Killzone 3 (PS3)

Killzone 3 (PS3)

Tested and reviewed based on the Playstation 3
Based on the 2D experience with Wireless controller. No Move or 3D in this review.
Review by Ben Nacca
XBL GT: Darkeyes2k7 PSN ID: Darkeyes2k11

Back when the PS2 was at its height of gaming glory, there was only one first person shooter that really stood out for me as something new, something that would shake the ground a little bit. This was Guerrilla Games’ Killzone. Naturally, a sequel was to follow onto the PS3 and Killzone 2 garnered a success, offering a solid shooting game on the PS3 combined with a dark story to build upon.

Now most people, apparently, complained that Guerrilla Games’ Killzone series was too depressing and that Killzone 2 was so grim that is was at times upsetting to play. First of all I would just like to add that this is a game about war and political oppression. If you want happiness, go play Little Big Planet 2 for something more light hearted and casual. However, the developers have took note and have tried to make this a lighter tale albeit still quite turmoil with the emotions which the story delivers.

The game starts off right where Killzone 2 left it, with Visari dead at the hands of Rico and yourself, Sevchenko. Following these two through their struggle to get off the planet and escape in the cross-fire of the ISA and Helghast forces is just one aspect of the game, as Killzone 3 attempts to give the players an insight into the lives of the Helghast, the culture and politics behind them and ultimately a test to find their humanity, if any is left there at all. As well as the story being more light hearted this time round, the swearing that was so frequently featured in Killzone 2 has come to a minimal appearance now, with Guerrilla Games also taking those complaints into account. I must say though that it is true, that less is better as I found on the occasions that swearing did happen, it was much more powerful and drove the story through the characters feelings and frustrations.

Unfortunately, the story is not as powerful, as it tends to get to a point where the interest just wanders off and you are just playing through a level, completing an objective. This is a shame in many respects and it is largely down to the characters speech. The voice work is impeccable and has been backed by some Hollywood talent such as Ray Winstone and Malcolm MacDowell but the overall character development slowly turns to nothing as you start to not care what your character is feeling or doing.

There is no doubting that the characters look realistic, with some of most impressive visuals for characters I have ever seen. The graphics in Killzone 3 are fantastic to the very facial features of each character to the complexion of the withering Helghast politicians. The rest of the game looks nice as well, escaping the “city only” levels of Killzone 2 and going back to the roots of the first game, sending the player into the bitter arctic environments, into space and into alien jungles where most of the inhabitants, plants or creatures, will try to kill you.

However, there are more bugs than just in the jungle, with quite a few being technical issues such as glitch Helghast soldiers, bullet casings landing on thin air and shooting with a rifle has to be done in space, because otherwise it will hit the invisible wall around the structures and sceneries which can be very annoying. A small amount of pop ups and rendering issues can be seen but that is very rare and is for the most part created very well.

Killzone 3 handles very much like its predecessor but with some extra tweaks here and there with a few new additions. The brutal melee is a fine example and it works fantastically to take out your enemies in all sorts of ways. Clicking the right thumbstick, or L1 depending on your controller configuration, when close enough creates an instant kill moment most of the time with a blade to the eye or a neck snap as opposed to just slapping them with the end of your rifle…there is no pun intended. Most of the Helghast act as bullet sponges and take quite a few bullets unless you get a single one to the head, which has been the case with the series but does seem to lack a certain degree of realism that a full clip can enter an enemy and he can still get up sometimes but we are in a fictional futuristic world so one cannot have room to be sceptical.

An issue with the handling would be with the covering system. It is just one problem that I think sails above the rest and that it is the worst covering system I have ever encountered. Pressing L2 when next to a wall will let you crouch and lean against it, enabling you to peak over cover or around it and shoot enemies and jump over it if necessary. Unfortunately, cover does not help all that much as there is a lack of blind fire, a bug at times where you lean round the corner but cannot shoot and you still get torn to shreds by a hail of bullets either way. I find it makes the game more difficult but not in a challenging way, just makes it harder to progress through as it will test your patience. That said, you cannot fault the weapon mechanics or the graphics and sounds around that area since all are in top form.

For those wondering on the lifespan of Killzone 3, the campaign on normal difficulty will be around 7-12 hours, depending on your skill with higher difficulties adding to that and potentially doubling those figures if you are struggling or taking your time. It is by no means an experience you should rush though and the varied landscapes are complimented by breaks in play as you drive in tanks, EVO (Mech suits basically) and fly jetpacks around the levels at times. If that doesn’t hold your attention for long then there is local splitscreen co-operative play that allows you and a friend to blast through the campaign together. Unfortunately there is no online co-op modes but it is nice to see a developer still favouring the splitscreen option. Many games omit this for online co-op when sometimes it is better to have someone actually next to you than being miles away. In addition to this, there is a mode called Botzone, which is pretty much local multiplayer and then the online aspect which lets you take the fight to the PS Network.

The multiplayer follows Halo in a way with parts of levels in the campaign turned into multiplayer maps to slaughter your enemies on. Graphically the game still looks superb online and levels are vast and varied to entice you to change your tactics as you play. 3 game modes that vary from your normal deathmatch to objective based games feature and online development is in place as well. Ranking up in Killzone 3 is by the amount of kills you get x 100 to give you the XP you receive. When you rank up, you receive an unlock point. This lets you unlock weapons in any of the numerous classes that help you tailor the online experience to how you want to play. You unlock what you will need and that makes the experience so much more personal.

The trophies are varied and are rewarding, with a nice mix of single player and multiplayer trophies on offer. A lot of the offline trophies can be received just by playing through the campaign and doing certain tasks while the others online will require skill and practice.

Visuals

88/100

Fantastic character models and a rich array of environments in both the single player and multiplayer experiences. Lighting and special effects are superb and is only let down by some poor technical issues but nothing to major thankfully.

Audio

90/100

A stellar vocal performance from the voice cast but the script at times could have done with some extra work. Less swearing but more punch certainly helps and the emotions are conveyed perfectly. Weapons and explosions are as crisp and realistic as you would expect from a First Person Shooter game.

Gameplay

81/100

Some solid controls and indulging campaign let down by a dodgy cover system, invisible walls and a dire lack of interest as you progress into the story. A strong effort and the multiplayer is a well worked accomplishment that lets people tailor their playing style to how they rank up.

Delivery

84/100

Plenty of options with campaign and multiplayer let alone co-op and local multiplayer. If that is not enough then there is the 3D experience if you have a 3D television and a Playstation Move option as well.

Trophies

80/100

A great list to make you challenge all aspects of the game as seems to be the trend nowadays. A rewarding and inviting challenge that will make you work for your platinum trophy.

Summary

85/100

Guerrilla Games have managed to make a fine sequel to Killzone 2 and have shown their dedication to the gaming community with the amount of tweaks and changes they have made based on the fans requests. A well-polished game that just lacks that punch towards the end of the story but a solid and compelling multiplayer should be enough to save it. As mentioned above as well, 3D and PS Move controls can make this even more enticing but this game in 2D alone definitely barges its way past a vast amount of the shooters on PS3.

This review is the property of Ben Nacca and is for the sole use of www.lanraiders.co.uk, www.dooyoo.com and www.ciao.co.uk. No copying to other websites or other mediums without written permission first.