I bought this game right after it came out. Reviewers generally panned it, but I found it quite enjoyable. It's graphics will seem dated by today's standards, but if you can find a copy for around $10 or less, it's worthwhile.

RED FACTION is a 2001 FPS game that packed so much innovation and so many great ideas that is still considered a gaming milestone.

This is the FIRST game to feature effective interactive environments. Not only can your firing or explosives do actual damage, often it was essential to do so (in order to gain passage through a wall or destroy a bridge).

The graphics will seem a bit dated today of course, yet, on the bright side, will truly shine even on less powerful systems. And, if truth be told, a number of the latest shooters relay too much on their graphics and not enough on their overall gaming experience.
The level design is exemplary; the guns are numerous and really balanced and the gameplay is really intuitive and enjoyable.

Give it a try. I am sure you will like it too!
Note that there has also been a sequel, RED FACTION 2, which unfortunately, did NOT share this game's virtues. For the original RED FACTION though:

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

I got this game, like I'm sure many others have, for the Geomod system. The idea of blasting through a wall seems like so much fun, and it is. Multiplayer is easy to join and has more than enough people to play with. Cheater (using mods) are a rare sight on the game, though they do come by from time to time.

I found single player to be a big disapointment. Just your basic "go here and shoot that", not bad, but with the Geomod it could have been so much better.

If you don't plan to play multiplayer, this game proboly isn't worthi t. But for multiplayer, best game I have ever palyed.

I played this game a couple of years ago. It is one of the better FPS out there. This one is better than the second one (Red Faction 2)
The game play is better and it has more levels.
For 10 bucks it is totally worth it.

This game is simply the best. It is not perfect but almost. Anyone who likes shooters WILL LOVE this game. Geo-Mode in this game is what tips the scales. This is like Half-Life with the ability to make your own trails in the game. No more doors you can't getr through because you don't have the right key, blast through it. Also you get control the vehicles you see in the game.
The story is very similar to that of Half-Life (It is a great story). The wide selection of weapons and "toys" adds up to extreme fun in this game. Most of the time you don't have to worry about problem solving. It is a pure kill everyone game will the option to kill innecent(?) workers. Any puzzles you have to solve are usually obvious.
Story twists add to the excitment and addrenaline to the game. The game is not the longest in the world and it is not the shortest. Basically it is as long as it takes to finnish the story, about one and half days.
Simply put this is a (revolution)ary game. You don't have to be a diehard shooter fan to love. Just get it!