Entering the fray at last, but will it make a name for itself?
Format: PS3 Dev: Guerrilla Games Pub: Sony Out: 27/02/09 Players: 1, 2-32 online
Tentatively peeking over a supply crate, you survey the chaos before you as the blaring red eyes of your enemy close in on your position. Flames and explosions in every direction. Allies brutally shot to pieces by submachine gun fire. Overhead lightning violently sparks, momentarily illuminating the rest of the battlefield through the dust and gaseous winds. Stealing yourself as you’re treated to another flashy reload animation, you target a grenade at the enemy’s ranks, jump over the crate and once again throw yourself into the punishing theatre of war.
Killzone 2, the illusive victim of console-defining hype and years of trailer-drooling expectation, has at last arrived. Making little attempt to highlight the events of previous games (though fans will recognise familiar faces and a supplement of Liberation’s plot points) you’re literally dropped into a whirlwind FPS experience. The Helghast, the helmet wearing, rubber suited nasties, and originally descendent of human ancestors, have slunk back to their home world after failing to occupy ISA colony, Vekta. Two years later, the ISA wants payback, so it’s off to planet Helghan to put an end to this war… once and for all.
Following the slow paced ‘Corinth River’, things really get going as hero Sev and his potty-mouthed Alpha squad teammates – Rico, Garza and Natko – are forced into the dark, urban bowels of the capital. Killzone 2 is easily the best display of technical finesse seen yet on PS3. Maelstroms of vivid visuals infuse real depth and awe throughout the game. Subtle shadows flicker across the world, muzzles flash brilliantly when you shoot and explosions emit dazzling particle effects. Your mission to capture maniacal dictator, Scholar Visari, will take you to an abandoned mining facility, underground tunnels, supply trains, defending ISA cruisers and traversing the barren wastes of Helghan itself.
As a shooter Killzone 2 is a much more tactical and demanding affair. Using cover effectively is as essential as learning to trust burst fire and adjusting to the frequent reloads. Holding down the L2 trigger will have you duck behind most debris or walls. Pushing the left stick up or to the side then gives you freedom to target foes from marginal safety. Grenades can be charged by delaying their release a few seconds. The Helghast relish the chance to get their stormtrooper-like faces right up in your HD screen. Misjudging a melee attack or underestimating the enemy’s flanking manoeuvres will see you suffer for the simplest mistake. It’s worth fiddling with the control configuration a bit too, if you find ducking, close combat, zooming and shooting a bewildering task.
Few games give you such satisfaction as Killzone 2 does when firing your weapon. Thunderous sound effects make each boom stick noticeably different and the effect they have on your malignant adversaries is equally striking. A quick shot to the leg will have the Helghast limping to stead himself, spitting taunts and curses, while a full on clip into the his tough body will see him reverberating like some demented puppet on strings, clumps of thick blood matting on the ground. Guerrilla have expertly meddled ragdoll physics with real-time hit response animations to create deaths that are frighteningly believable.
Of the dozen or so rifles, shotguns, submachine guns and rocket launchers, you’ll soon come to value the standard ISA assault rifle in most situations. The fact that you can only carry two weapons – a pistol and primary weapon of your choice – almost becomes a contentious issue in later levels. Fortunately well placed stocks keep you kitted out. Props to the spine-tingling electric gun, which is acquired at the perfect moment and almost makes accuracy a thing of the past! Sixaxis control doesn’t spoil the experience, simply being confined to setting detonators and turning valves.
You’ll face some reasonably straight forward boss encounters, which usually require a two-stage approach. For instance, a sentry bot has to be disabled by shooting some electric coils, before sending it to the scrapheap with a few rockets. No real challenge for knowledgeable players, but a blast nonetheless. All of the locations suit the game’s evocative art direction and just when you start to get a little tired of one area you’re off to another. Some vehicle and rail shooting sections add more well-timed variety but don’t outstay their welcome.
It’s not perfect though. The story is enjoyable for the most part, but the constant swearing from all of the characters makes it hard to really connect with them. However, by far the worst culprit is the infuriating slog leading up to the final boss – locked in a chamber with waves of enemies attacking you. For all Killzone 2’s millions this is one of the most uninspired design decisions in the game and somewhat dulls the campaign after several exceptional highpoints. Lack of co-op play is also a severe disappointment.
Despite a few sore spots, Guerrilla has succeeded in creating a prominent showpiece for PS3. I played the offline skirmish mode briefly, but expect a more rounded verdict of the online multiplayer in the near future. The bottom line is Killzone 2 is an absolutely phenomenal first-person shooter experience, with production values as high as a Helghan warship. The ten level campaign and modes on offer here are sure to keep you fighting. It’s been a long time coming, but the journey to Helghan has been well worth the wait.
Aaron Lee
[Originally published on Tuesday, 24 February 2009]
