Developer Playlist is The Black Panel’s occasional column devoted to industry figures and the games that inspire them. Each instalment features a ‘playlist’ of influential titles hand-picked by a talented creator.

Platform exclusives often hold their own special appeal with gamers and the PlayStation’s Resistance series is no different. With the recent release of its third instalment, the first person shooter has once again found a place amongst fans of its fast combat, flashy weaponry and horror element. When writer Jon Paquette came onboard the project, he brought with him a plethora of writing experience in the FPS genre, as demonstrated by his work on the Medal of Honor franchise and the lesser known (but frightening) Clive Barker’s Undying. Resistance 3 marks Paquette’s first project with Insomniac Games.

—– Jon Paquette’s Playlist —–

Paquette’s playlist is interesting in its variety and unexpected choices, but each chosen game reflects on an important feature which every title should possess.

Valve has developed a reputation for innovation and dedication to its player base and it can be argued that it all began with HALF-LIFE. First released on PC in 1998, the FPS was revolutionary in many ways and it comes as little surprise that it is the first to be named by Paquette as a source of inspiration – “When Half-Life was created they threw away most of the game and started from scratch. That to me takes a lot of balls. It kind of shows you how dedicated [Valve] is to the concept of iteration in games and how that’s the key to quality.”

Since its debut in 1986, the Zelda series has gained many a loyal follower and it would appear that Paquette is one of them as he expresses a fondness for Nintendo’s original fantasy adventure THE LEGEND OF ZELDA. He reflects on the game as an experience that “people have a very fond memory of, especially if you were younger when it came out. It was one of those formative experiences.”

Paquette’s last named game is a little more traditional and requires naught but a player’s own hands to participate – ROCK PAPER SCISSORS. Its perfectly balanced technicalities ensure that players “never feel cheated” and he stresses it’s dependable mechanics as its selling feature. “Rock Paper Scissors is one of those things that people do all the time, and it always works.”

Jon Paquette on Resistance 3

With Resistance 3 hitting shelves last week to a mainly positive reception, this third instalment marks a strong addition to the series. The game has been particularly noted for its horror elements and satisfying gunfights against the alien Chimera. Set in the 1950s, the story takes a turn from its predecessors, with events centring on the conflicted Capelli as the main character this time around, something Paquette was enthusiastic about. “I’m excited about the turn that Capelli has taken and the complex character that he’s become. I feel he’s kind of become a haunted character because of what he’s had to do to Hale. At the beginning of Resistance 3, he’s the pariah; everybody kind of looks at him and says ‘You’re the reason why we’re losing against the Chimera.’”

Other editions of Developer Playlist: John Halloran (PopCap)