Video game:Sony PlayStation 3 Resistance: Fall of Man

Video games continuously stimulate the imaginations of their players. By providing gamers the chance to craft their own destinies, they give new meaning to the term "alternate reality." Games that take place outside accepted history provide even more fodder for the imagination. Sony released one such game, "Resistance: Fall of Man," in 2006 for the PlayStation 3.

"Resistance: Fall of Man" is a first-person shooter game in which players must defeat an alien race known as the Chimera. The game takes place within an alternate reality in which peace reigned in Europe after World War I, and therefore World War II never took place. The game designers use the Tunguska event-a large explosion that occurred in Siberia in 1908 due to an asteroid impact-as an explanation for the Chimera's appearance on Earth. "Fall of Man" takes place as the Chimera begin to spread over Europe. Sgt. Nathan Hale, the game's protagonist, must lead a task force to retrieve a weapon powerful enough to fight the aliens. The game ends with a cliffhanger, setting the stage for its sequel.

"Fall of Man" became known for a controversy over its use of images of the Manchester Cathedral in England. The Church of England claimed the designers depicted the cathedral in a sacrilegious manner and demanded that Sony remove its images from the game. Sony released a response stating that the game was fictitious and meant solely for entertainment purposes. In 2007, Sony executives formally apologized to the Church of England, saying that they did not mean to cause any offence.

The controversy in England only served to increase sales of the game in Europe. In the United States, critics praised the game for its plot and graphics, and it became the best-selling PlayStation 3 game of 2006. It also became the first PlayStation 3 game to sell more than one million copies, as well as the first game developed by Insomniac Games to receive an "M for Mature" rating. "Fall of Man's" success and popularity led to two sequels, as well as two spin-off games.