I know it comes off as elitist and oh so against the grain to voice negative opinions of popular games, and believe me, I don't want to be that guy.  There have been plenty 'o popular games that I have absolutely loved despite their mainstream status.  Unfortunately, Killzone 2 isn't one of those games.  Being part of the online fandom saturated with KZ2 hype from E3 2005, I was all but ready to ignore the title - that is, until about a month before its release when footage and reviews started popping up around the web.  From what I'd seen and read from various outlets, Killzone 2 was a day one purchase.  And it was.  But after a few hours of jaunting through monochromatic war zones, listening to prodigious steroid-ridden one-dimensional dialog, and struggling with inaccurate controls, Killzone revealed its true self to me: a retail focus test wrapped in beautiful packaging and laced with derivation.  

I know it comes off as elitist and oh so against the grain to voice negative opinions of popular games, and believe me, I don't want to be that guy.  There have been plenty 'o popular games that I have absolutely loved despite their mainstream status.  Unfortunately, Killzone 2 isn't one of those games.  Being part of the online fandom saturated with KZ2 hype from E3 2005, I was all but ready to ignore the title - that is, until about a month before its release when footage and reviews started popping up around the web.  From what I'd seen and read from various outlets, Killzone 2 was a day one purchase.  And it was.  But after a few hours of jaunting through monochromatic war zones, listening to prodigious steroid-ridden one-dimensional dialog, and struggling with inaccurate controls, Killzone revealed its true self to me: a retail focus test wrapped in beautiful packaging and laced with derivation.  

Yeah, I suppose I agree. COD 4, one of my favorite games of 07, didn't really bring anything strictly "new" to the table, and was built to sell. It was just badass-well-done and endless fun. How would you compare those two games in terms or originality?

"Yeah, I suppose I agree. COD 4, one of my favorite games of 07, didn't really bring anything strictly "new" to the table, and was built to sell. It was just badass-well-done and endless fun. How would you compare those two games in terms or originality?
"

i thought killzone 2's campaign was one of the best i've ever played, despite the fact that it didnt have a bunch of new shit. but i think thats a load of horseshit everytime some internet geek says that. killzone 2 has great great intense and well paced gameplay with outstanding graphics. thats all that matters to me in an fps, and the online is mad addictive. 

It's yet another generic sci-fi shooter in a sea of generic sci-fi shooters. Yeah, I've gotten burned out on them and Killzone 2's late arrival causes me to be more harsh than I otherwise would, but I agree that the game does absolutely nothing special other than look pretty in a miniskirt.

I mean, a few tweaks to the control and level design and graphics and Haze could have been a Killzone 2 killer. Or Resistance 2. Oh man, I'm so not tired of taking the role of space marine X and shooting aliens and/or enemy space marines in a setting of concrete and girders.

"Yeah, I suppose I agree. COD 4, one of my favorite games of 07, didn't really bring anything strictly "new" to the table, and was built to sell. It was just badass-well-done and endless fun. How would you compare those two games in terms or originality?
"

"i thought killzone 2's campaign was one of the best i've ever played, despite the fact that it didnt have a bunch of new shit. but i think thats a load of horseshit everytime some internet geek says that. killzone 2 has great great intense and well paced gameplay with outstanding graphics. thats all that matters to me in an fps, and the online is mad addictive. "

 I agree I think that says something when Killzone 2 gets great reviews when it does nothing new. 

This game has presented us with a dilema as to whether you see a glass half-full or half empty.  I myself have no idea where I'm at with the matter because I do agree withe everything you say about it jonnyp.  However, I can see that Killzone, whilst they may not have had any innvative concepts, have improved some aspects of the FPS genre that you can see others borrowing from this game in future.  The environments and level design to me seem uninspired but unlike many fps, the entire environment comes into play, as enemies can come from what is seemingly anywhere, This is unlike others where you have a lot of generic builidings but neither you nor you enemy can access them, just making them decorations.  But as I said it is a half full, half empty dilema.

"alex_the_javo said:

"Yeah, I suppose I agree. COD 4, one of my favorite games of 07, didn't really bring anything strictly "new" to the table, and was built to sell. It was just badass-well-done and endless fun. How would you compare those two games in terms or originality?
"

I think COD4 had some pretty great ideas for multiplayer that changed how pretty much everyone does (or at least tries) to do their online components.  Killzone 2 even has does a lot of things they probably picked up from COD 4. 
"

I've only played about an hour of the campaign so far, and that may be all I play. For some reason, over the years I've lost the will to play FPS campaigns. I've barely started CoD4's campaign, let alone finish it. For me, the FPS experience is 100% about the online, and KZ2 satiates that need very well.

I would usually agree with control complaints, but I'm kind of getting used to it.  And not to make it a cop out, but I kind of like that it's hard to control (read: different) it kind of mixes it up and makes it not feel like every other shooter.  Because the controls felt so strange right away it didn't make it feel like a re skinned COD4 or Halo, and I kind of liked that...a lot.

I agree that the narrative is dull as fuck but if you put that aside I think Killzone does everything it set out to do. I don't think anyone can deny it's absolutely action-packed from start to finish (I'd struggle to think of a moment when the screen wasn't littered with 'woah ok' moments), I think it has some brilliant setpieces; maybe not quite at the CoD4 level but somewhere around there. It does nothing new, and I agree I'm ABSOLUTELY burned out on this type of game for now, but I don't think you should take away from KZ the fact that everything it does (apart from storytelling) it does it pretty high up on the scale of "very good".

If KZ2 came out maybe 18 months ago, I think it would be getting a very, very, very different reception (which is actually positive - I just mean this frosty "played it all before" stuff).

I personally thought the single player was excellent from a gameplay stance. The story, did pick up VERY slightly in the last two levels.

Someone on these forums mentioned they wished you played as the Helghast -- which while conceptually would still be quite generic, I think those characters are far more interesting.

"i thought killzone 2's campaign was one of the best i've ever played, despite the fact that it didnt have a bunch of new shit. but i think thats a load of horseshit everytime some internet geek says that. killzone 2 has great great intense and well paced gameplay with outstanding graphics. thats all that matters to me in an fps, and the online is mad addictive. "

I do hear what you are saying and do look for some more originality in games but there is something to be said for a game like Killzone 2 that just nails the feeling of shooting. Maybe its just the well designed weapons or the amazing sound design or even the way the enemy soldiers react when being shot but something about that games shooting just feels spot on.

"Shadow2K6 said:

 I agree I think that says something when Killzone 2 gets great reviews when it does nothing new. 

I don't necessarily agree. Gears Of War 2 got stellar reviews too, and much like Killzone 2 it didn't do anything particularly new.
It just did what it did pretty damn good and there's something to be said for that.

What I take away from the blog post is that while Killzone 2 is a good game it's still stuck in the quagmire of space marines telling the enemy to fuck off while blowing caps in them. A noble and entertaining endeavor if there ever was one in videogames, but on a whole it feels slightly hollow.
I kinda cringe when people compare it to something like COD4, cause in my opinion the Halos, Gears Of Wars and Killzones of the world will never be able to match the gravitas of something severely rooted in reality if they're comparable in quality.
Play that gunship level in COD4 and then go on youtube and look at some footage from a real gunship. Kinda makes your stomach churn.

It's a shame I have to keep reitirating this to get the point across that I DON'T HATE KILLZONE 2, I LIKE IT! but I personally got more out of Flower and Noby Noby Boy on my PS3 last month. Then again, it may just be me suffering from shooter fatigue.
"

"TeflonBilly said:

"Shadow2K6 said:

 I agree I think that says something when Killzone 2 gets great reviews when it does nothing new. 

I don't necessarily agree. Gears Of War 2 got stellar reviews too, and much like Killzone 2 it didn't do anything particularly new.
It just did what it did pretty damn good and there's something to be said for that.

What I take away from the blog post is that while Killzone 2 is a good game it's still stuck in the quagmire of space marines telling the enemy to fuck off while blowing caps in them. A noble and entertaining endeavor if there ever was one in videogames, but on a whole it feels slightly hollow.
I kinda cringe when people compare it to something like COD4, cause in my opinion the Halos, Gears Of Wars and Killzones of the world will never be able to match the gravitas of something severely rooted in reality if they're comparable in quality.
Play that gunship level in COD4 and then go on youtube and look at some footage from a real gunship. Kinda makes your stomach churn.

It's a shame I have to keep reitirating this to get the point across that I DON'T HATE KILLZONE 2, I LIKE IT! but I personally got more out of Flower and Noby Noby Boy on my PS3 last month. Then again, it may just be me suffering from shooter fatigue.
"

I have to really disagree that Gears of War 2 has done nothing new.  It took the old (and pretty much forgotten) survival mode concept in gaming and made it fun again with Horde Mode.  Horde Mode was made a marketing sell point for Gears 2 for nearly a year before launch.  Now I see everyone jumping on the band wagon with their own version, World at War has Nazi zombies, Saints Row 2 has Zombie Uprising, and L4D has announced a free survival mode DLC. 

I have played the Killzone 2 demo and although its pretty and shiney, I still felt underwhelmed, granted 10 minutes was way to short for a demo to sell a game.  I did notice a skirmish mode whitch I assume is the online with bots?  But I see no bonus content for replay value here that say a Horde mode offers?  I do like the Chacter Based concept for KZ2 much like Team Fortress 2 has......so I may pick up Killzone 2, but the marketing of what it offes, the gameplay I have seen, and the demo just have not been blow up skirt worthy.
"

"DevilishSix said:

"TeflonBilly said:

"Shadow2K6 said:

 I agree I think that says something when Killzone 2 gets great reviews when it does nothing new. 

I don't necessarily agree. Gears Of War 2 got stellar reviews too, and much like Killzone 2 it didn't do anything particularly new.
It just did what it did pretty damn good and there's something to be said for that.

What I take away from the blog post is that while Killzone 2 is a good game it's still stuck in the quagmire of space marines telling the enemy to fuck off while blowing caps in them. A noble and entertaining endeavor if there ever was one in videogames, but on a whole it feels slightly hollow.
I kinda cringe when people compare it to something like COD4, cause in my opinion the Halos, Gears Of Wars and Killzones of the world will never be able to match the gravitas of something severely rooted in reality if they're comparable in quality.
Play that gunship level in COD4 and then go on youtube and look at some footage from a real gunship. Kinda makes your stomach churn.

It's a shame I have to keep reitirating this to get the point across that I DON'T HATE KILLZONE 2, I LIKE IT! but I personally got more out of Flower and Noby Noby Boy on my PS3 last month. Then again, it may just be me suffering from shooter fatigue.
"

I have to really disagree that Gears of War 2 has done nothing new.  It took the old (and pretty much forgotten) survival mode concept in gaming and made it fun again with Horde Mode.  Horde Mode was made a marketing sell point for Gears 2 for nearly a year before launch.  Now I see everyone jumping on the band wagon with their own version, World at War has Nazi zombies, Saints Row 2 has Zombie Uprising, and L4D has announced a free survival mode DLC. 

I have played the Killzone 2 demo and although its pretty and shiney, I still felt underwhelmed, granted 10 minutes was way to short for a demo to sell a game.  I did notice a skirmish mode whitch I assume is the online with bots?  But I see no bonus content for replay value here that say a Horde mode offers?  I do like the Chacter Based concept for KZ2 much like Team Fortress 2 has......so I may pick up Killzone 2, but the marketing of what it offes, the gameplay I have seen, and the demo just have not been blow up skirt worthy.
"

Do not base your opinion of Killzone on the the demo I played the demo before picking it up and was really not that impressed. I don't know how early that demo was but the retail game feels a lot better and looks better to me overall. And you will get plenty of replay value from the multiplayer component of the game which will most defenitly keep people coming back to it for a long time."

I enjoy this game, but being a ps3 owner i really didnt have a chance to play games like Gears, so this is great for me, an amazing "sci-fi" style fps that manages to be entertaning, have great graphics and game-play that will keep me coming back for as long as i keep it from gamefly(read as: FOREVER)

"alex_the_javo said:

"Yeah, I suppose I agree. COD 4, one of my favorite games of 07, didn't really bring anything strictly "new" to the table, and was built to sell. It was just badass-well-done and endless fun. How would you compare those two games in terms or originality?
"

I think COD4 had some pretty great ideas for multiplayer that changed how pretty much everyone does (or at least tries) to do their online components.  Killzone 2 even has does a lot of things they probably picked up from COD 4.  "

I think Killzone 2 is the best FPS I've played in a long time.  The storyline stuff doesn't bother me in a game sense, that's not why I play action games.  It does innovate somewhat, it's about par for the 'new game' level of innovation.  I just wish the MP was as refined as it was interesting.

The biggest thing with Killzone 2 for me is it puts a lot of the things I like about other shooters into one pot (multi-player), and I think it works. I also really enjoy how the game feels when playing it. As for everything else, nothing really shocking. It's a good game but it doesn't revolutionize the genre, nor was it supposed to. All the hype was centred around how it looked and I think it has fulfilled that.

Phished0ne said:

"But this may supprise some of you..the thing i love the most about Killzone? THE CONTROLS! finally a game that puts a "gun" in your hand, and actually gives that gun weight, like it should have. I personally applaud Geurilla Games for trying something different with the controls, and i give them a standing O for dealing with the myriad of shit they are catching for it at the Killzone forum."

"I don't know what the first game ever to put ranks and unlocks in a shooter, but I know rainbow six vegas did it before COD4, and they did it better too, allowing you to completely customize your soldier. "

Also, as talked about on the Bombcast, what about playing a game where you arent the hero?, that should at least count for something...most games you in a character that is the star, KZ puts you in the shoes of a grunt. 

"The biggest thing with Killzone 2 for me is it puts a lot of the things I like about other shooters into one pot (multi-player), and I think it works. I also really enjoy how the game feels when playing it. As for everything else, nothing really shocking. It's a good game but it doesn't revolutionize the genre, nor was it supposed to. All the hype was centred around how it looked and I think it has fulfilled that.

Phished0ne said:

"But this may supprise some of you..the thing i love the most about Killzone? THE CONTROLS! finally a game that puts a "gun" in your hand, and actually gives that gun weight, like it should have. I personally applaud Geurilla Games for trying something different with the controls, and i give them a standing O for dealing with the myriad of shit they are catching for it at the Killzone forum."

Yeah dude, it took a little bit to get comfortable with but now I'm totally in the groove.

DOUBLESHOCK said:

"I don't know what the first game ever to put ranks and unlocks in a shooter, but I know rainbow six vegas did it before COD4, and they did it better too, allowing you to completely customize your soldier. "

Battlefield 2 did it in 2005."

"oh jeez I forgot about BF2.  I remember that, but the game didn't rely on it as much.  COD4 seemed to have built it's entire game around ranks and unlocks.  World at War moved the cap up to 65 because they knew a big reason people play is to rank up and unlock stuff."

"DOUBLESHOCK said:

"oh jeez I forgot about BF2.  I remember that, but the game didn't rely on it as much.  COD4 seemed to have built it's entire game around ranks and unlocks.  World at War moved the cap up to 65 because they knew a big reason people play is to rank up and unlock stuff."

Yes it's true, CoD4 took ranking/unlocking in an FPS to a whole new level and it's the single most thing I think that game can be credited with progressing in the genre. But like almost every other FPS out there, nothing done in CoD4 was entirely new, just really really refined. Though in the end it doesn't matter so long as the player is having fun, and people seem to really dig CoD4."

"If your going to post, read the blog.  I appreciate your oppinions but note: Nowhere in my blog do I mention "teh innovashun" let alone any comparison to the Wii.  In fact, I don't even own a Wii.  I don't think Killzone 2 is a bad game, it just left me feeling dirty like I just watched 8 hours of Fox News."

The game is fun as hell,and its MUCH better than halo 3.

"The game is fun as hell,and its MUCH better than halo 3."

I don't watch television anymore because my cable line is hooked up to my modem and I'm too damn lazy to plug it into the TV instead.  Besides, online tv is fine.  I can find any good show out there now (Lost....that's it).  But still, Killzone 2 are fun.  Me shoot, enemy die, pretty game, me like play pretty game.

"no offense man, but that just sounds wierd at the end there. why not just do something else besides games if you constantly feel the need to have to play a game?"