GamerNode: Reviews - Killzone 2

Killzone 2

• Killzone 2
• PlayStation 3
• Guerrila
• SCEA
• February 27th, 2009

With the release coming nearer and nearer each day, I'm glad to say two things: Killzone 2 doesn't disappoint, and graphically it's just as incredible as most fanboys hoped.

Now, if you've played a lot of the upper tier FPS titles the last two years, chances are Killzone 2 won't do anything too new; you won't have any moments going "Wow, what a great feature!" That's because, like Halo, Killzone 2 doesn't innovate the genre or introduce new features that will be copied for years to come. Instead, the developers took tried and true mechanics, and combined them into a game that may not do anything new, but is spot-on and near-perfect with everything it does do.

As many people know, I'm a stickler for games with great presentation and entertainment; if a game isn't fun, what's the point in playing it? In both areas, Killzone 2 delivers in spades. Outside of the technical prowess of the graphics, the art direction of the game is spectacular. Taking place on the planet of Helghan, the environments are familiar enough to earth that we recognize them, but at the same time little nuances throughout make it clear that this is in fact a foreign world-and that it's a world in the midst of a massive war.

Character animation for both enemy and friendly troops is spectacular, and the ragdoll physics as enemies (and allies) are killed, topple from their places, and hit the ground with a sickening crunch are always entertaining. If there's one area where the graphics fall a little short, it's in the appearance of the Helghast troops. While they do look great, there just isn't a lot of variety like you would expect from a game of this nature. Most of them look like one another, and a wider variety of enemy types would have been nice.

Of course, the prettiest console game in the world would be nothing without an equally impressive audio presentation. In Killzone 2, the environmental sounds are loud, hectic, and easily bring to mind big Hollywood (and foreign) war movies. Bullets collide with structures and cover, enemies grunt and make noise as they exert themselves and die, and the voice acting is largely done impressively. A few minor characters phone-in their lines, but it's not enough to detract from the other characters, and the pure visceral nature of the game's audio more than make up for any brief voice acting shortcomings.

When it comes to entertainment and fun, Killzone 2 hits the right notes. Now, if you're a fan of epic stories that could easily be turned into novels, Killzone 2 isn't the game for you. Instead, think of it as a big-budget action flick. It's entertaining, but not incredibly deep or thought provoking.

In my opinion, that's just what it needed to be. The last several big-name FPS games have had great stories; the timing is right for a game that is 100% about the experience itself, not what's going on in the background. It's also a good move because, to be frank, a large portion of those getting Killzone 2 will have never played the first Killzone. The game makes sense without knowing the the first game, but a lot of small things here and there won't be noticed, and the beginning portions of the game are just confusing to newcomers. So sit back, enjoy the ride, and have fun while playing. No need to try to make sense of the metaphorical meaning of the plot here. Just blow stuff up, shoot some people, and laugh maniacally as both enemies and the environment are destroyed by your guns of righteous fury.

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