Over the last couple of weeks we’ve been talking a lot about the highly anticipated multiplayer mode for Resistance: Burning Skies for PS Vita. Supporting up to eight players over WiFi with a robust arsenal of powerful weapons and the precision and accuracy that come with dual-analog controls, Resistance: Burning Skies is sure to be the best FPS multiplayer experience available on a handheld. We’ve already lifted the lid on the first two modes, Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch, and just last week at an event in San Francisco we revealed the title’s last multiplayer mode, Survival Mode, an intense power struggle between humans and the gruesome Chimera.
Survival mode pits the players against each other in a race to the finish where only the strong survive. Here’s how it works: in a battle of humans vs. Chimera, six players start as humans and two as Chimera. As the Chimera players make a kils, their human victims are resurrected as Chimera so the balance slowly shifts. As the battle continues, the winner is the human player who lasts the longest in a match. We keep a timer running as you play so you can track your progress.
We really wanted to offer something that was unique to Resistance, keeping with the franchise’s theme around humanity’s struggle to survive against overwhelming odds. We wanted the game to start relatively simple for the humans and then become increasingly harder over time, much like the way the Chimera invaded Asia, then Europe and then America in a flood. Previous Resistance games have had modes similar to this, but Survival is our own special twist to create a new mode that focuses on the balance of power changes. Sure, the humans initially have the upper hand, but as they fall, they fuel the other team. We’ve had several matches in the office that have spectators cheering on the lone surviving human. Everyone knows it’s just a matter of time, but finding that last person is a total adrenaline rush!
We’ve been having a lot of fun developing and testing this mode, and we’ve collected a few tips and tricks along the way that might help you survive a little longer. The first thing, and actually contrary to traditional MP gameplay, is that staying still actually works to your advantage. You might want to try and get behind players so as they start searching an area, you can actually hop back against their search pattern. Dark areas are your friend! We’ve also found that you don’t want to hide next to areas like steam vents because, although obscuring, the motion tends to attract attention. Here’s another tip; always go for the head. The ability to quickly neutralize your opponent and then move on is a huge advantage. This may be hide-and -seek, but your prey is armed! Don’t hang around after you’ve killed someone, bodies are pretty obvious signs that someone is nearby.
In addition to the Survival details, we’re also here to let folks know that we’ll be doing a pre-order bonus for Resistance: Burning Skies, and it’s going to give you a pretty nice advantage as you start your own multiplayer experience. When you pre-order Resistance: Burning Skies at participating retailers, you’ll receive a special bonus that gives you a jump start straight to level five in multiplayer. This should be enough experience for you to unlock your first grenade upgrade (the Hedgehog, which can be used as an area of effect weapon of destruction or placed like a landmine for unsuspecting victims to stumble upon) as well as your first weapon upgrade. In addition to the MP booster, we’re also giving you three character avatars based on Burning Skies’ lead characters Riley, Ellie and a Chimera, along with a custom PS Vita lock screen theme. Hopefully, this will be all the head start you need to pown your friends.
Let us know what you think of the new Survival mode.
