Killzone 2 Review
By brukaoru 7 Comments
Comments, suggestions, critiques and criticisms are always appreciated. I changed my review format a little bit, can you tell? I also got a new headset, so I'm not sure if mic volume is better or worse.
Text Version of Review
Killzone 2Platform: PlayStation 3
Developer: Guerrilla Games
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
1 Player, supports up to 32 people in online multi-player.
ESRB Rating: M for Mature, recommended for ages 17 or older.
When the first Killzone debuted in November 2004 on the PlayStation 2 it was met with high expectations but ultimately fell off most people's radar when it turned out to be an average game. Despite it's good qualities, it did nothing special to stand out from the crowd of other First-Person Shooters on the market. With the announcement of a sequel in the works much doubt was placed on the same developers to provide a quality game. However, most players will find that their expectations have been exceeded as Killzone 2 has an engaging single-player campaign and a substantial online multiplayer component.
Killzone 2 takes place two years after the events of the first Killzone, with the ISA (Interplanetary Strategic Alliance) continuing the war that the Helghast started. This time they're taking the battle to the enemy's homeland, planet Helghan, with the goal of capturing the Helghast leader: Emperor Scolar Visari. Players take on the role of Sev, a veteran of the ISA Special Forces unit and a dedicated soldier who follows orders without question. As a part of Alpha squad, Sev travels with three other team members throughout the game.
It doesn't take long before players are thrust into the first battle, using this time to provide a quick tutorial to get players accustomed to the controls. From there, players will move from one objective to the next until the very end. The default control scheme isn't the same standard used by other first person shooters, so it may take players a little while to get used to. The game takes a realistic approach when it comes to handling weapons. Similarly, friendly fire is also integrated into the campaign, which can lead to some unintentional damage being targeted towards allies. Players can heal squad members if they are down, but never have to worry about them completely being killed, as they will automatically revive after a short period of time. The same does not hold true for players though, once down, they will restart from the last save point they passed.
Quite a selection of different weapons are available to pick up throughout the game, each having their own unique sound and variation in firing power. In close-quarter situations, melee attacks come in handy. Taking cover is also an important aspect, providing protection against oncoming gunfire. There isn't very much variety in the types of enemies but that doesn't mean they can't be difficult, especially in large groups, which is how players will normally stumble across them. The music and sound effects really add to the atmospheric pull that the game produces, though the voice acting and dialogue is generally nothing special.
The major weakness of Killzone 2 is it's storyline. Players aren't given much information about the enemies they're fighting or the squad members they're fighting with. The game prefers to place players in situations with minimal details and seems to rely on constant enemy barrages to distract players of the minimal plot lingering in the background. Luckily the game provides plenty of action to keep players occupied, with very few slow points in between.
In multiplayer, each match contains up to five different modes to play. Each of these are smoothly transitioned from one to the next without forcing players to back out into a lobby. Although players don't usually need to partake in completing each mission, they can still continue to just take out enemies on the opposing side. By continuing to play matches, players gain experience and earn ribbons that unlock certain abilities, weapons and different classes for future use.
For the most part, Killzone 2 maintains a smooth 30 frames per second even in intense online matches. The only real problem that can be found with the graphics is the character animations being awkward at times, most notable between non-playable characters during dialogue sequences that are not in cut scenes. This is only a small annoyance though, transitions between cut scenes and gameplay are usually seamless. It's also rare to find a glitch in the singleplayer campaign, proving just how polished the game really is.
Killzone 2 is not without it's flaws. However, the single-player campaign is a satisfying experience and the multiplayer has a lot to offer. Although the storyline leaves a lot be desired and the campaign is relatively short, it's presentation is done extremely well. With three difficulty levels to choose from and another one unlockable if players feel the need to be challenged further, there's a lot of replay value to be found here. For fans of shooters, this is definitely a worthy title to have in their collection.