I find few things in video games as fun as causing incredible amounts of destruction to my surroundings; my ears perk-up every time I hear the words "destructible environments."

Much to my chagrin, however, the promise of a wholly interactive video-game world has been little more than a pipe dream. Until now, that is.

With "Red Faction: Guerrilla," THQ and developer Volition have crafted the finest example of a completely destructible environment I've ever experienced. Simply put, if it stands it can be knocked down. Nearly every structure in the game world, be it a building, silo, bridge, etc., can be completely leveled by the player. And each object's mass and weight factor into how it collapses, meaning no two demolitions are the same.

I spent the first couple of hours, yes hours, just running around the Martian landscape looking for things to blow up and different ways to bring down buildings. It was the most fun I'd had gaming in quite some time. Even those times when I would get caught up in the aftermath of my destructive ways were comical -- if I'm going to die in a video game, what better way to go than by being crushed by the debris from a building I just toppled.

In "Guerrilla" you play as Alec Mason, a reluctant hero who becomes a key member in the Red Faction movement to free Mars from the oppressive Earth Defense Force, the group you helped overthrow the oppressive Ultor Corporation in the first two "Red Faction" titles.

Victory is achieved by driving out the EDF from each of the six sections of Mars. To accomplish this, you must destroy all EDF properties in a given area, which drops the EDF presence and increases the morale of civilians, who will take up arms against the EDF and fight at your side. The missions are varied and range from simply blowing up designated properties to freeing hostages and aiding civilian uprisings against the EDF. 

As impressive as the tech behind "Guerrilla" is -- and trust me, it's pretty freakin' impressive -- that's not all this game has going for it. Tight gunplay with a wide variety of weapons, enjoyable driving sequences and the ability to pilot any vehicle you find, an abundance of missions and some amazing multiplayer make "Red Faction: Guerrilla" one of the year's best games to date. This is a must-play for any serious gamer.

"Red Faction: Guerrilla"

Developer: Volition

Publisher: THQ

Available for: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 ($59.99)

Rating: M for mature

Score: 9.2/10

I find few things in video games as fun as causing incredible amounts of destruction to my surroundings; my ears perk-up every time I hear the words "destructible environments."

Much to my chagrin, however, the promise of a wholly interactive video-game world has been little more than a pipe dream. Until now, that is.

With "Red Faction: Guerrilla," THQ and developer Volition have crafted the finest example of a completely destructible environment I've ever experienced. Simply put, if it stands it can be knocked down. Nearly every structure in the game world, be it a building, silo, bridge, etc., can be completely leveled by the player. And each object's mass and weight factor into how it collapses, meaning no two demolitions are the same.

I spent the first couple of hours, yes hours, just running around the Martian landscape looking for things to blow up and different ways to bring down buildings. It was the most fun I'd had gaming in quite some time. Even those times when I would get caught up in the aftermath of my destructive ways were comical -- if I'm going to die in a video game, what better way to go than by being crushed by the debris from a building I just toppled.

In "Guerrilla" you play as Alec Mason, a reluctant hero who becomes a key member in the Red Faction movement to free Mars from the oppressive Earth Defense Force, the group you helped overthrow the oppressive Ultor Corporation in the first two "Red Faction" titles.

Victory is achieved by driving out the EDF from each of the six sections of Mars. To accomplish this, you must destroy all EDF properties in a given area, which drops the EDF presence and increases the morale of civilians, who will take up arms against the EDF and fight at your side. The missions are varied and range from simply blowing up designated properties to freeing hostages and aiding civilian uprisings against the EDF. 

As impressive as the tech behind "Guerrilla" is -- and trust me, it's pretty freakin' impressive -- that's not all this game has going for it. Tight gunplay with a wide variety of weapons, enjoyable driving sequences and the ability to pilot any vehicle you find, an abundance of missions and some amazing multiplayer make "Red Faction: Guerrilla" one of the year's best games to date. This is a must-play for any serious gamer.

"Red Faction: Guerrilla"

Developer: Volition

Publisher: THQ

Available for: Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 ($59.99)

Rating: M for mature

Score: 9.2/10