even further into complacency. Russia, on the other hand, became an isolationist country (with the U.S. following in 1940), ceasing communication with the outside world in 1921 before building a wall around their Eastern borders. Years passed by with little to no information coming out of Russia until the 1940s, when rumors of Eastern European towns and cities falling to overnight destruction began to circulate and waves of Russian refugees began appearing in neighboring countries, only to die shortly after their arrival.

Spy missions enacted by the U.S. failed to uncover the reason behind this phenomena - until it was too late. After they broke through Russia's Eastern borders, the Chimera, a mutated race of humanoid-like creatures, possibly spawned by a problematic biological experiment, began an all-out war against everyone and everything, easily conquering all of Asia and nearly all of Europe in less than two years. By 1950, England stood as the only remaining human-controlled area of Europe, but it was quickly turned to rubble when the Chimera appeared from a tunnel they excavated under the English Channel. In a last ditch resort, the British reached out to the Americans in 1951, who agreed to send a force of five thousand U.S. Army Rangers, who are almost immediately massacred - except for one man (cue dramatic drums: dum, dum, dddduuummmm) - Sergeant Nathan Hale.

As you can tell, what appears on the surface to be another 'aliens/mutants versus humans shooter' is something much more. My outline of the events leading up to the game isn't even complete, as one trip to the official Resistance website reveals a wealth of incredibly in-depth historical changes that would cause a history buff to blush. Things only get more interesting as the game unfolds using a stylish mix of black and white pictures and maps, as well as in-game cut scenes, with almost all of them narrated brilliantly by the British captain, Rachel Parker. Creative minds really were at work in the story department, as new information and plot points keep changing the aspects of the Resistance world and your understanding of them, keeping your ears perked up for each new bit of story. First person shooter fans should know just how rare a quality that is in the genre.

But what's an exceptional story without gameplay to match, giving you the reason to make your way to the next narrative piece? Not much - but that isn't a problem here. The controls are set up as well as a game on the PS3 controller can be; the pressure sensitive shoulder buttons handle crouching and shooting with ease, and SIXAXIS is only used during scripted events, such as shaking off enemies or fire. Each area is finely tuned for a near perfect gaming experience, whether the fight is in tight corridors or wide-open spaces. Enemies of all shapes and sizes can be found in all the worst places - for you anyway - with more than enough ammo and a merciless aim. Chimera variation is bountiful, as no less than fifteen different types attempt to end your life, ranging from the grunt Hybrids and Steelheads to the massive spider-like Widowmakers and the engorged Titans. Not one of these foes are slouches in the A.I. department either, as they take cover then fire from it, run around, draw your aim so that others have easier shots on you, constantly move to upset your aim and more. They even understand that if their target is taking cover behind something metal then they can cause damage with ricochets! That's not to say they are the smartest enemies of all time, but they react naturally and with enough variety that pinning down exact reactions and movements just isn't possible.

The greatest part of the Campaign Mode though are the scripted events. Not since Goldeneye for the N64 did I find as much challenge and enjoyment when it comes to triggering and being a part of such events. These can be anything from enemy reinforcements being called to stop your assault, to the movement of troops to other locations or vantage points to make it easier to cause your demise, to environment-changing moments. Enemies lay in wait, ready to jump out and ambush you. Play in the dark and be prepared to jump a couple of times, especially when exploring the darker areas of the game. After playing too many games where enemies are thrown out, simply waiting to react to you when you come into their line of sight, fighting against enemies on high alert, searching for any intruders (even if that doesn't include you) makes for a deeper, more interactive and convincing experience.

The pace at which Resistance spreads out the gameplay and the mindsets that come with them is such that the experience never drags. One moment you may be helping a British unit under fire in the wreckage of a city then the next you're underground, fighting only a couple enemies at a time while trying to find how to turn the power back on, then you find yourself face to face with a huge boss. Though it may seem odd, weapon placement also plays a big part in the pacing. Each weapon is not only given out at a pivotal time, with ammo set out in just the right amount (you're never scrapping for ammo but you never truly have full access), but can all come into play at any time, making your choice harder than just choosing the 'best' one. Talking about weapons, as should be expected by a game from the developers of Disruptor and Ratchet & Clank, there is a wonderful blend of historical and futuristic guns. You have your a selection of FPS standards, such as the shotgun, machine gun, sniper rifle, which are complimented beautifully by Chimera weapons such as the wall-burrowing Auber and the spine-unleashing hedgehog grenades.

To go with all this phenomenal gameplay is some awe-inspiring presentation. Ruined England towns, rusty underground power plants and dank Chimera breeding centers are only a few of the levels brought to life with great detail. Textures are diverse but not always crisp, as some floors, most walls and the wood on the shotgun are blurry and of a lower-resolution than other objects in the game. The character models are above average, with humans having different faces, even if they have no purpose other than to absorb Chimera gunfire. The chimeras themselves come in all shapes and sizes are visually imposing, carrying a horror mixed with sci-fi tilt that is sure to please.

Though there is nothing here that tops anything seen on the Xbox 360 - namely Gears of War - the particle effects go above and beyond the call of duty. Mortar shells hit troops, sending soldiers into the air in a spectacular display of smoke and dirt. Ashes are constantly floating in the air from burning buildings, hovering quietly as if the world is carefree and peaceful. Bullets fired into metal and detonating grenades ricochet and splinter, sending bits of red hot metal flying. The overall game might not be able to top the Xbox 360's finest graphically, but it's these numerous little touches, plus the fact that the game never ever drops below 30 frames per second - even online - that makes Resistance excel where it could have stagnated.

It takes a game like this to remind you just how powerful silence is, as the sparse usage of music means that the atmosphere relies heavily on a bevy of sound effects. Without music, every explosion seems to rock the room, every shot echoes out of the chamber, every footstep on a wooden floor creaks and thumps, while the screeches of a Chimera closing in on you never runs short of creepiness. Then there are the moments where the only noise the game is emitting is that of your footsteps and the random explosive or screaming of distant battles, or of a Chimera ship passing overhead, making you feel as if you are the only human left alive on the entire planet. The few times that the music actually does chime, in it rings in your ears with either triumphant bravado or haunting ferocity, exploiting its power to the fullest. The last game I can remember to use sound to craft such an inauspicious ambience was the original Resident Evil, another title that saw silence as a tool rather than a hindrance.

When you purchase a game for $60, lasting appeal should be at least a partial contributing factor, but when it comes to purchasing a $60 game and a $600 console, one of the first games you pick up should be able to hold your attention for more than a week or two. Resistance is one of those games. Campaign Mode flown solo can take fifteen hours the first time through, less if you use co-op efficiently, but it doesn't end once the credits roll. The game hides many secrets that can only be discovered with multiple plays through, such as hidden weapons and skill points (which can be used to unlock extra material). Multiplayer modes are many, with offline (up to four players) and online (up to forty players) both sharing an array of options, including maps, game types, weapon selection, character types, clan formation and a ranking mode ( both online only). Online matches are easy to jump into and, as of this writing, are plentiful. Within a minute I was in a game after choosing one from a list of 100+ active, at least half full games.

For a console whose U.S. launch was riddled with problems, including system shortages and a mediocre game line-up, Resistance: Fall of Man stands as one of the only bright spots for early adopters. Harking back to my all-time favorite FPS, Goldeneye, the deep, solid gameplay mixed with ambience and killer multiplayer makes for a pretty great game. Add innovation into the mix, such as the astonishing story and creative weaponry, and you have a game for the ages. Without Resistance, the PS3 launch is nothing; with it, you've got at least one compelling reason to jump on board at the beginning.

Reviewed by Tony Peters for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).