It was pretty much one year ago that the Re-Mars-tered version of Red Faction Guerrilla was released on PS4, Xbox One and PC. We rather liked it.
But of course, now it has been ported to and released on Switch, too. Because every game has to be on Switch, apparently. Truth be told, however, when ports are as good as this, you won’t find us complaining.
On Switch, Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered has all the modes and features that the more powerful console and PC versions have. You have a lengthy open-world single-player campaign, a short bonus prequel that was originally released as DLC, the cool Wrecking Crew mode that’s great for parties, and of course, online multiplayer. Therefore, much of what we said in our original review still stands.
The single-player campaign is obviously the main draw of Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered, and it’s entertaining enough. At least in the short-term, anyway. A lot of the game’s missions and side activities can get a bit repetitive, so you’re better off taking your time and mixing your activities up a little if you want to make it to the end of the story without it feeling like a drag. Also, Mars soon becomes a bit of a boring place to look at. Much of the map is just barren and brown, which isn’t overly appealing on the eyes.
What’s really impressive is that the destruction hasn’t been toned down at all on the Switch. You can walk, run or drive up to pretty much any building and reduce it to a pile of rubble within seconds with the tools at your disposal. Just make sure that it doesn’t fall on you, otherwise the results will be dire.
In terms of performance, Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered is best played in handheld mode on Switch. There are two graphical presents – High Quality and High Performance – and in handheld mode both look and play great, though High Performance is just a bit smoother as you’d expect. In docked mode, however, you’re definitely going to want to play in High Performance mode, as the framerate drops are very noticeable when the action kicks off in High Quality mode. On a big TV there is a clear reduction in graphical quality though. The resolution is reduced, for example, as there’s just less visual flair. Still, it doesn’t look too bad, and it plays wonderfully.
Another issue I found with the Switch version is that the aiming sensitivity is set way too high by default. Simply go into the options menu and you can lower it though, making taking down the EDF much easier.
If you have a PS4, Xbox One or PC capable of playing Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered, I don’t know why you’d want it on Switch other than for its portability. And thankfully the game does shine when played in handheld mode. If you don’t have any other way to play it though, Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered is probably worth a purchase as long as you understand that it is an old game now and it’s starting to feel like one. The destruction it allows is impressive, but everything about the game otherwise is a little clunky.
Ultimately then, as ports go, Red Faction Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered on Switch is a good one. But it’s a game that’s starting to show its age now, and while it’s great to be able to play it on the go, the Switch is not the best way to play it on a big screen.
