Lance Henriksen to bring leathery cool to Red Faction 2

SCI-FI STAR LANCE HENRIKSEN TO LEND VOICE TALENTS TO THQ AND VOLITION'S RED FACTION II

Highly Anticipated Sequel Features Enhanced Geo-Mod Engine, New Multiplayer Modes and an Engaging Storyline

CALABASAS HILLS, Calif. - August 15, 2002 - THQ® Inc. today announced that sci-fi star Lance Henriksen will be lending his voice talent to the upcoming first-person action thriller, Red Faction® II for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. Henriksen, who has appeared in classic sci-fi films such as "Aliens" and "The Terminator" along with the hit television series "Millennium", will provide the voice for Molov, an Army of the Commonwealth Commander, decorated war hero and leader of the player's elite squadron of nanotech-enhanced soldiers in Red Faction II.

Developed exclusively for the PlayStation 2 by THQ's studio, Volition, Red Faction II is the sequel to one of the best-selling and most critically acclaimed original game franchises of 2001. Featuring an enhanced Geo-Mod engine that allows players to strategically alter and destroy the game environment in real-time, Red Faction II builds upon the experience and technology of the original game with more blistering action, highly detailed graphics, new multi-player options and an engaging storyline. Red Faction II is scheduled to release in November 2002 in the UK.

"The design philosophy we have with Red Faction II is to create a truly cinematic and involving experience for the player," said Mike Kulas, president, Volition. "The addition of Lance Henriksen's voice talent adds intensity and a distinct style to the game's audio, which is a significant aspect of the overall experience. In Red Faction II players will be immersed in non-stop action with the ability to completely interact with the game environment and also be part of an intricate storyline featuring multiple endings."

"Being involved in the creation of top-tier game like Red Faction II is an extremely rewarding experience," said Lance Henriksen. "It is obvious that games are moving to include more cinema-type production values and as an actor I am excited to be a part of this movement."

Although I enjoyed the hell out of it, I thought the original Red Faction ran out of steam towards the end. I love the idea of GeoMod, but it seemed like there were less and less chances to make good use of it towards the end of the game and it became another FPS - albeit a very good one. An improved sequel can only be a good thing, in my opinion.

Henriksen lends his voice to Run Like Hell as well, which looks...interesting.

Decent first-person shooters are a rarity on consoles. Even though I enjoyed Red Faction on PS2, I thought it was a mistake to take it to the PC where the competition is a lot stiffer.