The impactBungiehas had on the first-person shooter genre cannot be understated. Responsible for the most beloved entries in theHaloseries, the developer then went on to change the game withDestiny, a unique blend between a looter-shooter and MMO. Now, it is busyexpandingDestiny 2and building what could be a successful new franchise under Sony’s roof.
Plenty has been said about theBungiedeal and Sony’s purchase of the company, and for good reason. For years, Sony tried to keep up with Microsoft by offering an alternative toHalo, pushing two FPS franchises inKillzoneandResistance. While both series were strong and had their merits, they have since gone dormant. As such, several years from now it would be nice to see Bungie take a shot at reviving one of these series, bringing its smooth gunplay and unique mechanics to either IP.
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The Case for Bungie To Revive Resistance
Assuming thatInsomniac Games’ mystery multiplayer projectis notResistance, it would be nice to see a new take on the Chimera from Bungie. Given how satisfying it is to shoot aliens like the Hive and the Fallen in theDestinygames, Bungie would likely ensure that the Chimera feel great to fight against. Further, Bungie’s deep lore for all the races in theDestinyseries would guarantee that the Chimera are a more interesting threat than ever before.
One strength ofResistancebeing revivedunder Bungie is that it would perfectly fit the mold of aDestiny-style game. It is easy to imagine Strikes against large Chimera enemies, while patrolling ruined 1950s cities like New York and San Francisco could be unforgettable. A co-op campaign likeResistance 2could be a genuine possibility, with Bungie also making use ofResistance: Fall of Man’s Arena multiplayer for a Crucible-like offering.
Bungie taking aDestiny-like approach with theResistanceseries could see far more interesting weapons introduced. While guns like the Bullseye were exceptions, most of the series’ Arsenal never stood out in the way that Halo’s Needler orDestiny’s Exotics do. The human weapons such as the Magnum were very by the books, so expanding the lineup with several different weapons and special variants of them would be great. Bungie could make full use ofthe PS5’s DualSense controller, too, making its already stellar gunplay feel even better.
It is even easy to imagineDestiny’s character customizationtranslating well to a newResistancegame. Players could make their own soldier, collecting unique outfit pieces and emotes as they play through some constantly evolving content. Outposts on par with the iconic Tower could give gamers an area to relax, collect bounties, and meet other players, gearing up to go fight the Chimera once again.
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The Case for Bungie To Revive Killzone
A more prominentattempt at aHalokiller,Killzonewas seen as being the more successful of Sony’s two PS3-era shooters. As such, while it would be strange to see Bungie taking control of an IP that was once viewed as competition, it is hard not to think of all that could be done with a Bungie-ledKillzonereboot.
Likely to be more comparable to Halo through some traditional singleplayer and multiplayer modes, one thing that Bungie could do to make a newKillzonememorable is deliver a Helghast-focused campaign. The villains of theKillzonefranchise were always the real victims, as despite being portrayed as Space Nazis, the ISA treated them horribly. Fighting against the ISA while controllingthe far more interesting Helghastwould be a nice change of pace, and it would allow Bungie to use the faction’s more unique abilities.
ThroughouttheKillzoneseries, players fought against various types of Helghast, and Bungie could give players those abilities in the campaign. The melee-focused Shock Troopers, Cloak-using Snipers, and the jetpack using Air Trooper are all possible classes. The flamethrower-using Pyro Troopers would also be fun to use. Like inDestiny, players could pick one of these roles at the start of the story, sticking with one Helghast class and making their abilities stronger as the campaign progresses.
As for multiplayer, the most important thing that Bungie can do is strive to make the game replayable, as the nearly deadstate ofKillzone Shadow Fallmultiplayeris a shame to see. One way to instantly increase the game’s longevity is to add something like a Forge mode. Giving players the opportunity to create fully original maps or rebuild areas from other franchises could be huge for aKillzonereboot, as Sony would have access to a game that can compete more directly with 343 Industries’ modernHaloofferings.
On top of this,Killzone’s history should be acknowledged, as the series did have a loyal fan baseduring the PS3 generationand at the start of the PS4 era. Bringing back classic modes likeKillzone 3’s Operations or iconic maps likeKillzone 2’s Radec Academy would be an excellent way to do this, while reintroducing the series’ various weapons is another option.Killzone 3’s violent melee executions would be worth bringing back, too, showing some love for the series’ past while also modernizing it and taking it in some new directions.
Obviously,Destiny 2still has several years left in its 10-year plan, andthe new IPMatteris undoubtedly Bungie’s current focus. Still, later in the PS5’s life cycle, it would be a great surprise to learn that Bungie is planning to bring backKillzoneorResistance. Both franchises deserve to make a comeback, as they were strong before but could be even better. A Destiny-like style could work wonders forResistance, while a closer focus on the Helghast and something likeHalo’s Forge could keep a newKillzonegame alive for years after it stops receiving updates. WhileBungiewill likely stick to its own franchises for the foreseeable future, it could absolutely do something special with Sony’s retired FPS games.
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