Quick Look: Red Faction: Guerrilla Re-Mars-Stered

I want to be your sledgehammer.

I've been really enjoying revisiting this game. It's not perfect, and it's shockingly basic in hindsight, but yeah, it holds up.

They did a good job re-Mars-stering it, too. Definitely won't be mistaken for a modern game, but it looks good.

HELL YEAH BAY-BEE

One of my favorites from last gen, totally gonna pick it up again on PS4. Destructive environments, especially in an open world game are still very rare today, and wrecking stuff is still super fun as it was back in 2009! And if you own the original on steam, you get the remarster for free! The steam edition re-release from a few years ago after THQ Nordic was formed, was already an awesome version with Games For Windows Live removed, patched up and polished, so I'm curious how different this is from that.

One of the small things I always loved about the world-building in this was that you'd see common chassis in different regions - like the Mining Dumpers appearing in the more urban areas as a Garbage Truck etc

Its a smart use of assets, and you weren't see it as much in something like GTA4 or Just Cause back then.

Honestly, a destruction-happy game about a violent workers uprising is exactly what I need right now.

Now if they could only re-mars-ster Red Faction 1 and 2 too. The PC version of RF2 could definitely use some fixes, such as getting its multiplayer mode properly implemented (the PS2 version had full multiplayer, the PC version didn't for some reason, it only had botmatches).

mood

In a sense, Dreadlocks Shaundi actually is in this game.

2009 Brad compared to 2018 Brad sounds like he has a cold. Was Brad sick for 9 years and didn't tell anyone? Maybe hosting the Bombcast cured all his ailments?

Wait... is the Bombcast the cure for all of our ailments?

Meanwhile, Jeff never changes... He's still a threat!

Ben didn't get the space asshole reference :ben

The fact that Space Asshole became part of the official marketing in this is really bonkers

They really, really should've made a generic sombre piano cover of it.

Before, I would have said Mercenaries: Playground of Destuction has the best amount of damage you can cause to a world, but after seeing this...

I've been playing multiplayer on PC and man is it taking me back. When you can get into a game, it's still a total blast! Only sad that I'll probably never xp up to the ostrich hammer again. See you in there... maybe.

If anyone ends up picking this up or playing it because they already own it....

Please for the love of Mars, play it on easy.

All it appears to change is the health of you and the enemies.

On Easy you can actually just smash dudes with the hammer most of the time like brad was trying to do and it's very satisfying.

Hey @brad since you're already in space can you swing by the moon and give us a quick look of what you find

https://store.steampowered.com/app/865670/Prey__Mooncrash/

Also I bought this day one and it could have been a lot better if it wasn't for the infinite respawning enemies. It really ruined the game.

Oh, PSA: You can completely rebind the gamepad controls, so you can easily put the weapon zoom on the left trigger if you so desire.

@brad: "I want to say it's forty. Don't quote me on that."

Knocking down installations is fun, but it doesn't make it a good game. Unlike Brad, I think this game is garbage. I remember endless annoying convoy busy work before throwing it in the bin, where it belongs.

Also the QL shows one problem, which is that everytime you're trying to have fun, the games swarms you with enemies until you die.

This was such an underrated game when it came out. Glad it's getting a bit more attention.

I dunno if 'it was that kind of time' is a reason for those controls, since i remember getting caught out constantly by the aiming controls due to being used to various CoDs at the time. But yeah, a total favourite game of mine, it's got all the dumb chaotic shit of Just Cause 2 with a different gimmick.

I hope we'll get another Red Faction game more like Guerilla and less like Armageddon. With a better story and even more destructive environments, it could be really superb. Very good that the remarster is free for existing PC owners.

This is the worst title for a remaster or special edition that I have ever seen

I remember the game just not being fun, just endless streams of enemies hurtling themselves at you at top speed. A remake/remaster that rebalanced the game and modernized the controls instead of just increasing the resolution would be much more interesting.

This game is great! have fond memories of playing it on my good ol' ps3 back in the day.

Nothing like busting through the wall of a building with a vehicle and then come out blasting fools.

@hadokinz: Brad has allergies that vary with the seasons. He might also have found a drug or combination of drugs that treats it better (I know I did, finally).

I guess it makes sense that you can't exactly have lush/snowy/foresty/whatever environments on Mars, but the incredibly dull scenery was easily one of the biggest reasons for why I couldn't get into this. The destruction tech is cool, but I still prefer causing mayhem in a place that doesn't put me to sleep.

It's Re-Mars-tered, not Re-Mars-Stered.

Also, the mouse & keyboard controls are still shit.

Yeah, because of how dull a lot of it is, be it the environments, or lack of intriguing story or side content, I couldn't muster the motivation to get through it any of the times I've tried. I like some of the music tracks, and the gameplay feels fine, but it's just not enough for me. I wish they made another Red Faction in the vein of the first game, which was similar to Half-Life, and yet with a bit of destruction to get around. Also as mentioned by @wallrod, games at that time controlled pretty much like modern games do, with L as aiming down sights of weapons.

1000X this, played the original game on normal and it was a slog at the end, on casual you can charge dudes with a hammer in a really satisfying way.

I've also still died, but only when I REALLY pushed everything too far.

Putting the game on easy and rebinding the controls was the sentiment back when it originally released. Wish they would have adjusted it for the remaster but it's an easy fix when playing...or replaying. It chugging up on explosions is the biggest bummer and makes me wish that they went for a 30 fps cap instead of 60 as then it wouldn't be noticeable.

Jan really loves exclamation marks!

Yeah, fuck EDF!

The "Re-Mars-tered" tag is exactly the brand of dumb shit this site was founded and has always thrived on. No reason to shy away from it.

Can't wait to play this again, though.

This game is still awesome. Play/replay it on easy and have yourself a good time.... GET YOUR ASS TO MARS!

@kyledmclark: I found a drug too during the great Hunkademic of 2012. Anyone!

I really wish they mentioned you got it for free EARLIER in the video because I bought it about a minute into the video before realising it was already in my library!

Man I wish this wasn't $30... ten year old last gen B-game for that much? No thanks.

Chris Remo's Space Asshole lives on

It's also weird that the controls are like that on a console controller, on the PC the original always had the option to right click to aim (Like a left trigger).

The Hurdy Gurdy Man

@dya: That is odd that it would even allow to do that. No biggie, Steam Refunds have you covered. (You could have also waited a few minutes ;) )

@dya: Weird, because it totally doesn't work that way. You can only buy as gift if it was already in your library.

This game looks great, plays great and is great. Seriously why are games so boring now !!!!!

This game is WAY better on easy

This game is so good. I played through the entirety of it when it was released 9 years ago. Just picked it up on Steam since it's 50% off right now. Doubt I'll play through it all again, but mostly just want to pick it up to show that there's still interest in Red Faction. Also really looking forward to blowing shit up on Mars again. Hopefully another one is in the works soon. Red Faction Armageddon was okay but not was I was looking for. If another Red Faction is made, hopefully it's more like Guerilla and doubles down on destruction.

Why are destructive environments so rare in modern games? Whenever even simple, brittle objects are breakable (light bulb, coffee cups, etc) it gets a mention in the press release. "In our game, bottles break realistically!"

If this kind of tech existed in the day of the 360, why is it still so rare?

Tech was there in xbox. Xbox used the harddrive to store the destruction. I guess it takes a toll on the hardware otherwise. With the enchanced particles and physics i guess thed rather not risk people breaking the game and reviewing it badly. Otogi 2 had dragonball z like destruction that stayed. Reason being the entire level already had a max destruction state that didnt slow itself down. Halo 1 allowed you to infinitely punch grunts with blood spewing each time indefinitely till the game chugged to 1 fps. Move away and you could see the blood actually kept flowing and increasing. Tons of cool stuff gets taken away for keeping up the facide that games are movies. Its annoying sometimes. Sometimes its fun to just play an arcadey game with twitcy controls where your character moves unrealistically and stuff is messy. It doesnt review well but sure is fun 10 years later unlike games that are cinamtic and seem dated years later since they are noticably not smooth anymore. Sigh old man grunts.

i ranted already but stuff like saint row 4 and this really got the right feel down of chaotic fun. I could never quite get the same feelig from just cause 3 like i did playing the just cause 2 demo as a kid. Something about trying to be more real or looking more real or just not getting that snece of fun

It very much looks like a 9 year old game.