It seems like an eternity ago that the original Killzone gave those chaps in Redmond something to worry about.
Initially audaciously hyped (phrases such as "Halo Killer" were thrown about with reckless abandon), it was nowhere near as good as we expected it would be, and despite an immersive war setting and arguably some of the best audio in any game, period, it failed to crush the lumbering Bungie/Microsoft beast, even if it did amass a fervent fan base.
Never ones to shy away from a challenge, developers Guerrilla Games have fired up the hype machine again for the PS3-exclusive February 2009 release of Killzone 2.
We're hearing the same old propaganda again - stunning visuals, awesome combat, incredible multiplayer, and perhaps most importantly of all, the hint of a killer app for Sony's next-gen console. With Microsoft once again slashing prices and doing their level best to put the "X" in "Xmas", can Killzone 2's trash-talk live up to expectations? Perhaps the single player preview code we have here might shed some light on the issue.
For those who have arrived late to the franchise, the Helghast are a particularly nasty species of alien who, in the original Killzone, decided to attack our own planet in an attempt to enslave us. Or something. In Killzone 2, you're off to take the fight directly to them by attacking their own planet, and assuming the role of a special forces soldier (called "Sev"), you're going to do your best to remind them that humans are pretty good at destroying things too.
There's nothing quite like being thrown into the heat of battle. Many games in the past have done a good job of this - the opening sequences in any Call of Duty title are guaranteed to send a chill down your spine, and developers have rightfully recognised the need for instant carnage to grab a hold of the player and set the tone for their game.
Killzone 2 is no different. From the initial charge towards Helghan, the home planet of the Helghast, there's no doubt that this title is going to be every bit as focused on war as the first one was.
Preview code, as I've alluded to in the past, isn't always a good indication of a final product, however if this code is anything to go by, the visual effects and animation are phenomenal. Running in HD, there has clearly been a huge drive to push the PS3 further than any other title we've seen so far. Killzone 2 may have a gritty setting, but even the grime shines as you glance around and notice lighting and shadows that must have taken an age to perfect. The motion blur, often a source of annoyance in other titles, is balanced well and never seems out of place. Likewise the character animations are highly detailed, and as if to emphasis the team-based combat, you'll be able to call on your squad members for a leg-up to reach higher surfaces, which is a welcome aid that never feels "tacked-on".
The maps are huge, and traversing through bombed out cities requires constant concentration to avoid getting lost. If you're like me and require a GPS system to find your own letterbox, you'll want to play close attention to where you are and what your squad is doing. Comments bandied about online regarding each level taking up 2GB of space could well be true - there is an enormous level of detail inherent in every aspect of this game. Blu-Ray technology may really be starting to pay off for the gaming world after all.
Through the small selection of levels we've been provided with, the combat can only be described as persistent. There's scarcely a moment to pause for breath between long and short-ranged assaults on strongholds, and fierce street-to-street combat that will have you frantically laying down suppressing fire and wondering when the hell the carnage is going to stop.
Objects around you do not react well to gunfire - collapsible physics have certainly been the focus of many games this year (Mercenaries 2, Battlefield Bad Company and Crysis Warhead to name but a few) and Killzone 2 has to rate among the very best of them. Watching a city crumble in front of you is film territory - knowing that you personally had a hand in it makes you a gamer, and Guerrilla understand this particularly well.
You can carry two weapons at once, and these appear to be fairly conventional in nature, rifles naturally being the preferred method of despatch. We haven't come across any weapon with quite the personality of the Gears lancer, but that's not to say they haven't included something special come release day.
The combat is accurate without being simplistic, and audibly once again Guerrilla have nailed the battle experience, with incredible heart-pounding explosions drowning out the distant rattle of heavy arms fire.
Regrettably our stay in the Killzone world has been all too brief, and we can only hope that the developers insistence that they've spent a considerable amount of time on the multiplayer side of things remains valid. After all, it'd be nice to see a solid integration with PlayStation's new Home service. Either way, all that will be required to vault this title to superstardom next year is a healthy storyline, a compelling protagonist, and jaw-dropping gameplay.
We can at least put a tick next to the latter.
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We'll find out just how deep the story runs next year when Killzone 2 is released. If you haven't already though, check out the New Objectives and E3 2007 Killzone 2 trailers over at GP Downloads.
