Common Sense Media Review
By Chad Sapieha
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Gruesome sci-fi shooter is best suited for grown-up players.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 18+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Play
Videos and Photos
Resistance: Burning Skies
What's It About?
Set in an alternate history in which aliens invade the world in the middle of the 20th century, RESISTANCE: BURNING SKIES puts players in control of a firefighter named Riley who finds himself attempting to save his family and helping to repel the extraterrestrials' invasion of the Eastern seaboard. The first handheld first-person shooter ever to sport dual-analog joystick control, the game looks and feels much like its PlayStation 3 predecessors, with fast-paced battles and a variety of weapons. Series fans will recognize some of these weapons, such as the alien Auger, which lets its wielder see and shoot through walls. The game also offers 8-player competitive online play, complete with voice communication.
Is It Any Good?
It's not quite the larger-than-life experience delivered by the franchise's PlayStation 3 games, but Resistance: Burning Skies offers adult players a surprisingly console-like play. With its story-driven campaign, empowering dual-stick control scheme, and online multiplayer, it's essentially a PlayStation 3 title shrunk down to fit a handheld device.
Unfortunately, it lacks the depth of its predecessors. Its quick campaign delivers linear, lackluster levels; many of its weapons feel more or less the same; and the multiplayer lacks much variety. Plus, the addition of touch-screen is a mistake. Taking your thumbs off the sticks to stretch them over to the display and load a special weapon or fire a grenade wastes precious time in a game in which split seconds can mean the difference between life and death. Burning Skies' slick dual-stick controls prove that the PS Vita has strong potential to deliver an excellent first-person shooter experience, but a great shooter requires more than two thumbsticks.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about violence in media. Does it matter if a bloody, gory game is viewed on a portable device? Does a smaller screen lessen the impact of violent material?
Families can also discuss online safety. When is it OK for a kid to start playing online games that allow open communication? Have you asked your kids what they would do if they ran into someone who is suspicious or abusive while playing an online game?
Game Details
- Platform : PlayStation Vita
- Subjects : Social Studies : global awareness , history
- Skills : Collaboration : cooperation , meeting challenges together , teamwork , Thinking & Reasoning : applying information , decision-making , strategy
- Pricing structure :
- Available online? : Not available online
- Publisher : Sony Computer Entertainment
- Release date : May 29, 2012
- Genre : First-Person Shooter
- ESRB rating :
- Last updated : November 11, 2020
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