Fans of the Red Factionseries can now mark on their calenders the day when they can start wrecking more havoc on Mars. Back in September of last year, Game Rant reported that Red Faction: Armageddon was going to be delayed from its scheduled March 2011 release to sometime in May. It now appears that THQ will keep their word, as they have announced that gamers will be able to get their hands on the sequel to 2009's Red Faction: Guerrilla on May 31st, 2011.

Taking a different approach than the open-world gameplay of Guerrilla, Armageddon seems to be focused more on pacing and action than driving around and blowing up buildings. THQ has released a trailer showing off the game's improved gunplay, and the alien enemies that main character Darius Mason will have to take on.

Armageddon appears to be going for a more guided experience, which should allows developer Volition to create some scary moments. Pretty much everything we have seen of the game takes place underground, and adding more aggressive enemies to a closed environment with low lighting is a recipe for some potentially scary situations. THQ's description of the game also gives us an idea of what setting and mood they are hoping to present:

"Half a century after the Red Faction resistance freed Mars, the red planet again becomes a battleground. Colonists struggle for survival in the underground mines after the surface is rendered uninhabitable. When Darius Mason, grandson of revolution heroes Alec Mason and Samanya, unknowingly releases a long-dormant evil, Armageddon is unleashed on Mars. As settlements are torn asunder, only Darius and the Red Faction can save mankind. The battle will take them to the core of the storm-blasted planet through ice caves and lava flows until they are face to face against the unspeakable threat. Red Faction: Armageddon expands on the critically acclaimed, best-selling franchise with new, groundbreaking challenges. You are humanity's last hope for survival."

THQ seems to be excited about this game. Danny Bilson, THQ's Executive Vice President of Core Games,  says that it "is an incredible new entry in this vaunted franchise, and Volition once again pushes the envelope of technology and science fiction." Whether or not he is just saying that because he gets paid to, or if this game will offer something different from the other games coming out, remains to be seen.

You do have to give credit to THQ and Volition for being willing to try something so different with this game. They could have easily turned out another open-world game like Guerrilla, but are instead taking a chance and changing things up. With the core mechanic of destroying and rebuilding, Armageddon has the potential to stand out from the pack at the end of May, especially if there is another drought of summer games.

So readers, are you looking forward to this game, or are you still taking a wait and see approach to the changes in gameplay? Would you rather have a Guerrilla 2 instead of a more shooter focused sequel?

Red Faction: Armageddon is set for a May 31, 2011, release on the PC, PS3, and Xbox 360.