Killzone 2

Hype can be a deadly uncontrollable disease to a videogame, it can ruin a games enjoyment within seconds and in today's tough financial times, destroy a whole development studio. As the gaming industry gets bigger and bigger each year, the expectation of gamers do to. Gamers expect more for their hard earned buck nowadays and already hype as killed off many a game in these past two years alone. Though one could argue that often, it's the developers themselves who hype their own titles up so much, that on occasion there bound to fall off the videogame cliff. This is a issue that's been surrounding the Playstation 3 exclusive First-Person Shooter Killzone 2 ever since Sony first showed off the now infamous CG trailer back at E3 2005. Those that can recall the famous 'Halo Killer' trademark that Sony placed upon the original Playstation 2 Killzone, will have also watched that CG trailer with a dash of caution. Now after five years in development, does Killzone 2 fail to live up to expectations or rise to the hype that as challenged it to be of the PS3's finest titles to date. 

Like many gamers, Sony have walked with some caution when discussing Killzone 2. Despite it being a potential money making exclusive for the company, it's clear the've learnt their lessons from the original Killzone and have been limiting the power of their own special hype machine. For some this as been a odd choice for Sony to make, but it still makes perfect sense to me. If more deverlopers/distributors let their games do the talking, the videogame World would be a much better place for all. But onto the game itself, for most Killzone 2 as always been about the graphics. Developers Guerilla Games have reached high in recreating the same visual class as the CG trailers back in 05 and for that you have to great them great credit. One thing is for sure though, Killzone 2 is one of the best looking videogames of today and I includes PC titles in such a list. It's easily the best looking console game out there and for it to run aswell as it does, also goes to show that in the right hands. The PS3 can indeed be a powerful system, even if it does take five years to get it all working together. But of course videogames aren't totally about how they look, and thankfully Killzone 2 plays as great as it looks. 

Though the Killzone Universe isn't as well known as say the Universe of Halo, it does offer some interesting twists and there is potential for a much deeper story to be told. In Killzone 2's single player game you play as Sgt. Tomas 'Sev' Sevchenko who is part of Alpha Squad, your fellow squad members become key figures to the overall game even if the story offerred isn't anything Oscar winning. Your squad varies in character from the foul mouthed Cpl. Shawn Natko to the somewhat aggravating Sgt. Rico Velasquez, the squad also includes Cpl. Dante Garza who is one of the more likable characters you'll interact with in Killzone 2's solid single campaign. I shall admit to growing a pure dislike to the character of Rico Velasquez, he is one of those gaming characters you'll love or eventually hate with passion, and sadly I count myself totally as a hater. This is partly because his dialogue can feel a little to 'All-American' and he never seems like a particular good leader to me, but these views are of course my own and have nothing to do with the game itself. But what was a little disappointing was the lack of story or lore within the game, even though the game as a solid if somewhat generic storyline I couldn't help but feel a much richer method of storytelling could have been used. As the Killzone Universe in itself seems like an interesting one. As 'Sev' your part of an ISA invasion of the Helghast homeworld of Helghan, as the ISA looks to finish off the Helghast for good. Those that played the original Killzone game on PS2 will know that it was the Helghast who attacked the homeworld of the ISA, so you have good motive for going on your Helghast killing rampage. Of course things are not that simple and you quickly realise it won't be as easy as your leaders told you it would be as the Helghast aren't ready for the ISA to simply walk into power. 

If there is indeed one issue that lets the single player campaign down, it would have to be the real lack of story within the actual campaign. Yes things do occur and deaths happen, but you can't help but feel that certain story arcs were stamped on at the last minute and not everything you do makes that much sense. This is a bigger issue then it should be simply because the World created by Guerilla Games is honestly interesting and it would have been nice to learn more of the Helghast who are one of the most unique enemies I have come across for a good while. It's clear that the developers drew influences from the Soviet Union to the Nazi Regime and it all honestly works so well that you kind of wish you could experience things from their side of the wall. On the other hand, the ISA can feel a little generic, not entirely helped by some lackluster dialogue from time to time. It frustrated me that Killzone 2 had so much storytelling potentially but for the most part played it safe and hoped you'd just like the graphics and gameplay. It does feature some stunning moments but nothing heavily driven by the story, nothing like the thrills and enjoyment of Metal Gear Solid 4. But let's hope this is an issue resolved in future installments as I actually have more interest in the Universe and lore created by Guerilla Games then the fiction and lore found in the Halo franchise. So the single player campaign on ocassion suffers from the same generic FPS experience, but that isn't such a huge issue when you actually get to see what Killzone 2 as to offer as a whole package. Generally it plays brilliant, it will take you sometime to adjust to and the game does give you some sensitivity control options as Killzone 2's controls can actually feel heavy and slow. Though eventually most gamers will get use to the way it plays, just be prepared to feel a little strange when you return to Call of Duty 4 after spending sometime with Killzone 2. One large thing to note though, is how much better a shooter it feltcompared to Insomniac Games Resistance 2 which never sat confortably for me. The Sixaxis Dualshock controller seems to suit Killzone 2's slower gameplay better then the experience offered in the original Resistance and it's sequel. 

So does Killzone 2 add anything worthy of great mention, well yes indeed it does. For most gamers 'cover' as been a very next generation game mechanic. I myself can only think of first seeing it used in Ubisoft's Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter when the Xbox 360 first launched (though I maybe wrong). Now a cover system is a common sight in videogames, though not to often in first-person shooters. Yet Killzone 2 as somehow made them work, partly thanks to the games differculty which can drive you insane. Not because it's honestly that tough, but because the game features a poor method of health representation. It technically uses the now common regenerating health but the trouble lies in the way that Killzone 2 shows how much life you have or how close you are to death. Blood appears at the sides of the screen and eventually your world goes grey until finally you fall down dead, this technique works in theory though it's tough to really tell how far from death you are and on many occasions I was never clear on how my character was doing so I would go behind cover instantly after being hit once or twice. For some gamers, this will frustrate but it's always best to play it safe and take cover as often as you can. You won't get far in Killzone 2 if you go running into rooms filled with soldiers of the Helghast. 

 Weapons on first sight can feel somewhat generic, though after a while using them all you realise that they all have some depth and a number of specific weapons are honestly a blast to use. Your main key weapon is the ISA rifle which is a pleasure to fire, it's both precise and deadly. While other weapons such as the flamethrower and bolt gun are fun. The most interesting and overall enjoyable weapon as to be the electronic shock gun of the Helghast, this unlimited ammo beast is only playable for a short level in the game but there's a lot of enjoyment to be had with it. Though it's not quite the Half Life 2 gravity gun, it sure will please those looking some some depth in their Helghast murdering weapons. Sev can actually only hold one primary weapon at a time with a pistol as a safe guard, this isn't such a problem but it is a little frustrating when you eventually have to lose your trusty rifle and pick up a grenade launcher because you know you'll eventually be forced to use it. Though the design decision to be only allowed one primary weapon doesn't make great sense, you eventually adjust your play style or simply improve your pistol skills so that you'll never be without a solid weapon throughout the game, not to mention the fact that you can always use the Helghast's own rifles and varied weapons. 

Killzone 2's single player campaign will last you a good 8-10 hours and they are indeed enjoyable ones. It's cover system does offer something new even though it's clearly not optimized and it plays well overall. It seems perfectly suited to the Sixaxis Dualshock controller and it's slower more patient pace is welcomed in an age where faster more insane gameplay is the norm in such a genre of videogames. But all in all what might keep you returning back to Killzone 2 is it's fantastic multiplayer mechanic which offers a slightly new twist on common modes that have been the heart of the FPS Multiplayer genre for almost all it's existence. For in Killzone 2's multiplayer component, you are set in one of the games many maps where you take part in the usual team deathmatch and capture the flag style modes. The actual twist is that such gameplay modes change within the actual match, so for five minutes you can be playing team deathmatch when suddenly your next looking to assassinate one of the opposite team members, then after another five minutes you could end up protecting certain locations on a map in the same style as the classicBattlefield games. These modes do vary but it's the simple fact that they interwine so well that makes the games multiplayer mode so fresh. Infact I suspect it will be as popular as Call of Duty 4, which is still the most played multiplayer game out there. 

There is of course a little more to multiplayer, Killzone 2's multiplayer mode wouldn't be without a class system and the one on offer is both deep and quite unique in it's own form. Though you level up in the same vain as say Call of Duty 4, the leveling system feels a little more deeper and eventually you can unlock different badges (classes) that vary from Medic or Engineer to the unique Saboteur and Sniper which both come with some nice little additions to their arsenal. Most FPS fans will find a lot to like about Killzone 2's multiplayer mode, it runs well and looks as stunning as the single player campaign. There are a few minor issues but there so minor that there not really worth mentioning in this already long review. This mode in itself lives up to the hype it recieved while in beta and despite not including any form of free for all modes, the teamplay and overall experience is worth the full retail price alone. It's a mode you will be returning to again and again, even if you don't count yourself a great FPS player. Just be prepared to adjust to Killzone 2's slightly slower pace, especially if your just coming off Call of Duty 4. 

So overall does Killzone 2 live up the years of hype? technically yes. Though it doesn't feel as massive a jump gameplay wise as it does graphically, there is still so much for any PS3 owner to fall in love with. The single player campaign is considerable fun even if it didn't offer the full experience I was hoping for and multiplayer is both thrilling and unique which is indeed special in a time when it's so easy for developers to rely on being generic. The game sounds brilliant, with some top voicework and it's hard to really heavily critise anything specific because so much as been done well. While the fanboys of this generation will still question the Playstation 3's power, it's clear that in the right hands it can be a beast of a machine that can easily pull off such smashing titles as Killzone 2. This is a PS3 must buy for all.