Killzone wasn’t a spectacular game. It didn’t get lots of press time, it didn’t turn the tables on how people viewed shooters on the PS2, and it wasn’t special. This begs the question, why is there such an interest in Killzone 2?
Killzone 2 is finally getting ready to actually be released, unbelievably, and I had some time to play it to see just how well it stood against other FPS’s.
It’s graphically appealing, there’s no doubt about it. So far, it looks better than Metal Gear Solid 4 and nearly every game witnessed at E3 this year, and that says a lot.
What Killzone 2 does that is different is using cover in first person view. It makes gameplay harder because taking hits is more realistic, but it also makes it more realistic because cover isn’t just for the AI. The HUD has also been done away with to give a more cinematic experience.
Following the previous Killzone titles, the Hellghast have been pushed off Earth and now Humanity is fighting back, striking those damned alien bastards on their own turf. How exactly it’s happening is still unclear, but we do know that the standard cover and peak gameplay still exists in its truest form. I personally found the controls awkward for a console shooter, being very slow and cumbersome compared to previously played Left 4 Dead, Project Origin and other FPS titles at the show.
Like the previous Killzone titles, nothing really stands out about Killzone 2, at least not yet. So far, the media it’s received has been solely based on its graphical prowess, which may or may not be exceptional by its release. Multiplayer has been confirmed, but little has been said about it. Other than that, no more information has been given about the game.
My personal playtime with Killzone left me unimpressed with the control and gameplay. It certainly is an FPS, and isn’t a bad one at that, but nothing stood out. The cover system isn’t realistic as we've seen in FPS's such as Rainbow Six Vegas where characters put their back to the wall, but it does work without giving anyone motion sickness. My biggest concern was that it didn’t feel like it belonged on the PS3, as if it needs serious fine-tuning for the controller. I felt as if a mouse was necessary for aiming, which is almost always a bad sign for console shooters.
Killzone 2 is set for release exclusively on the PlayStation 3 in February 2009.
