Red Faction II

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Red Faction II
Developer(s)Volition[lower-alpha 1]
Publisher(s)THQ
Producer(s)Clint Ourso
Designer(s)Nathan Camarillo
Programmer(s)Alan Lawrance
Artist(s)Jasen Whiteside
Writer(s)Maureen Tan
Composer(s)Dan Wentz
Franky Vivid
Kate Marlin-Nelson
SeriesRed Faction
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, GameCube, Windows, Xbox
ReleasePlayStation 2
GameCube, Windows, Xbox
Genre(s)First-person shooter
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Red Faction II is a first-person shooter video game developed by Volition and published by THQ for the PlayStation 2, GameCube, Windows and Xbox. It is the sequel to Red Faction and the second installment in the Red Faction series. The game changed the direction of the first game by introducing a greater emphasis on action[6] and a new setting on Earth, rather than Mars.

Gameplay

Unlike its predecessor which is set on Mars, Red Faction II is set on Earth.

Multiplayer

Red Faction II features local multiplayer. Deathmatch, Bagman, Arena (all available with either individual or team play), Capture the Flag, and "Regime"[6] (an unlockable mode equivalent to Bagman) can be played across a selection of around 40 levels, each with destructible walls. Every game mode except Capture the Flag has the same stage set; Capture the Flag has another set of levels dedicated to it.

Players can also create their own bots.[7] Bots, like the human players, are able to keep statistics pertaining to gameplay. Bots obtain more statistic points as they fight matches in multiplayer, which allows the player to upgrade their abilities as they are used. These statistics include Health, Damage, Agility, and Accuracy. There are also two other stats pertaining to their gameplay: Camping Tendency and Aggressiveness.

Plot

In 2080, 5 years after the events of Red Faction, the nanotechnology developed by Axel Capek, the head scientist of the Ultor Corporation prior to its fall, has been claimed by the Earth Defense Force (EDF). With this technology, the EDF commences a reorganization of the Ultor Corporation with a particular focus on enhanced supersoldiers and suitable weaponry. However, the research that was done by Capek in his laboratories has been consequently stolen by other militant groups and assorted terrorist organizations. This has gone on for years; the research has changed hands in the criminal underworld many times. The player is introduced to their role as an explosives expert (codenamed "Alias") as he embarks on a special operations mission to claim the research data for the Republic of the Commonwealth.

Eventually, the research is successfully claimed by the elite forces of Victor Sopot, Chancellor of the dystopic military state known as The Commonwealth. Sopot uses the nanotechnology to enhance his already formidable military forces, and successfully creates the first supersoldiers with the research data. However, fearing the potential of his new supersoldiers, he orders them all to be hunted down, executed, and replaced with far less intelligent, mutated horrors known as "The Processed". Collectively betrayed by their leader, the player's squad flees underground and ally themselves with the Red Faction as mercenaries. The Red Faction at this point in the story is an organized resistance movement that is strongly opposed to the rule of Sopot and the skewed political tenets of The Commonwealth. The squad eventually pursues Sopot and neutralizes all opposition in their way as the Red Faction takes the conflict to the streets in a joint uprising against the rule of The Commonwealth. During the initial stages of the game, the Red Faction and the squad mutually support each other as they overcome shared objectives such as sabotaging propaganda installations. The uprising culminates in successfully trapping Sopot in his missile silo and executing him.

Alias returns to the makeshift base of operations only to discover that all of the Red Faction resistance members present have been brutally slaughtered. The squad's leader, Molov, remarks that with Sopot dead and with the nanotech research in his possession, the Commonwealth's military forces have voluntarily pledged allegiance to him. He declares Alias and Tangier, a fellow squadmember, to be enemies of the state for supporting the Red Faction. Tangier helps Alias escape, and shortly after fleeing to safety, Alias lends aid to surviving Red Faction members who are defending themselves from the enemy. Alias and Echo, the lead of the Red Faction, meet up in a secret location to discuss an alternate strategy to stop Molov, and Echo is killed in action during a firefight with Quill, a former squadmember. Tangier radios Alias soon afterward, and the two agree to shut down Molov's commandeered nanotech laboratory located within the colossal statue of Sopot. Inside the laboratory, Alias triumphs over Repta, a former squadmember, and destroys the nanotech laboratory's power generators. Alias's explosives weaken the foundation of the statue and render it unstable. Alias encounters Repta again and once again triumphs over him, causing the energy field within Repta to reach critical mass.

Alias and Tangier meet up and pursue Molov, who is scaling Sopot's statue with the nanotech cell – the culmination of Capek's research – and awaiting extraction from Shrike, Molov's subordinate. Shrike betrays his commanding officer, and Tangier manages to reclaim the nanotech cell from Molov's possession. Molov, desperate to eliminate his enemies, climbs aboard a nearby battle armor and launches a frenzied assault against Alias. Using the destructible environment to his advantage, Alias manages to evade Molov's fire and launches a counterattack that not only kills Molov, but also destroys the statue. As the statue crumbles, Shrike swoops in with his close air support craft to extract Alias. From this point, the story ends in one of four possible ways, depending on the player's Heroics score.

Reception

Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
GCPCPS2Xbox
EGMN/AN/A7.5/10[9]7.5/10[10]
EurogamerN/AN/A8/10[11]N/A
Game Informer8.75/10[12]N/A8.75/10[13]8.25/10[14]
GameProStarStarStarStar[15]N/AStarStarStarStarHalf star[16]StarStarStarStar[17]
GameRevolutionN/AN/AB+[18]N/A
GameSpot7.3/10[19]7/10[6]8.3/10[20]7.4/10[21]
GameSpyN/AN/AStarStarStarStarHalf star[22]N/A
GameZone8.6/10[23]6.5/10[24]9/10[25]8.5/10[26]
IGN8.3/10[27]7.4/10[28]9.2/10[29]8.3/10[30]
Nintendo Power4.2/5[31]N/AN/AN/A
OPM (US)N/AN/AStarStarStarStar[32]N/A
OXM (US)N/AN/AN/A8.3/10[33]
PC Gamer (US)N/A72%[34]N/AN/A
Entertainment WeeklyN/AN/AB+[35]N/A
The Village VoiceN/AN/AN/A7/10[36]
Aggregate score
Metacritic79/100[37]64/100[38]84/100[39]74/100[40]

The PlayStation 2 and GameCube versions received "favorable" reviews, while the Xbox and PC versions received "mixed or average reviews", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[37][38][39][40]

The game's short campaign and lack of online multiplayer were criticized by many. Redeeming features include dual wielding, great split-screen multiplayer, and improved graphics. IGN's positive side of their review called the PS2 version "a very solid, well-produced first-person shooter", but their complaints stated that: "Volition still shows some room for improvement when it comes to level design, spots of AI, and implementing the vast potential of the Geo-Mod concept." IGN was more negative about the Windows version, criticizing the port's average looking graphics and incredibly short single-player campaign.[28] Eurogamer said the PS2 version was enjoyable but not particularly innovative. They recommended it to fans of the original game whilst conceding that Red Faction II was "not the best example of its fiercely competitive genre."[11] Edge gave the same console version a score of six out of ten.[41]

Sequel

A sequel, Red Faction, was released in 2009 for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows.[42]

Notes

  1. Ported to Windows and Xbox by Outrage Games, while Cranky Pants Games developed the GameCube version.

References

  1. "Red Faction II" (in en-gb). Eurogamer.net. 2002-10-17. https://www.eurogamer.net/fi-redfaction2-ps2. 
  2. I. G. N. Staff (2002-10-07). "Red Faction 2 Completed" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/10/07/red-faction-2-completed. 
  3. "What's New?" (in en-gb). Eurogamer.net. 2003-06-06. https://www.eurogamer.net/news060603whatsnew. 
  4. McNewserson, Newsey (2003-04-01). "Red Faction II Ships" (in en). https://www.ign.com/articles/2003/04/01/red-faction-ii-ships. 
  5. "GameCube Australian Release Dates - News". http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/8777/gamecube-australian-release-dates. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 "Red Faction II Review" (in en-US). https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/red-faction-ii-review/1900-6025499/. 
  7. "Red Faction II". 24 September 2002. https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/ho_redfaction2_ps2. 
  8. Nguyen, Thierry (September 2003). "Red Faction II". Computer Gaming World (230): 102. http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/issues/cgw_230.pdf. Retrieved March 10, 2017. 
  9. EGM staff (December 2002). "Red Faction II (PS2)". Electronic Gaming Monthly (161): 216. http://www.egmmag.com/article2/0,2053,1490960,00.asp. Retrieved March 10, 2017. 
  10. "Red Faction II (Xbox)". Electronic Gaming Monthly (166): 132. May 2003. 
  11. 11.0 11.1 Reed, Kristan (November 18, 2002). "Red Faction II (PlayStation 2)". http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/r_redfaction2_ps2. 
  12. Helgeson, Matt (April 2003). "Red Faction II (GC)". p. 89. http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200304/R03.0729.1531.54647.htm. 
  13. Brogger, Kristian (December 2002). "Red Faction II (PS2)". Game Informer (116): 110. http://gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200212/R03.0730.1846.05145.htm. Retrieved March 10, 2017. 
  14. Reiner, Andrew (April 2003). "Red Faction II (Xbox)". Game Informer (120): 93. http://gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200304/R03.0806.1448.22657.htm. Retrieved March 10, 2017. 
  15. Pong Sifu (March 31, 2003). "Red Faction II Review for GameCube on GamePro.com". GamePro. http://gamepro.com/nintendo/gamecube/games/reviews/28735.shtml. Retrieved March 10, 2017. 
  16. Air Hendrix (October 15, 2002). "Red Faction II Review for PS2 on GamePro.com". GamePro. http://gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/26664.shtml. Retrieved March 10, 2017. 
  17. Pong Sifu (March 31, 2003). "Red Faction II Review for Xbox on GamePro.com". GamePro. http://www.gamepro.com/microsoft/xbox/games/reviews/28732.shtml. Retrieved March 10, 2017. 
  18. Sanders, Shawn (December 2002). "Red Faction II Review (PS2)". Game Revolution. http://www.gamerevolution.com/review/red-faction-ii. 
  19. Kasavin, Greg (April 8, 2003). "Red Faction II (GC)". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/red-faction-ii-review/1900-6024758/. 
  20. Kasavin, Greg (October 14, 2002). "Red Faction II Review (PS2)". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/red-faction-ii-review/1900-2885482/. 
  21. Kasavin, Greg (April 8, 2003). "Red Faction II Review (Xbox)". http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/red-faction-ii-review/1900-6024760/. 
  22. Suciu, Peter (November 2, 2002). "GameSpy: Red Faction II (PS2)". GameSpy. http://ps2.gamespy.com/playstation-2/red-faction-ii/603696p1.html. 
  23. Knutson, Michael (April 23, 2003). "Red Faction II - GC - Review". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/red_faction_ii_gc_review. 
  24. Tha Wiz (May 4, 2003). "Red Faction II - PC - Review". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/red_faction_ii_pc_review. 
  25. Hopper, Steven (October 26, 2002). "Red Faction II - PS2 - Review". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/red_faction_ii_ps2_review. 
  26. Zacarias, Eduardo (April 13, 2003). "Red Faction II - XB - Review". GameZone. http://www.gamezone.com/reviews/red_faction_ii_xb_review. 
  27. Goldstein, Hilary (April 1, 2003). "Red Faction II (GCN)". http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/04/01/red-faction-ii-3. 
  28. 28.0 28.1 Deez, Ivan (April 10, 2003). "Red Faction II Review (PC)". http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/04/10/red-faction-ii-review. 
  29. Smith, David (October 9, 2002). "Red Faction II (PS2)". http://www.ign.com/articles/2002/10/09/red-faction-ii-2. 
  30. Goldstein, Hilary (April 1, 2003). "Red Faction II Review (Xbox)". http://www.ign.com/articles/2003/04/01/red-faction-ii-review-2. 
  31. "Red Faction II". Nintendo Power 168: 137. May 2003. 
  32. Rybicki, Joe (December 2002). "Red Faction II". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine: 168. http://www.playstationmagazine.com/article2/0,2053,1495363,00.asp. Retrieved March 10, 2017. 
  33. "Red Faction II". Official Xbox Magazine: 77. May 2003. 
  34. Todd, Brett (July 2003). "Red Faction II". PC Gamer: 70. http://www.pcgamer.com/archives/2005/07/red_faction_ii.html. Retrieved March 10, 2017. 
  35. Ruby, Aaron (November 22, 2002). "Red Faction II (PS2)". Entertainment Weekly (683): 85. http://ew.com/article/2002/11/22/red-faction-ii/. Retrieved March 10, 2017. 
  36. Catucci, Nick (April 1, 2003). "Danger Zone". The Village Voice. http://www.villagevoice.com/news/danger-zone-6410854. 
  37. 37.0 37.1 "Red Faction II for GameCube Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/red-faction-ii/critic-reviews/?platform=gamecube. 
  38. 38.0 38.1 "Red Faction II for PC Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/red-faction-ii/critic-reviews/?platform=pc. 
  39. 39.0 39.1 "Red Faction II for PlayStation 2 Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/red-faction-ii/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. 
  40. 40.0 40.1 "Red Faction II for Xbox Reviews". https://www.metacritic.com/game/red-faction-ii/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox. 
  41. Edge staff (December 2002). "Red Faction II (PS2)". Edge (117). 
  42. Kietzmann, Ludwig (February 5, 2008). "Red Faction 3 coming to Xbox 360, PS3, PC". Engadget (Joystiq). https://www.engadget.com/2008/02/05/red-faction-3-coming-to-xbox-360-ps3-pc/. 
  • MobyGames is a commercial database website that catalogs information on video games and the people and companies behind them via crowdsourcing. This includes over 300,000 games for hundreds of platforms.[1] Founded in 1999, ownership of the site has changed hands several times. It has been owned by Atari SA since 2022.

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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