Terminator: Resistance Annihilation Line – Review

Our Score: 8/10

In Terminator: Resistance Annihilation Line, venture beyond the line of fire to complete an essential mission led by the hero of the resistance Kyle Reese. This new DLC aims to tell an interesting story that will add to the lore of the Terminator universe.

Why did no-one from Northridge attempt to radio in? Is this the work of Skynet? And are the civilians still alive? To find answers, Rivers and a small team of Resistance soldiers led by Connor’s right-hand man Kyle Reese, must head into the most dangerous territory imaginable…the land beyond the Annihilation Line.

What is Terminator: Resistance Annihilation Line?

The Resistance has just defeated their first Infiltrator, but for Jacob Rivers, there’s no time to rest up. Orders have come down from John Connor himself that he is to assist in the investigation of Northridge Outpost, a civilian settlement that has mysteriously gone silent.

Annihilation Line picks up right after the Hunting Grounds mission in the main game. Jacob Rivers has just defeated one of Skynet’s new Infiltrator models and the Resistance has started studying it. None of what occurs in this expansion is mentioned in the main game, but that can’t really be helped. It begins with Jacob dreaming of a childhood memory: he’s tagging along with his father as they go to dig up an old-time capsule buried at his high school. But Terminators attack and the two are separated. Jacob wakes up and learns that John Connor has requested that he join Kyle Reese and two others on a special mission.

Gameplay Additions in Terminator: Resistance Annihilation Line

It’s worth noting that you won’t be able to incorporate any characteristics of your main campaign character into this. You’re level 13 when Annihilation Line begins, with a pre-determined loadout and no skill points distributed. This isn’t a major issue because it corresponds to the main game. However, having to choose your skill routes anew, as well as discover all new upgrade chips and weaponry to get yourself in fighting shape, is startling.

Anyone who has expressed dissatisfaction with the AI of enemies in the main campaign will be greeted by more ruthless foes in the game. Although this was rectified for the Infiltrator mode DLC, I believe they have gone even harder this time. That is something about which I have no reservations. I still came across a couple of ‘dumb’ machines in the game. But mostly SkyNet is smarter this time around. Perhaps too smart at times. As you’ll notice as you’re bombarded with constant plasma rounds. But even on normal difficulty, some of the enemies, or at least the volume of enemies, felt a little overbearing at occasions.

The DLC is supposed to offer 4+ hours of material, but with all the side quests, I ended up with about 6 hours. So, for the price of the DLC, it’s not a bad deal at all.

Look and Feel

Visually, the game looks and feels fantastic on the PS5. If you’ve played the base game, you know exactly what you’re getting with a few extra bells and whistles for the new consoles. Even on PC, the game looks incredible.

Although Kyle Reese lacks the voice and likeness of original actor Michael Biehn, I did not find this to be a detriment to the experience. Despite the absence of Arnold Schwarzenegger, the team has been successful in delivering a product that fans should like.

Everything has more atmosphere, is sharper, and is just much better to look at thanks to AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution.

The DLC makes use of the haptic characteristics of the DualSense controller to allow players to feel the pulse of their plasma guns. The DLC also includes a PS5 patch that gives the option to modify the game’s field of view. PS5 owners will also be able to pick between performance and resolution graphics modes for the first time.

Final Verdict

Terminator: Resistance Annihilation Lineis the cherry on the cake. As the last DLC of this game, it does a fantastic job of providing an incredible experience in the Terminator universe. For fans of the series, especially lovers of Terminator 2, this is a must-play.

Thanks to the new story and the improved AI, there’s no reason to miss out on this. Especially if you’ve played the base game. Even if you haven’t, the game is now in a great place and really respects the lore of the franchise.  Furthermore, if you were disappointed by the recent movies, this will more than makeup for it.