(offline solo, hard, Naya exclusively)
As soon as you start the campaign you are given a quick briefing of what is going then immediately deployed to your first mission, and while the character selection screen tells you a little about each Overstrike 9 member you are not given enough information or theatrics to build that crucial initial connection with the game's plot. The rest of the tale is carried mostly by squad and comm-link chatter (and intel if you find it) with the occasional action cutscene or pre-mission briefing; Fuse's story isn't terribly unique but if more effort was put into its execution it could have been much more engaging. While a good shooter doesn't require a smorgasbord of weaponry, Fuse offers a meager selection that you will see all of within the first hour; every weapon is cool and works nicely but they're not so good that each won't feel a little tired by the game's end. Although the entire game is a blast to play most maps and combat scenarios usually don't offer any new outstanding strategical options, this makes gameplay feel a bit repetitive at times, their are several classes of enemy but each fulfill their role to the t and do little to surprise you. Each level is diverse, attractive, large, and interesting but their simply is not enough of them. Fuse made me feel like I wasn't provided enough narrative to start the game nor enough to conclude it; however, if you look past all this you will be treated to fantastically action packed experience.
Fuse does indeed contain some major structural flaws, but the combat is an abundant pleasure. Surprisingly the friendly AI are quite intelligent and do not ruin the experience through constant fumbles, on the contrary their effective use of their particular skills and exceptional situational awareness make the seemingly multiplayer focused game just as good by yourself. Combination of your squad's talents allow you to competently move forward through the battlefield, but they also add to the fun by creating various combos that yield extra experience and amusement for the player. Collection of experience allows you to enhance your character and ultimately modify your play style, while subtly encouraging you to do more than occasionally pop out of cover and shoot targets. As previously stated, each character has an exclusive xenotech weapon that designates specific responsibilities to each and while you are never required to change characters to succeed each offers considerably different ways to play and even some minor plot differences. Team mates may revive each other but this balanced by the fact that inopportune falls can potentially cause failure because comrades may not reach you in time or will fall themselves trying to save; luckily, squad members typically stick together and don't take too many risky chances so whether or not you fail is usually up to your performance. All members can stealthily take out pieces of opposition or achieve better battlefield placement before the actual fighting begins, but Naya can do this even during the battle thanks to cloaking and if you're like me this will result in literally hundreds of awesome takedowns in the heat of battle, and to clarify this is not an exploitation if not performed perfectly and you are caught behind enemy lines you likely just lost the battle (to reiterate, there are several badass takedowns and even after you've seen them all they never get old). Some sections require platforming to continue or obtain collectibles, but your agents (especially Naya) will often rely on this to silence enemies and rush to different point. Maybe excluding the enforcer, bossfights are more thrilling than tedious and twists to the gameplay in certain sections are welcome and fun (riding the mountain tram, defending the bunker, etc.). The characters are intriguing and form a throughly entertaining group, and the overall plot, while not overly unique, is good enough to keep your attention and boasts some pretty decent supporting characters as well.
Though its core gameplay is remarkably enjoyable, presentation is exceptional, and protagonists are quite likable, Fuse's length, lack of variety, and poorly fleshed out story keep it from being great. Fuse warrants a purchases from any co-op enthusiast/anyone with a lot of gaming friends or Insomniac fanatics, and others should rent or buy on sale because the campaign alone is not enough to keep loner gamers coming back again and again.
Future
I own every Insomniac developed game but Disruptor so naturally I eagerly await anything they produce, but I can see a bright future for Fuse if the length was extended, story was told better, number and variety of weapons; skills; and maps increased, and the IP built a stronger, more original identity for itself. At the end of fuse I was genuinely interested in the fates of the characters and Earth, and would really like to see Insomniac to give Fuse another shot and continue their story.