Wow. Resistance 2's credits are running at the background as I type this.
I know that Resistance 2 has been getting average scores left right and centre, but I feel all these low scores are undeserved. I think Resistance 2 is under fire for the fact it does nothing DIFFERENT, which is really the only reason Insomniac are under fire, because Insomniac usually create some great innovation and gameplay mechanics and in not doing so, (or at least not significently) they have let down the usually pleased critics.

Resistance 2 is certainly one word; Epic.
After the cinematic right from the get go, you are shot, shot and shot over and over again. This makes it difficult to procede, seeing you get shot everywhere. It was like this in the first game, but being almost trod on or shot by a giant tripodean robot is a not what you'd expect when about 10 minutes through the game, but I personally loved the sudden difficulty change.

From then, I found the game slowed down once inside the base where you meet up with the games main NPCs, set a good time later. Until I got back outside and saw a great vista of Chicago being attacked by diamond shaped Chimera ships, (which will go next to Uncharted's waterfall for the most visually attractive scene reveal in a PS3 game, imo)
Running back into the base crumbling apart felt like Insomniac were somewhat influenced by COD4s first level on the ship, which I could only see as flattery from Insomniac.
The first boss was easy and all relied on timing due to the cannon and I have never had so much tension waiting to see a little red blip light up before.

By a few levels later, I had decided on one thing; Insomniac find it hard to illustrate reality. As purely brilliant and top of the game Insomniac are with cartoon based worlds; Insomniac struggle to create a convincing real world, I personally don't think its because of the engine, its because Insomniac haven't had the time to polish up the game as much as over developers have had.
Any level in Chimerian territory was brilliant, full of odd angled shapes and blue, yellowish hue glows and I would of preferred the majority of the games to be set on Chimera ships. I can only think this is because of Insomniac having Ratchet and Clank's designs for practice.

The weapons are equally entertaining, but I think that like Halo1, Resistance 1 defined the weapons you would play the series for, I'm talking about the amazing Bullseye and the Auger, as good as the other weapons introduced are, I don't think that the new additions will be a staple of the Resistance franchise from this point.
However, the Bullseye is improved by actually highlighting the target when the secondary shot is fired, the Auger is also improved due to the pretty snazzy X-Ray system, instead of the cursor just going red. I loved seeing the green hued animations of Chimera falling down due to being riddled with projectiles both these allowed much more strategical ways of shooting the enemies.

Most of the levels see Nathan's team slowly reclaiming areas of america or destroying Chimeran technology and have very COD-like gameplay and a base set in what reminded me of the location of Halflife's 'Black Mesa'.
However Resistance 2 has significently less huge battlegrounds unlike the first game, but a few can be found, especially in the Chicago chapter. The mines from the previous game are also absent, but are replaced with very irritating to destroy drones with blue hexagonal shields, the most welcome new addition to the Chimerean onslaught is the Grims, which essentially slap you to death and later...explode, like the headless bombers from the Serious Sam games. Insomniac has basically plonked a weapon in Resistance 2 which no doubt is Ratchet and Clank 2's Chopper weapon.
The boss'es are not as epic as I expected, but use the firing of weapons at the right time, much like QTEs in God of War.

The character of Nathan isn't explored much more, except in a intel document found in the game, which generally makes him sound like the average marine stereotype.
If Resistance 1 was about Nathan surving the virus, Resistance 2 is about Nathan losing battle to the virus and attempting keeping his humanity and not converting. Winning one battle in place of another.
Also, the Chimera are a bit more fleshed out than just being a 'virus'.

The final level of the game is a massive level set on a mothership with a bomb (Mmhmhmh...the RESoNatOR) to be self destructed to take down, which by far is the best level in the game, which reminded me of MDK, but I personally see no reason why most of Resistance 3 couldn't be set in this fantastic alien environment.

All I will say is; Once again, Insomniac have come up with a brilliant cliffhanger, much like in Ratchet and Clank: Future and Quest For Booty, Insomniac have just become the masters of cliffhangers and you will have to indeed wait to see what the next big installment in the franchise brings. It also explains the title menu screen.

And yes, the multiplayer modes are also greatly entertaining.
So Resistance 2 was a controversial blend between Halo, Halflife2, CoD4 and of course, Resistance. But I think it worked, just could of had better level design, perhaps outback America wasn't the right choice for everyone.