"Massive battles, greater intimacy" was one of Schneider's points for describing the competitive mode. Teamwork will be a huge part in Resistance 2 but also individual player progression, squads and a constantly growing XP pool are tremendous additions to the mix that are sure to delight fans. Schneider also touched on a few specific elements of battle, including Berserks (temporary power-ups like invisibility and speed boosts) and weapon load outs, which both add layer upon layer to the complexity of the multiplayer dynamic. There will be hundreds of character class and weapon load out combinations for players to consider.
The levels in Resistance 2 are up to four times larger than those of Resistance: Fall of Man and there will be around 70 different map/game type combinations to experiment with. Clearly, Resistance 2 has an incredibly deep multiplayer that's sure to extend the title's life significantly.
Schneider brought the presentation to a close with a new weapon reveal: the Splicer. A rifle-like firearm with a large circular blade on the front instead of a barrel, the Splicer launches spinning blades at your enemies with highly gory results. You can rev up the blade before launching it, which not only makes it superheated by also keeps it spinning through your opponents even after impact. Yikes. This weapon, while groovy, reminded me a lot of the Buzz Blades from Ratchet and Clank. Although the weapons from Tools of Destruction are awesome, I want to see new items in Resistance 2, not the same things."
