Red Faction II

2002 Volition Action, Strategy

Windows 11With a fix

MacNot sold

LinuxGold

Steam DeckPlayable

Gamicality score

Metacritic 644

OpenCritic Not rated

Steam players 521

How it’s combined

Playability today

3.5

Runs today3.5/5

Design today3.5/5

Steam user reviews

Mixed

52%

1,199 reviews1

Get it on Steam

Facts checked November 1, 2026

Does Red Faction II run on Windows 11, Apple Silicon Macs, Linux and Steam Deck?

Windows 11With a fix

Runs with a fix. See the steps below.1

Mac (Apple Silicon)Not sold

No Mac version is sold.

LinuxGold

Through Proton. ProtonDB: Gold, runs perfectly after tweaks.3

Steam DeckPlayable

Playable, as rated by Valve. May need some setup.1

Played Red Faction II lately?

One click, no account, so the next player knows. How we check where it runs

How to get Red Faction II running today

On any graphics card with 2 GB or more of video memory, the unpatched game refuses to start with an error about needing 8 MB of video memory. Download the Steam Missing Features Patch from FactionFiles and run it on rf2.exe in the game folder, as described in the Red Faction Wiki FAQ.
For correct widescreen, ultrawide and 4K output and an adjustable field of view, use the community widescreen fixer listed on PCGamingWiki.
To stop cutscene animation and audio from drifting out of sync, keep the frame rate at 120 FPS or below, or copy d3d8.dll from d3d8to9 into the game folder, which also lets the game run in exclusive fullscreen without micro stutter.

Synopsis

A first-person shooter set on Earth, where you play Alias, a demolitions expert in a squad of genetically enhanced soldiers who turn against the dictator who created them. You fight through a war-torn city, use explosives to blow holes through walls and floors with the Geo-Mod engine, and drive tanks and other vehicles.

Developer: Volition
Released: 2002
Genre: Action, Strategy
Where to get it: Steam

Reception

Critics were lukewarm on the 2003 PC port, which holds a PC Metascore of 64; reviewers liked the destruction and voice acting but faulted a campaign of about five hours, samey city environments and the lack of online multiplayer. Worth Playing called it a half-hearted follow-up to the first game. Players today are split, with Steam reviews at Mixed and only 52 percent of about 1,200 reviews positive; a GOG user review singles out bullet-sponge enemies and weapons that feel weak.

Playability today

The average of two parts, each from 1 to 5. Tap a check to see why. How it works

Runs today

3.5/5

Sold or given away today by an official source
Needs fan patches to run well on Windows 11
?Not confirmed yetSingle-player works without an internet connection
No source covers the current version yet, so this check counts as open, not passed. Played it lately? Tell us
All of its content still works (servers, DLC, unlocks)
The PC version never had the console split-screen multiplayer or online play, offering bot matches instead, and nothing has been removed since (Red Faction Wiki).
No proper support for modern resolutions and widescreen
Widescreen, ultrawide and 4K are stretched by default and need a fan fixer (PCGamingWiki).
Full controller support or remappable controls
Full controller support with remapping (PCGamingWiki).
Steam Deck Verified or Playable
No intrusive DRM or required third-party launcher account
No pay-to-win or pushy microtransactions
Known game-breaking bugs in the current version
The unpatched game will not launch on systems with 2 GB or more of video memory, which covers nearly every modern PC, until a community patch is applied (Red Faction Wiki).

Design today

3.5/5

Controls feel natural on a modern controller or mouse and keyboard
Keys can be remapped, and controllers are fully supported with remappable buttons and generic on-screen prompts. Source: pcgamingwiki.com.
Menus, text or interface are hard to read on today's screens
The image and interface are stretched on widescreen displays without a fan fix, and subtitles exist in the files but are never shown. On-screen hints point to controller buttons by default even when playing with mouse and keyboard. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, gog.com.
Saving is fair: free saves or frequent checkpoints, little lost progress
There is no manual saving, but levels are very short and the game autosaves at the start of each one, so little progress is lost on death. Source: gog.com.
It teaches itself: no guide needed to make progress
There is no tutorial level, but the controls are standard for a shooter and simple to pick up, with objectives given as each level begins. Source: worthplaying.com.
Pacing holds up: little grind, filler or forced backtracking
The campaign is short, around five hours, and moves in a straight line with little backtracking, though load screens between its many small stages break up the action. Source: worthplaying.com, gog.com.
Camera or movement fights the player
The unmodded game has no field of view setting, stretches the view on widescreen screens, and drops to 30 FPS whenever night vision is used. Source: pcgamingwiki.com, redfactionwiki.com.