Killzone 2 – Hands On Preview

The first Killzone may not have been the 'Halo-killer' that some of the press coined it back in 2004, it's gameplay distinctly lacking in several places, but there's little doubt that it was perhaps one of the slickest titles to land on the PlayStation 2.  Then in 2005, Sony debuted perhaps one of the most infamous video game trailers in years, showcasing the target visuals for Killzone 2.  The 'is it or isn't it pre-rendered' debate finally ended with a concession from SCE that it wasn't running in real-time, but had used in-game assets with some CGI.

Nearly three years on, and Guerrilla Games' highly-anticipated PlayStation 3 debut is nearing its release, but will it follow its predecessor and fall flat in the face of expectations?  TVG travelled to Alpha Centauri to discover whether the hype is to be believed...

Return Of The Helghast.

Set two years after the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance pushed back the tide of Helghast from the planet Vekta, and now, the ISA are gunning to total victory with a brave and bold strategy to capture their home-world of Helghan, and their leader, Emperor Visari.  Playing as new protagonist Sgt. Tomas “Sev” Sevchenko, gamers will face the ruthless gas-mask wearing adversaries as the mission uncovers the secrets of the Helghan's power.  But enough of its warring sci-fi narrative against the faceless, red-eyed, neo-fascist enemy – how much does it hold up to scrutiny, just ten weeks ahead of release?

Quite simply, Killzone is perhaps the most jaw-droppingly stunning video games produced.  Ever.   Guerrilla has rooted the sequel firmly into a gritty, grainy, and largely desaturated landscape, blasted by the harsh, smoke-filled atmosphere of the Helghast home-world.  No doubt proving a point that they were able to reproduce a level of visuals faithful to the 2005 trailer, there's even a short cut-scene mirroring the air-transport sequence – yes it's true, Guerrilla really can pat themselves on the back.  A strong use of post-processing effects, including a similar grain effect used by Bioware in Mass Effect, take the visuals to the next level and reinforces Killzone 2's status as one of the best looking games to date.

This use of filters is something that we can only hope to see in future iterations of Killzone 2's contemporaries like Call of Duty, which prides itself in delivering a similar gritty tone.  Beyond the various filters used consistently throughout the campaign and multiplayer, Killzone 2's nuances and details in the visuals (such as scatter shot bullet patterns and reload animations) also throws in a level of realism that's helping the game become such a strong looking experience.  That said, considering the rumoured $50 million plus budget and 50GB of blu-ray disc space, it's a little bit of a let down to see some textures that don't quite stand up to scrutiny.

The little details being added into Killzone 2 goes beyond just particle effects and smoke - the implementation of SIXAXIS control is also shaping up to be one of the best we've seen on the platform.  Using the infamously insensitive motion controls to accurately target enemies through the sniper rifle scope may sound like an error in judgement, and sure, it's certainly a twitchy affair at first.  It doesn't take long however for this to become more natural, and actually surpasses the use of the sticks.  The SIXAXIS is also utilised to set limpet bombs (making a twisting action) and valves across Helghan, although the responsiveness of the controller is a little less responsive in these instances; hopefully this will be something that can continue to be fine-tuned in over the final few weeks of development.  It's somewhat ironic that the implementation of SIXAXIS is one of the better areas of the Killzone 2 control system.  After a greater degree of cross-title 'harmony' in first-person shooter control set ups, it's somewhat disappointing (and bizarre) that Killzone 2 retains the PS2 control system of the past, where a trigger button on the SIXAXIS/DS3 isn't used to use iron sights.  As more and more people become used to the standard system used in the likes of Call of Duty, Killzone 2's blast of the past so far feels too much of a throwback to be instantly intuitive...and it's probably too late to change that now.

Guerrilla Warfare.

The game itself is following the typical linear structure of most other first-person shooters, with objectives added as players progress through the various mission chapters.  Full of set-pieces and ambushes that build up in a spiral of intensity and numbers, Killzone 2 will also be using some Helghast as in-battle mini-bosses, with their own weaknesses to exploit.  The employment of a subtle cover system that keeps you in first-person mode is looking like a strong idea compared to the likes of Rainbow Six and Quantum of Solace.  Aptly christened “Lean 'n' Peak”, a name of pure Cuprinol, the feature retains the cinematic immersion of gameplay, although there were times where it didn't allow the 'lean' to occur.  Like many niggles during the hands on, we're hopeful that this makes the 'to be tweaked' list ahead of release. 

At the heart of every successful first-person shooter is an arsenal of weaponry that makes players feel like a virtual Rambo, and Killzone 2 is no exception.  Like so much of the franchise, the assault rifles, SMGs, rocket launchers, and sniper rifles all have one foot in reality, with the exception of the 'bolt gun' (an explosive tipped nail) tipping into the realms of fantasy.  There'll be plenty of choice for gamers come February, and thankfully, plenty of ammo too – though the sometimes insistent nature of the game towards using flame-throwers is a little overplayed.  Perhaps Guerrilla really wants us to enjoy the rather realistic reactions of the Helghast flailing as they try to put out the flames. 

Speaking of the Helghast, the AI of the unforgiving hordes is currently quite hit and miss.  Whereas they'll quite happily react to an incoming grenade and run for cover, there were more than a few occasions where one or two soldiers on the periphery of battle would just stand there waiting to be shot down.  Others show a level of selective hearing, failing to respond to the death cries or threats from their embattled comrades on the other side of a steel door.  It's another instance of where Killzone 2 just needs that final bit of spit and polish, to really finish off what would then be an exemplary piece of work.

In many ways, Killzone 2 is shaping up to follow the example of its PS2 predecessor.  It is by far one of the most visually impressive titles we've seen in this generation to date, and easily matches the standards set by the 2005 CG trailer.  However, it also appears to be following some of the flaws of the original, with instances of stuttering frame rates, a control system that can be jumpy at times and sludgy during other instances, and recurring glitches where Helghast can magically walk through walls like spirits.  Hopefully these are all things that can and will be ironed out before February's release date arrives, so that gamers can truly experience the foreboding and relentless 'red-eyes' the way Guerrilla Games wants us to.

One of the top titles of 2009 to get excited about (especially if you're a PS3 owner), Killzone 2's gritty push towards a more realistic war experience compared to most of its sci-fi rivals will surely appeal to the Sony console's Call of Duty fan base.  There are still plenty of tweaks and debugging needed before February however, especially if the sequel is to avoid the same criticisms of its predecessor.