My work and Sony was kind enough to give me copy of Killzone 2 before it's release... now in my previous blog I did say that Killzone 2 didn't do much for me and whilst I am about halfway through the game my overall impression still hasn't changed dramatically, however, the full game is a much more enjoyable experience than the demo (you'd thought we'd have learnt by now considering Burnout Paradise).

Now I know that this is sorta sounding like a review and it probably is but given my work and my other commitments plus my lack of gaming time combined with an inkling to write something but not enough time to go in depth I think doing these sorta Blogviews from now on is the way to satisfy this craving of mine.  Anyway back to the game.

Now from a technical stand point there a some Amazing Lighting effects... explosions... smoke and stuff like that but the overall presentation of its environments and character models do leave a little bit to be desired... Sony might want to go back and use MGS4 as it flagship because that game was a complete technical achievement in all aspects of its presentation... at the end of the day MGS4 is much much sexier to look at.

Level Design... and this is where the game losses it for me... Concrete... more concrete.... warehouse... destroyed buildings... concrete... concrete... concrete.... F***ing concrete... so so so much concrete. I mean a typical shooter game now a days has that shiping yard or warehouse level imbeded in it and they are never really the strongest point of the game itself.  But when the whole game uses the same environment over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over again.  Now I have just hit a level where the environment changed a little bit but its a wasteland with more concrete aaaarrrrrhhhhhh.
Now whilst the online aspect isn't fully operational (which is funny cause there are a lot of reviews coming up saying the multiplayer is the bees knees but chances are they haven't played it online cause it's not working yet... I hate those reviewers) I jumped onto some bot matches and looked through the levels and here is my problem, number one there isn't a lot levels and number 2 all the levels look the same and guess which material occupys them the most.... that's right concrete.

The gameplay is its saving grace... first and foremost gameplay wise there is nothing new here when it comes to shooters it doesn't raise the bar by any means. It does however combine all the things that other shooters have done well in the past and execute those aspects and executes well. There as some exeellent and intense battle sequences which make you feel like you are apart of something bigger, but this feeling is lived far and few between most of the instances where you forced to solo off and do you thing Rambo style. So if you are looking for a revolutionary shooter experience Killzone 2 is not it.  If you are looking for a solid shooter, Killzone 2 will keep you happy.  The story itself is a bit mish mash which is disappointing considering the original Killzone did have a very interesting premise.

Overall Killzone 2 is a solid shooter, but combined with it's unispired level design and a sweet and sour technical presentation, doesn't give Killzone 2 the right to claim King of Shooters, but it can stand there with best of them.