Mike Bantick
Tuesday, 03 February 2009 05:27
Entertainment
Page 2 of 4
If you like your fiction science like, the setting for Killzone 2 is pretty good. A Starship Troopers style invasion against an enemy consisting of a wide variety of shock, scout and heavy troops. But, in many ways this game could easily have been set in WWII during the Stalingrad siege. Weapons have a familiar ring to them, and the vehicle sections are ground in 20th century Earth style combat.
The scenery is destructive, and in a very satisfying way. Concrete pillars get chipped away by bullet fire, wooden slats splinter and smash. Cover is blown away and soft cover can be shot-through. At one point and entire building collapses into the street below, magnificent.
The not so good: Remembering this is a early cut of the code, and this first point could easily be considered a good thing, but this game is confusing. War is hell, and you will be thankful for the quick press ‘where is my next objective’ button from time to time
The first tank mission is a case in point, where you are asked to jump in and drive the vehicle because “you’re a better driver than me” says your comrade. So driving the vehicle is easy enough, but working out where to drive it is a whole other story.
The cover system is a little flaky at the moment, ducking behind a wall works, but you are not locked in as in other games, and it takes a bit of practice to blind fire, or even realise you are in cover.
SIXAXIS use feels tacked on, with the player required to grip and then turn valves as part of the motion dection mechanic of the PS3 controller. It feels a little pointless and gimicky.
During the early stages of the game, you are accompanied by other Alpha Squad members, there are no squad controls, and the lads get in the way from time to time. Developer Guerrilla have noted that ‘getting stuck’ is an issue only with the review code, and will be sorted by the games official release date.
Killzone 2 is indeed shaping up as a must-have exclusive for PS3 FPS fans. Whilst it does not push the genre of FPS anywhere, and infact, simplifies it in many ways, Killzone 2 continues the grit and bleak persona of its forebear with the obvious power of the PS3 to present a realisim that is hard to shake from the minds eye. Look for a full-blown report on iTWire once the ringing in my ears subsides.
Screenshots from on Page 3
