Killzone 2 has had a lot of hype, which is odd considering the first one wasn't actually that good. Yes, the plot was neat, but the execution of the game was poor. How exactly Killzone 2 was made the next flagship title of the PS3 I'll never know, but here's a review for it.
Plot Summary:
You play as a Space Marine (but not a genetically engineered Super-Human one) named 'Sev'. You are part of the first wave of an invasion force to claim the world of Helghan, home of the Helghast.
Your superiors say it should be a cakewalk, so you can guarantee a botch from day one. And it does botch; over and over again. The whole operation fucks up, and... that's about it.
Unfortunately, I can't really say much else. Partly because I don't want to spoil any of the big events (which are truly awesome), but also because there literally is nothing else to this game; you're fighting a campaign that fucks up at every turn.
Don't get me wrong, the story is very enjoyable indeed... it's just not overly complex. So long as you don't go into it expecting Half Life 2 level of writing, or the Helghast to turn out to be space zombies from another dimension, you'll be alright.
Game Mechanics:
I am truly loathed to use a phrase like "the game mechanics are perfect", because they aren't. In particular, the game seems to be choosy about whether or not you're allowed to shoot the guy whose face occupies the centre of your sniper scope. It seems that the game uses a realistic mechanic whereby your shot comes from below your reticule, not out of it. This is indeed more realistic, but it does piss you off when you really, really need to snipe the guy with the RPG.
That said, everything else works nicely. The game moves smoothly, the controls are responsive and everything is polished to perfection. It all handles very nicely indeed.
Special mention has to go to the interactive environments. You'll be surprised at how much you can blow up, smash or dent. Plastic bottles, for example, squish when you hit them.
Killzone 2 has also chosen to make use of the Sixaxis capabilities of the PS3. This is primarily used for two tasks; opening valves and planting demo charges. It's a nice little feature, and whilst I'd probably have preferred them not to include it (it just wastes time), it doesn't really feel forced or disruptive to play.
The Sixaxis also has another function; sniping. When sniping, moving your controller throws your aim off, so you've got to keep it very still. However, I found that by very carefully tilting the controller, I could perform extremely fine adjustments to my shot; perfect when sniping a machine gun nest. In the hands of an experienced sniper, I can see this being very, very useful indeed.
Graphics:
God like. From start to finish, it is a visual masterpiece.
AI:
Killzone 2 has managed to make the enemy AI very good, but your allies total arseholes.
Friendly AI will do everything in their power to make things harder for you. They get in your way, they block vital corridors, they stop you using the cover you need and then they expect you to revive them when they get shot.
The epitome of this is Rico. Rico is a fucktard. He's the big angry black guy of the group, and he pissed the hell out of me from the word go. He is a total dipshit, his dialogue is idiotic, and he takes every opportunity in both gameplay and FMV sequences to cluster-fuck everything he can. He is the poster child for racial purging, and I despise him more than any other character... even the boss that took 27 lives to defeat.
Thankfully, the AI on the Helghast side is much better. Their script is excellent, ranging from overheard snippits of talk between squaddies to the battle-chatter as they fight.
They make excellent use of cover, they use grenades well (but not so often that it'll piss you off), and best of all they don't all magically shoot at you and only you, despite there being two dozen other, closer targets to go for; this was a major failing of Resistance 2, but not so in Killzone 2.
Weaponry:
Killzone 2 handles weaponry a little different to most. You have two weapons, as usual, but you can only ever swap out your Primary weapon. Your secondary is always an infinite-ammo pistol. The Magnum is, thankfully, a useful weapon to have on hand, and it's pretty accurate for sniping too.
The main weapons are mostly machine guns of varying levels of power, accuracy and ammo capacity. There's a shotgun, naturally, a bolt-action rifle that's sort of good for sniping, the Sniper Rifle, the Grenade Launcher, the Missile Launcher, the Flamethrower (really fun) and the Lightning Gun (insanely fun). All the weapons have their own uses, with your default rifle making up for lack of power with accuracy. However, you'll probably just use whatever weapon the Helghast have, as that'll be the one you'll find all the ammo for.
The only complaint I have with the weapons is the Lightning Gun wasn't around half as much as it should have been; it's such a bloody fun weapon!
Multiplayer:
Killzone 2's Multiplayer looks sound in theory. I say 'in theory' because I've only played a few games, so I'm not going to say one way or the other. However, so far I'm finding it a touch unforgiving; maybe I'm just not used to it, but I seem to get slaughtered every time I go into a gunfight. The respawn time feels just a second too long, and it uses a 'base' system that leaves you respawning five minutes away from the action. As I say, I probably just need to give it more time.
Skirmish Mode:
This is Online Multiplayer for one. You can add up to 15 Bots, and play against them in any Multiplayer map, and doing any Multiplayer mission. Perfect for those who want to rack up some combat experience without humiliating themselves online... or for those who just hate social interaction.
Since I've always felt any FPS without Bots is fundamentally flawed, I'm really happy to see this.
The Really Big Fuck-Up Of Killzone 2:
It has to be said, Killzone 2 is really, really flawed in one critical area, and that is...
Summary:
For the reasons given in the spoiler, I find it hard to give an overall review for Killzone 2. Mechanically, it is probably the best FPS out there. It often feels like it's trying to be Gears of War, and the similarities in some places are frightening, but it manages to deliver an excellent gaming experience. For players who froth at the mouth and scream for GRIT and REALISM, the game is probably exactly what you're looking for.
However, a part of me thinks that someone at Sony went down to Guerilla Games and said "This is getting released before March 2009 whether it's finished or not!". The result is predictable; an unfinished game. It's not that there are blatant flaws, or horrific bugs, or a Multiplayer that feels 'tacked on' just as the game was going into production... it just feels like the game ends too soon.
If you're a die-hard Killzone fan, you'll probably love it regardless.
If you want a solid, team-based bloodbath of a Multiplayer game, it's perfect for you.
If you have no god-damn clue who the Helghast are, or what they're about, you can still pick it up.
Rating:
If the story isn't important, and gameplay is all that matters to you, you should have pre-ordered this game. In fact, you shouldn't have read this review; you should have been playing Killzone 2. Bad gamer, bad!
If you're a graphics whore, this game needs to be in your collection. You'll probably want to build a small monument to it, and worship it from time to time.
If story is everything to you, rent it. It will thrill you, it will wow you, it will suck you in... then it will fuck you and leave you in the gutter. Killzone 2's single player mode knocks you up then ditches you when it finds you're pregnant; it's the douchebag jock of the gaming world.
For everyone else... buy it. If you see yourself as a 'casual' gamer, or an 'average' gamer, or whatever tag you want to use, Killzone 2 won't be out of place in your game collection.
Oh, and when I've given the Multiplayer a proper go, I'll tell you all how it is.
Plot Summary:
You play as a Space Marine (but not a genetically engineered Super-Human one) named 'Sev'. You are part of the first wave of an invasion force to claim the world of Helghan, home of the Helghast.
Your superiors say it should be a cakewalk, so you can guarantee a botch from day one. And it does botch; over and over again. The whole operation fucks up, and... that's about it.
Unfortunately, I can't really say much else. Partly because I don't want to spoil any of the big events (which are truly awesome), but also because there literally is nothing else to this game; you're fighting a campaign that fucks up at every turn.
Don't get me wrong, the story is very enjoyable indeed... it's just not overly complex. So long as you don't go into it expecting Half Life 2 level of writing, or the Helghast to turn out to be space zombies from another dimension, you'll be alright.
Game Mechanics:
I am truly loathed to use a phrase like "the game mechanics are perfect", because they aren't. In particular, the game seems to be choosy about whether or not you're allowed to shoot the guy whose face occupies the centre of your sniper scope. It seems that the game uses a realistic mechanic whereby your shot comes from below your reticule, not out of it. This is indeed more realistic, but it does piss you off when you really, really need to snipe the guy with the RPG.
That said, everything else works nicely. The game moves smoothly, the controls are responsive and everything is polished to perfection. It all handles very nicely indeed.
Special mention has to go to the interactive environments. You'll be surprised at how much you can blow up, smash or dent. Plastic bottles, for example, squish when you hit them.
Killzone 2 has also chosen to make use of the Sixaxis capabilities of the PS3. This is primarily used for two tasks; opening valves and planting demo charges. It's a nice little feature, and whilst I'd probably have preferred them not to include it (it just wastes time), it doesn't really feel forced or disruptive to play.
The Sixaxis also has another function; sniping. When sniping, moving your controller throws your aim off, so you've got to keep it very still. However, I found that by very carefully tilting the controller, I could perform extremely fine adjustments to my shot; perfect when sniping a machine gun nest. In the hands of an experienced sniper, I can see this being very, very useful indeed.
Graphics:
God like. From start to finish, it is a visual masterpiece.
AI:
Killzone 2 has managed to make the enemy AI very good, but your allies total arseholes.
Friendly AI will do everything in their power to make things harder for you. They get in your way, they block vital corridors, they stop you using the cover you need and then they expect you to revive them when they get shot.
The epitome of this is Rico. Rico is a fucktard. He's the big angry black guy of the group, and he pissed the hell out of me from the word go. He is a total dipshit, his dialogue is idiotic, and he takes every opportunity in both gameplay and FMV sequences to cluster-fuck everything he can. He is the poster child for racial purging, and I despise him more than any other character... even the boss that took 27 lives to defeat.
Thankfully, the AI on the Helghast side is much better. Their script is excellent, ranging from overheard snippits of talk between squaddies to the battle-chatter as they fight.
They make excellent use of cover, they use grenades well (but not so often that it'll piss you off), and best of all they don't all magically shoot at you and only you, despite there being two dozen other, closer targets to go for; this was a major failing of Resistance 2, but not so in Killzone 2.
Weaponry:
Killzone 2 handles weaponry a little different to most. You have two weapons, as usual, but you can only ever swap out your Primary weapon. Your secondary is always an infinite-ammo pistol. The Magnum is, thankfully, a useful weapon to have on hand, and it's pretty accurate for sniping too.
The main weapons are mostly machine guns of varying levels of power, accuracy and ammo capacity. There's a shotgun, naturally, a bolt-action rifle that's sort of good for sniping, the Sniper Rifle, the Grenade Launcher, the Missile Launcher, the Flamethrower (really fun) and the Lightning Gun (insanely fun). All the weapons have their own uses, with your default rifle making up for lack of power with accuracy. However, you'll probably just use whatever weapon the Helghast have, as that'll be the one you'll find all the ammo for.
The only complaint I have with the weapons is the Lightning Gun wasn't around half as much as it should have been; it's such a bloody fun weapon!
Multiplayer:
Killzone 2's Multiplayer looks sound in theory. I say 'in theory' because I've only played a few games, so I'm not going to say one way or the other. However, so far I'm finding it a touch unforgiving; maybe I'm just not used to it, but I seem to get slaughtered every time I go into a gunfight. The respawn time feels just a second too long, and it uses a 'base' system that leaves you respawning five minutes away from the action. As I say, I probably just need to give it more time.
Skirmish Mode:
This is Online Multiplayer for one. You can add up to 15 Bots, and play against them in any Multiplayer map, and doing any Multiplayer mission. Perfect for those who want to rack up some combat experience without humiliating themselves online... or for those who just hate social interaction.
Since I've always felt any FPS without Bots is fundamentally flawed, I'm really happy to see this.
The Really Big Fuck-Up Of Killzone 2:
It has to be said, Killzone 2 is really, really flawed in one critical area, and that is...
The ending. Sergeant 'I'm a fucking retard' Rico blows away the leader of the Helghast, thus destroying any hope of retaining order on the planet. Then, as Sev walks away despairing at the fact Rico's parents never drowned him in the bathtub, a massive Helghast fleet shows up.
Then it ends. That's it. Fucking huge cliffhanger and a Game Over screen when we should have been halfway in at best. The game is just too damn short! I beat it in around seven hours, and that includes dabbling in the multiplayer and stopping twice for meals. That leaves... four and a half to five hours in the Campaign mode.
The game doesn't just feel rushed, it feels unfinished! Sev was developing into a real, believable character, Rico was about to be shot (that's how it played out in my head), and there was going to be an even more epic battle than the one we just had. Killzone 2's description on the back of the box promises "a level of hostility no soldier has faced before," but the game ends just before that kicks in.
Then it ends. That's it. Fucking huge cliffhanger and a Game Over screen when we should have been halfway in at best. The game is just too damn short! I beat it in around seven hours, and that includes dabbling in the multiplayer and stopping twice for meals. That leaves... four and a half to five hours in the Campaign mode.
The game doesn't just feel rushed, it feels unfinished! Sev was developing into a real, believable character, Rico was about to be shot (that's how it played out in my head), and there was going to be an even more epic battle than the one we just had. Killzone 2's description on the back of the box promises "a level of hostility no soldier has faced before," but the game ends just before that kicks in.
Summary:
For the reasons given in the spoiler, I find it hard to give an overall review for Killzone 2. Mechanically, it is probably the best FPS out there. It often feels like it's trying to be Gears of War, and the similarities in some places are frightening, but it manages to deliver an excellent gaming experience. For players who froth at the mouth and scream for GRIT and REALISM, the game is probably exactly what you're looking for.
However, a part of me thinks that someone at Sony went down to Guerilla Games and said "This is getting released before March 2009 whether it's finished or not!". The result is predictable; an unfinished game. It's not that there are blatant flaws, or horrific bugs, or a Multiplayer that feels 'tacked on' just as the game was going into production... it just feels like the game ends too soon.
If you're a die-hard Killzone fan, you'll probably love it regardless.
If you want a solid, team-based bloodbath of a Multiplayer game, it's perfect for you.
If you have no god-damn clue who the Helghast are, or what they're about, you can still pick it up.
Rating:
If the story isn't important, and gameplay is all that matters to you, you should have pre-ordered this game. In fact, you shouldn't have read this review; you should have been playing Killzone 2. Bad gamer, bad!
If you're a graphics whore, this game needs to be in your collection. You'll probably want to build a small monument to it, and worship it from time to time.
If story is everything to you, rent it. It will thrill you, it will wow you, it will suck you in... then it will fuck you and leave you in the gutter. Killzone 2's single player mode knocks you up then ditches you when it finds you're pregnant; it's the douchebag jock of the gaming world.
For everyone else... buy it. If you see yourself as a 'casual' gamer, or an 'average' gamer, or whatever tag you want to use, Killzone 2 won't be out of place in your game collection.
Oh, and when I've given the Multiplayer a proper go, I'll tell you all how it is.
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