Red Faction

Lore & Background

Red Faction is the first game in the Red Faction franchise, originally released in mid-2001 and later re-released for other platforms. It was also the first game to run on the Geo-Mod engine, which enabled players to destroy parts of walls, floors, and other level features in a non-predefined manner using various explosive weapons. The game takes place on Mars in the year 2075. The protagonist, Parker, is a miner who came to Mars seeking a better life away from Earth. Instead, he finds that the Ultor Corporation abuses the workers and forces them to endure hazardous living conditions. A plague of an unknown origin sweeps through the colony, but Ultor does nothing to halt its propagation or to provide for the sick, prompting an uprising from the miners.

Reader's Guide

Red Faction established the series' signature theme of working people (usually miners) on Mars fighting for independence from off-world oppressors, including foreign corporations and the Earth government. Its Geo-Mod engine was a notable technical achievement for the time, allowing players to destroy parts of the environment in ways not predefined by the developers. The game was a traditional first-person shooter with vehicles, pistols, rifles, explosives, and other standard weapons. While it did not reinvent the first-person shooter genre, its Geo-Mod engine and rebellious story made it a new step for the genre. The game's success led to a sequel, Red Faction II, and later entries that evolved the gameplay into third-person open-world and corridor shooter styles, all retaining the environmental destruction feature. The series continued through 2011, with no updates on a fifth game since then.

Did You Know?

• The game takes place on Mars in the year 2075, with the protagonist Parker being a miner.
• The Ultor Corporation abuses workers and ignores a plague, prompting a miner uprising.