Killzone

"Killzone should be present in every PS2 owners collection."

From the moment I saw the trailer for this game I knew I wanted it. You see, I'm a fan of First Person Shooters and I've obviously played Halo and its sequel but I don't own an X-Box. I mean, what's the point of buying a two hundred dollar system for just a couple of games? But damn, I mean, I really loved those games. So when I went on-line and saw that Killzone was supposed to be the "Halo killer" and was to be released on the PS2, I was excited to say the least. I started saving up my money immediately and picked the game up as soon as I had enough. And boy, let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint. Hell, it exceeded my expectations. So you ask, what makes it so good? Well, I'll explain it all below.

Graphics

Outstanding is the word that first comes to mind, and with good reason too. The environments are all extremely well done with incredible detail and scope. Everything has been thought about, all the way down to sparks flying out of cut wires and company logos printed on buildings to name but a few. Explosions and gunshots are all done very nicely as is pretty much everything else. The overall feel of the graphics is dark, industrial and warlike, very befitting of the game. That said, the enemies don't have a whole lot of diversity but it hardly affects the game at all. Lastly, probably one of the coolest things is all the hidden jokes and messages that appear on billboards, vending machines, signs, stores, ect. One example is a warning sign that reads as follows: "Photography in this area is prohibited. Use of lethal force is authorized". Ha ha, come on, you gotta admit that that's priceless. So overall, graphics = good.

Graphics 9.6/10

Game-play

Far and away the best area of the game, and that's saying something considering how good the rest of the game is. For those who have played Halo or its sequel, you will find yourself quickly adapting to the controls as most of them are the same, just adapted on to the PS2 controller. You will use both joysticks to move and aim, R3 to zoom, trigger buttons to shoot and throw grenades, and the basic buttons to swap weapons, reload, and melee with your enemy. Things that are different include the ability to sprint (uses a limited amount of stamina however), cook grenades for better effect, and one of the coolest features ever: the secondary fire ability. Basically, most weapons have both a primary purpose, and a very limited amount of super powerful secondary shots which use separate ammunition. This is great because it gives you options, and options give you power. Other additions include the ability to jump and vault over objects which would otherwise get in your way, and three un-lockable characters along with your initial one. Each character has different skills and abilities which translates into very different strategies which makes this game very re-playable, especially with three different difficulty modes. So overall, the controls are tight and easy to learn, the many features allow for very diverse strategies and tactics, and the many characters make this game a blast to re-play.

Game-play 10/10

Storyline

For an FPS, Killzone actually has a very interesting storyline all things considered. Basically, the human race has lived apart from a sort of sub-species known as the Helghast for many years. There has been animosity between them, but the humans had developed a defense system that they though was impregnable. However, their defenses were breached and they didn't really have much of a back up plan. Their only hope is a small group of soldiers known as the ISA, and you can play as four of those soldiers. Now, that said, it may seem kind of bland, but what makes the story of Killzone so interesting is how in many ways it parodies World War 2 with the Helghast playing the Nazis. They speak with German accents, they are seen as brutal and merciless, and their flag is similar to the Swastika. So, for any WW2 buffs out there, you should give this a rent; you might find it interesting.

Story 8.8/10

Music/Sound Effects

For the most part they are pretty spectacular. Gunshot sounds are all unique and varied, and also very realistic, as are explosions. Other sound effects, such as wind and rain, are also done masterfully. There isn't a lot of music and it's not often played, but what there is is fairly decent. Still, it's nothing remarkable or memorable. Voice acting is where the audio of this game shines though. The cut scenes are incredible sounding, and each characters personality rubs off onto their speech. Keep in mind though, there's a fair bit of swearing (especially after Rico the tanker joins your party), so if you are offended by that this may not be the game for you. The battle quotes are pretty good too, but there's not a whole lot of them so they may get repetitive. Overall, the audio of Killzone is really good, but not quite great.

Music/Sound Effects 8.1/10

Rent/Buy?

If you like first person shooters, then without question buy it. No, no question at all. If you aren't a huge fan of first person shooters then I guess rent it, but you'll probably find yourself buying it afterwards anyway. Heck, if you own a PS2 period you should rent it. It's just that good.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 02/03/05