For many fans of the franchise, Terminator: Resistance was a breath of fresh air. After years of disappointing sequel films and wasted potential, developer Teyon released the game in 2019, and it has since found a significant cult following. While mainstream gaming outlets criticized the game for being somewhat derivative and perhaps even dull, Terminator: Resistance has been praised by its fans for its strong art direction, level design, story, and faithfulness to the vision of the original two films.

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The game ended up being successful enough to see the release of a major DLC expansion, Terminator: Resistance Annihilation Line. This story-based expansion makes for a fun, four-hour experience that builds on the game's story and lore, while offering new levels and set pieces, and even the return of Kyle Reese. These are just some of the things this DLC does well, with plenty of others worth mentioning.

7 Meeting The Squad

Terminator-Resistance Squad

While the main game does feature sequences in which the player fights alongside other resistance fighters, those soldiers are never given a real personality. The Annihilation Line DLC changes this by giving the player a handpicked squad of soldiers to fight alongside.

These characters, Sergeant Kyle Reese, Corporal Ferro, and Corporal Evans, all have personalities, combat specialties and their own unique backstories. The player is given ample opportunity to become attached to these characters and learn more about them as they fight their way through the nuclear hellscape that was once California together.

6 Kyle Reese's Return

Terminator Resistance Kyle Reese

Although he is sadly not voiced by the original actor who portrayed him in the first film (Michael Biehn), Kyle Reese's presence is still a nice touch. The player is treated to a side of the character that was only briefly seen in the first film. Reese serves as the player's commanding officer while on a special mission for John Connor.

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With him in this position, the player gets a chance to learn a bit more about his character and how he treats his fellow resistance members. They also get see what he was doing in the days leading up to the first Terminator film.

5 Brand New Levels

Terminator Resistance New Levels

The Annihilation Line DLC adds an all-new set of levels to the game. Due to limited resources, the main game ended up reusing several of its levels at various points in the story, but the DLC avoids that this time around. The new levels take the player on a journey up to and across the dreaded "Annihilation Line," the line at which Skynet's control and destructive capability is absolute.

The DLC features some of the largest levels in the whole game, though some are a bit smaller in scope. Each level is unique and memorable, with the player feeling like they are on a long journey through the Californian post apocalypse. These levels are accommodating to both stealthy and full-on gun-blazing strategies, with some linear set pieces mixed in every now and again.

4 The Annihilation Line

Player fighting a T-600 near the Annihilation Line

While it was never mentioned in the films, the characters in the game regularly speak of something called the "Annihilation Line." The player, however, never gets a chance to see it for themselves — that is, until this DLC. Not only does the player finally bear full witness to its horror, but they're also tasked with crossing the line as part of their mission.

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The Annihilation Line is quite the sight, resembling a kind of Hell more so than any Earthly plane. The imagery of massive machines on the horizon, a sky engulfed in deep red flames and a deathly silence on the air as it blows through the skeletal remains of humanity makes for a powerful and memorable scene. In the end it proves to be some of the strongest Terminator material in a long time.

3 The T-600

T-600 Firing at the player

In the first film, Kyle Reese tells Sarah Connor of an early set of terminator models that had rubber skin. These models were easy to spot in comparison to the T-800 infiltrator units, which had real human flesh covering their robotic bodies. That early model of terminator, the T-600, makes an appearance in the Annihilation Line DLC as a new enemy.

These terminators are definitely creepier than their more advanced brethren. Adorned in rags with expressionless rubber faces and piercing red eyes, they look almost human — almost. This makes them a visually unique enemy, and one who's sure to please hardcore fans of the franchise (especially those who remember their appearance in Terminator: Salvation).

2 Musical Callbacks

Kyle Reese watching Terminators from afar

Terminator: Resistance already had very similar musical direction to the original James Cameron films. It mimics composer Brad Fiedel's use of synthesizers in the first two films faithfully, giving the game has a very similar atmosphere to the movies. The game, however, didn't rely on actual tracks from those films for its musical score.

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With the Annihilation Line DLC, tracks from the first film (particularly those associated with Kyle Reese) are remade for the game. Songs like "Reese Dreams of Future War" and "Terminator Arrival/Reese Chased" are used as both combat and ambient music, while Brad Fiedel's original theme (which did not appear in Terminator 2: Judgement Day) also makes an appearance.

1 The Storyline

Jacob Rivers' Father

Story wise, Terminator: Resistance Annihilation Line delivers a fun and nostalgic experience that keeps with the tone of the original movies. The synopsis is rather simple: something happened to the resistance base in Northridge, and John Conner has handpicked a special team to figure out what.

With the DLC, the player is given greater insight into Jacob Rivers' backstory, new and existing characters are well developed, and new locations like the Annihilation Line make for powerful plot elements. There are elements of mystery and tragedy while the main characters grapple with past events and search for a reason to continue fighting. It's a story made for hardcore Terminator fans, by hardcore Terminator fans.

Terminator: Resistance Annihilation Line is currently available on PlayStation 5 and PC.

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