Some might say GDC 2011 was the year of the first-person shooter. Some might say this was the generation of the FPS. I’m not here to dispute these claims or to declare war on either gaming sentiment. The fact is, in competitive gaming, the FPS mechanic has prevailed throughout time. It tests your reflexes, hand dexterity and map strategy as you embark in gunning down your enemies. Insomniac Games’ Resistance 3 is no different. With two successful predecessors, the developers have given themselves ample test runs (if you will) to optimize their franchise with the conclusion to their trilogy. As showcased at GDC this year, I will focus on the multiplayer component.

Rather than interacting with 60 other players on a battlefield, Insomniac has decided to minimalize the number of players to 16 while maximizing the tension. The developers are stressing the theme of team camaraderie rather than playing with an independent mentality among friendlies (a style seen in several popular shooters). Insomniac wants the player to learn his enemy as well as he knows his friends. Survival depends on it. Also, rather than using the single player as a template for multiplayer maps, every map has been specifically designed for multiplayer. They are large in size to prevent congestion while not too grand in scale that would prevent frequent action. The crumbled state of the world appropriately reflects the game’s atmosphere of a setting post-alien invasion.

Team battles are set up with the humans and Chimera on opposing sides. With various human guns (assault rifle, sniper rifle, etc.) and Chimera weapons, the multiplayer offers diversity throughout the carnage. With four classes to choose from — Spector, Survivor, Warden and Infected — players will get accustomed to the varying weapon combinations. However, if you’d like to select your own combo, Insomniac also has provided a “custom” class to fulfill that need. By gaining experience, you’ll be able to acquire abilities and upgrades (like more accurate scopes or an ability to run faster) to add further customization. Kill-streaks will undoubtedly award you with major experience points.

This game is complete and utter mayhem. With gorgeous graphics, fluid controls, varied weaponry and a focus on more intimate-style combat mechanic, Resistance 3 is shaping up to be a much more mature title than its predecessor. Look out for more updates until its release later in the year!