Killzone 2 Review
Reputations are everything, without one you’re nothing. Think the Mafia would be as feared had they not left people swimming with the fishes or having horse heads as bedfellows? Would Jesus himself be as almighty had he not performed a few miracles along the way? Methinks not somehow. You see a reputation is hard to get, and even harder to keep; just ask Sony and Killzone developers Guerilla Games.
Having successfully won the console wars of previous generations with the Playstation 1 and 2, The Playstation 3 came out flexing its muscles showing off what it could do, showcasing ‘in game graphics’ of future games… One of them was Killzone. Problem was it wasn’t in game.
What followed is somewhat ridiculous, but no less significant. Forums lit up across the world of how Sony had “Lied” or “betrayed” the fans while Xbox fan boys worldwide rejoiced having new fuel for the fire. Sony and Killzone’s reputation lay battered grasping at straws branding the footage ‘potential’ of what the Playstation 3 could offer.
Roll forward and Killzone 2 has a lot to prove, Sony needs it to do well, losing exclusives like GTA IV, Final Fantasy to the realms of multi format. Killzone 2 is one of the few aces up Sony’s sleeve, thankfully Killzone isn’t a solitary ace its whole handful!
Graphically the game sings from the highest hilltop straight from the start, with a cinematic reminecent of Half life 2 G – Man intro. The comparison though between the two games graphically is startling; showing the advance and shear brute force of next gen visuals. The cinematic continues setting the scene for the gamer with the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance (ISA) assault on Helghan. The gamer takes the role of Sev and sandwiched between the prologue cinematic and “that scene” the player goes through the initial training, learning basic controls.
The potential footage which initially showcased the game, is a very distant memory by the time you actually see it recreated. In truth is not quite as good as the initial demo may have suggested, but it is 99.9% there.
Guerrilla Games success straight from the off is the visual impact on the gamer, beautifully setting the scene, tone and atmosphere before the gamer even picks up the pad. The beauty can be accredited to the deferred shading engine which has given the developer greater scope with the game’s lighting palette, creating realistic shadows and lighting on every aspect of the game.
Killzone 2 also has a more ethereal quality though, going far beyond mere graphics, and that is in the creation of the Helghan enemy. They have a symbolic quality similar to Star Wars Stormtroopers, hinting at World War 2 German uniforms, yet redefined in a modern guise. Horror and aggression combine making the gamer feel almost duty bound to “defend” their fellow troops.
The original Killzone was a critical success, but aspects of its gameplay did plague the title and this is no different with its successor. The Helghan forces still take immense fire power to destroy; in playing we shot several Helghan in the head multiple times only to see them advance towards us. This decision made by the developers is an attempt to show them as a ‘super soldier’; however this proves infuriating especially in the latter stages of the game. That aside though the gamer is never felt lacking of weaponry when dispatching the advancing hordes.
Controls in Killzone are a mixed bag, and indeed the default setting proved awkward with R3 being designated for zoom and R1 for primary fire. This feels forced and uneasy especially for gamers used to more established First Person Shooters such as Rainbow Six and the Call of Duty series. Thankfully the Developers have included a variety of control schemes within the option which offer the gamer a control scheme which will almost suit any gamer’s personal tastes.
Once done the gamer is away and Killzone follows the script of FPS, The initial chaos and group attacks break off into individual tasks which allows the game to have an effective pace, not being overly foreboding and building in significant periods of relative calm for the gamer to take it all in.
Multiplayer is another treat that awaits the gamers of Killzone 2, and is perhaps Killzone’s strongest card offering a class based system whereby the gamer has the choice of five different game types including Assassination, Search & Retrieve, Search & Destroy, Body count and Capture & Hold. This may sound standard, but throw into the mix the ability of 2 – 32 player games then you’ve got a multiplayer experience that any gamer can access.
So does Killzone restore its somewhat tarnished reputation? Yes certainly to some degree. The game excels graphically and is a true beauty of a game, showcasing what can be achieved with the current Hardware power that the Playstation 3 offers. Guerrilla Games has produced a good game, a great game certainly, but definitely not revolutionary. Fans of the Genre will love it for sure and Killzone 2 is well worth a purchase, but whether it will offer Sony the Console seller it hoped only time will tell.
- guesty81
Related posts:
- Eyepet Review Plastic football pitches, Beta max, shell suits, CD Rom encyclopedias...
- Call Of Duty Classic Review The second World War is so overdone. You hear this...
- TRASH PANIC Review Marriage is an interesting old thing, you take on responsibility...
- God of War Collection Review Sat in a Cinema which was packed, watching a brutal...
- Dante’s Inferno Review Hell takes many forms they say, and how wise ‘they’...
