Killzone 2 Impressions

Kube00 Says: I recently got a shot at the Killzone 2 Beta thanks to a fellow CAG from Cheapassgamer.com.

What can I say? Words do not describe the experience. I didn’t have any interest in the first Killzone because I was a late-comer on the Playstation wagon. I got my first ps2 in 2007. Anyways, a friend of mine mentioned that 2 was coming out soon, and after reading some previews, seeing some videos, and playing the Beta: hands down I’ll be getting this game.

First, the beta is pretty short and it’s only one level. You play as Sergeant Tomas Sevchenko, or “Sev” as he is addressed in the game. Taking this from the Wiki, “Killzone 2 follows the events of Killzone and Killzone: Liberation, and will take place entirely on the planet Helghan, the home-world of the Helghast, who invaded an Interplanetary Strategic Alliance (ISA) colony. Two years after the Helghast assault on Vekta, the ISA has launched an assault on the enemy's home world of Helghan. The ISA goal is to capture the Helghast leader, Emperor Scolar Visari, and bring the Helghast war machine to a halt. Sev eventually discovers the Helghast have adapted to their planet and are using it as part of the war effort…”

Enough with the plot, what about these next gen graphics that every site is raving about? The game looks amazing, the environment and textures are not muddy, they are clear as rain. There’s no background pop-off or frames per second graphics chug as the action gets intense. Tons of explosions and faction battling is going on all over the horizon, much of it you can see. The explosions are crazy huge and detailed, as bits of shrapnel, objects, and body parts go flying. Character models are well detailed and there is intense facial animation. When NPC’s talk to your character, they actually look at you when issuing commands or questioning your actions, which convey a feel of realism. Hands down, these are some of the best graphics I have seen on a console game in a long time.

The controls feel natural, if you have ever played an action fps, aka Gears of War; you’ll be right at home. For me, the game reminded me a lot of Black, the old fps for Xbox and Ps2. It was run and gun, heart pounding nonstop action. The only thing that bugged me was the cover button, sometimes it seemed to be a little flakey when I wanted to take cover and then lean out. It’s almost impossible to die because Sev gains health back over time much like other fps, such as Call of Duty: World at War. When players take damage the screen is flecked with blood and your visual level drops.

There are a variety of assault weapons in the beta. Sev comes equipped with a knife and grenades as well as a pistol with infinite ammo. The bummer is that you can only carry one large gun at a time and one side arm. Still, it’s fun to get close and bash enemies’ skulls in with the butt of the assault rifle. Something that I liked is that you can shoot off the Helghast’s helmets, making headshots worth your time. Speaking of enemies, the A.I. does a pretty good job of hiding and seeking covering when attacking you or your squad.

I hope the multiplayer is as good as the single player. It’s going to feature seven different classes, including Medic, Rifelman, Assult, etc.; sounds to me like Tribes! According to the wiki, “The game ships with five different game types, including Assassination, Search & Retrieve, Search & Destroy, Bodycount, and Capture & Hold. There will be support for up to 32 players and a fully integrated Clan features allows for up to 64 players.

Final words, this game has to be one of the best graphically of this generation. This could be a big seller for the Playstation 3 when it comes out on February 25th. Of course, there will be copies available on Goozex, but it might take a little while for you to get it.

Sony May Never Have a Halo Killer

MrWeymes Says: It seems like every time an exclusive first person shooter is announced for the Playstation 3, it is instantly dubbed as a "Halo killer" by anticipatory Sony supporters. The original Resistance: Fall of Man comes to mind. While it may have sold well, and established a respectable fan base, it in no way "killed" the Halo franchise. Haze is another game that was hyped up beyond belief, and was also given the title of "Halo killer." That game was met with average reviews, and didn't seem to slay the mighty Halo series, either. Along comes Resistance 2. It looks promising. The graphics have received a considerable upgrade. The scale in the campaign is much larger, and the multiplayer supports up to 60 players, and is very addictive and fun. If anything could kill Halo, it would be this game, right? Nope. Halo lives. Halo hasn't even received any wounds, let alone died. Finally, we have the upcoming Killzone 2. It looks excellent. The graphics seem to push the Playstation 3 further than ever before, the campaign looks exciting, and the multiplayer looks very enjoyable. On top of all of this, the early reviews have been positive. Is this game finally going to slaughter Halo and leave it's children without a daddy? Not a chance, and here is an explanation of why.

On November 15, 2001, the original Halo: Combat Evolved was released for the original Xbox. The game was met with excellent scores, and established a large online community. Without a game like Halo, the original Xbox may have not done as well as it did. Halo: Combat Evolved has sold more than five million copies worldwide. Because the Halo series already had an established fan base by the time the sequel came out, it sold even better than it's predecessor. Halo 2 has sold over eight million copies worldwide. The already established fan base continued to support the Halo series when Halo 3 was released for the Xbox 360. Halo 3 has sold a little over eight million copies as well.

The point of the little history lesson above is to show that calling any first person shooter a "Halo killer" is silly. It's actually becoming quite ridiculous. The Halo series has a very large fan base. These fans have established a large online community, and love to play games of Halo 3 with their friends. Regardless of how much better you think a certain game is, they will be happy playing a game of Halo 3. There could be a huge news story on a respected gaming web site about how Killzone 2, for example, is superior to Halo 3 in every possible way. The graphics could be better, the sound could be better, the controls could be better, the campaign could be better, and the multiplayer could be better in the eyes of professionals, but at the end of the day, Halo fans enjoy playing Halo games. Video games, like films, are a matter of taste. Just because you like something does not mean that other people like it. People may not like the gun selection in Resistance 2 compared to the gun selection in Halo 3. You may think they are insane, but that is their personal opinion, and they are entitled to it.

If Halo 3 received very low scores because it was broken technically, then yes, a game like Resistance 2 would be a "Halo killer" because it's not technically broken. Aside from games that are plagued with terrible controls, and other technical issues, no games are really better than other games in the same genre. Everyone has an opinion on what is a good game, and what is a bad game. There were probably many times that you bought a game that got a high score from some web site, and you got it home, and didn't know what the fuss was about. Another example is a friend telling you how awesome a certain game is, and when you play it, you just don't feel the same. Everyone has a different perspective on what is good, or bad. People have been getting upset about people having different opinions forever, and it's quite silly. For example, Dead Space is a survival horror as is Silent Hill: Homecoming. Critics seemed to enjoy Dead Space more than Silent Hill: Homecoming. Does this mean that Dead Space is a "Silent Hill killer?" No, it doesn't. It means that in most critics’ opinion, Dead Space is a better game. Perhaps some people enjoy Silent Hill: Homecoming more because of the setting, and the storyline. Regardless, it's all a matter of opinion. An old school example is the classic Sonic vs Mario debate. Neither "kills" the other. Some people enjoy one, and not the other, or perhaps both.

In conclusion, Sony will probably never have a "Halo killer." When it comes to media, no one is ever wrong for enjoying a game. No one is ever wrong when they say that one game is better than another, because it's their personal opinion. Regardless of how many people enjoy the upcoming Killzone 2, it will never kill a series with an established fan base. The only "Halo killer" would be a prohibition of the playing of Halo games in general, and that may not even kill the beast. There would be an underground resistance of sorts. It's obvious that this is not an anti-Sony article. All of the games on the Playstation 3 mentioned above are excellent games. Are any of them "Halo killers?" Well, that's a matter of personal opinion.

Sony Needs to Advertise Killzone 2

Andrew Weymes (aka MrWeymes) Says: At times it seems Sony doesn't care much for advertising. It would be lovely if everyone was a hardcore gamer, everyone browsed the Internet for multiple reviews on various games, and that everyone engaged in text battles about their console of choice on forums. The truth is that most "gamers" see a commercial, see about 10 seconds of gameplay footage, and quickly run to their local Wal-Mart to pick up said game.

Microsoft’s advertisement campaigns border on harassment at times. Master Chief was around every corner during the Halo 3 launch. He was in commercials (30 times a day), he was on soda labels, and he was on underpants. This ad campaign was clearly directed towards the 12 people that weren't aware of the Halo 3 launch. Sony on the other hand likes to keep their games discreet. They don't want to make too much of a fuss. At least that's how it was until a few months ago.

Sony now advertises their games a little more, but they’re not shoving games down peoples throats, and that's what Sony needs to do. Go ahead, and ask some random "gamers" at your school, or work place what the following games are: Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, Little Big Planet, Folklore, Resistance 1 & 2, Heavenly Sword, and Metal Gear Solid 4. Chances are that the average gamer has never heard of these games due to a lack of advertising. Sony makes gamers sick with how little they advertise Killzone 2. Killzone 2 needs commercials on par with the frequency of Halo 3 and Gears of War at the time of their releases: they need ads on billboards, boxer shorts, soda labels, puppies, etc.

Killzone 2 already has one strike against it, and that's Killzone 1. What is Killzone 1? More casual gamers aren't quite as emphatic about upcoming releases and previous games in a series. Hopefully, Sony can craft such an impressive commercial for Killzone 2 that these same gamers that have never heard of Killzone 1 quickly start paying attention and realize that Killzone 2 is a zone in which you kill people in fantastic looking environments with fantastic looking weapons, characters, and effects; and that they need to play it.

Anyone who’s seen gameplay footage of Killzone 2 would have to be a bitter fanboy to not be impressed with the graphics. Not much can be said about the gameplay at this point, but a sure fact is that the graphics are stellar. Great graphics makes for a great commercial. Hopefully, Sony realizes this and spams television sets, as well as the Internet with Killzone 2 propaganda. It's the smart thing to do. There is no doubt that Sony is involved with some very high quality games, but these games don't always get the respect they deserve from more casual gamers because of the lack of advertising.