Terminator Salvation - Boxed - PS3

Skynet.

In July 2004, however, the US military's computers are struck by a computer virus that appears to have spread across the entire nation and attacks everything electronic. In an attempt to combat this threat, the military brings Skynet online to destroy the virus, unaware that the attack is in fact a ruse. Shortly after Skynet is brought online, it becomes sentient and launches an attack on its greatest threat - humanity. One hour after becoming sentient, it launches a nuclear barrage across the globe, striking key cities, destroying military installations and bringing humanity to the brink of destruction. This day becomes known as Judgment Day.

Twelve years later, the survivors of Judgment Day are desperately in need of rescue, as Skynet deploys machines to hunt down and wipe out humanity. There is, however, one hope: a man named John Connor, who fought against Skynet in the past when Skynet sent machines known as Terminators back in time, once before his birth and once when he was a teenager, shortly before Judgment Day. Knowing how to fight these machines, Connor fights alongside a group of resistance fighters in the wasteland once known as Los Angeles, trying to stop Skynet while protecting his group and his wife from annihilation.

Although the game bears the name of the 2009 film, it does not follow the film's plot, but instead takes place two years earlier, in 2016, bridging the gap between Terminator 3 and Terminator Salvation. The player takes control of Connor as he moves through apocalyptic settings and battles fearsome machines such as HKs (Hunter Killers), T-1 tanks, spider machines, Moto-Terminators and the dreaded T-600, attempting to rescue captured soldiers while encountering other characters who help him on his quest.

The gameplay is largely a third-person shooter, similar to Gears of War, in which the player uses weapons such as small-calibre firearms, larger assault weapons, grenades and rocket launchers to fend off various ground and air enemies, while using various obstacles for cover from enemy fire, with some shooting sequences on rail-mounted vehicles interspersed throughout. Players can carry only two weapons at a time, but can swap them for other weapons (they cannot, however, pick up weapons from fallen Terminators) and carry one type of throwable weapon (grenade, pipe bomb, etc.).

The story is told through pre-rendered CGI cutscenes and does not offer online multiplayer features, but does have an offline split-screen two-player co-op mode in which two friends can fight side by side in story mode. In addition, actors Common and Moon Bloodgood lend their voices to the game to reprise their roles, but Christian Bale's voice as John Connor is not featured; instead, Gideon Emery voices Connor. Rose McGowan also lends her voice to the game, as does Kelly Hu.