Killzone 2 Review - PS3

Previewed, somewhat controversially at the E3 exhibition back in 2005, Killzone 2 has a had a long road to it's release date. The game has been in development for at least 4 years and has often been hyped as the next big thing to hit the Playstation 3. Whilst two Resistance titles have come and gone, its Killzone 2 that most 'shoot 'em up' fans have been waiting for.

The title picks up after the events depicted in both Killzone (PS2) and Killzone: Liberation (PSP). Luckily (for me anyway), it doesn't matter if you haven't played the previous titles, as the plot so far is clearly laid out in a rather impressive introduction sequence (featuring the vocal talents of Brian Cox no less).

Charged with leading the ISA assault against the Helghast and the capture the Helghan Emperor Scolar Visari, you take control of the character Sergeant Tomas "Sev" Sevchenko. As you progress through the game, it becomes clear that Helghast have adapted to the planet of Helghan so well, that they are using its resources to fight against the ISA.

One of the first things that strikes you with Killzone 2 is the controls. It has got to be said that compared to other first person shooters, they are somewhat strange and they do take a while to get used to. Having said that, there is some very innovative use of the SIAXISS controls – a feature that is criminally underused these days.

Graphically, the game is outstanding and pushes the PS3 to its limits. This doesn't always work in its favour, as understandably a few corners had to been cut here and there. When you revive downed comrades you have to fire a resuscitation beam at them, which looks like it has jumped straight out of my old ZX Spectrum. Another gripe is the yellow goo that comes out of the flame-thrower when you fire it - again, this looks somewhat dated and half finished.

Loading times are also a little bit of an issue - what with Guerilla (the developers) having opted to keep everything on the disc, without the need for any installation. Quite a baffling decision, but having said that, the loading times only delay the flow of game for a second or two, which is nothing major, but still noticeable none the less.

However, these are only minor snags and the rest of the game plays flawlessly. The AI is very impressive. The Helghast come in a variety of forms, with each type having its own speciality. For example, the standard soldiers take cover and try to take you out from a distance, where as the shook troopers will throw grenades in an attempt to distract you and flank you out. This mixture gives the game interesting dynamic and forces you to assess the situation before running in and blowing everything up to kingdom come. The trick is to use the cover system by pressing L2. Doing this enables your character to attach himself to walls, pillars and barricades (basically, anything you can hide behind). One neat trick is that when taking cover, you can pop your head round to see where your enemie are situated, a nice little mechanic that adds a touch of realism to the experience.

The Helghast have vast amounts of character as well. They shout out taunts, telling you in grouchy, evil voice that “you're gonna die!” and when you retaliate with a few shots of your own, they curse and swear at you (with statements that I cannot repeat here, this is a family website). It is a shame that the developers didn't put the same amount of attention with the ISA comrades that accompany Sev. Whilst for the most part they do their job well – giving the game a co-op feel to the proceedings, they do have annoying habit of getting injured and shouting out “I'm hurt, I need help”, quite often at a moment when you are just about to move forward with your assault.

A lot of attention has been put into the sound design too. Not only do you hear the mechanics of your guns when you fire, but if your magazine starts to run out, your gun begins to sound hollow, as if it is warning you that you will need to reload shortly. The music score to this game is also very effective and dramatic, sounding like a Hollywood soundtrack, the sort of work you'd expect from John Williams or Hans Zimmer.

Overall, Killzone 2 is an impressive first person shooter that pushes the Playstation 3's graphical power to it's limits. By no means is it a major leap ahead for the genre, but I'd say it is definitely worth your time. Go check it out.

Verdict: 9 out of 10

The Good
- Great graphics
- Good use of SIAXISS
- Great sound design
- Strong single player campaign

The Bad
- Controls take a lot of getting used to
- ISA comrades die... a lot....

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