Killzone (PS2)

...on. Sony wisely didn't market Killzone with this exact claim, though somewhat unwisely ignited considerable 'debate' by stating that it was going to be better than Microsoft's prized FPS Halo. I, of course, couldn't care less given that I don't have an Xbox and that the title of 'best game ever' very definitely does not lie with a shoot 'em up, but an RPG that you may have heard of called Final Fantasy VII. So there!

Anyway, so after ...
...left to one side momentarily, Killzone surely deserves a place in any gamer's collection, as though it suffers from the odd flaw that the genre seems to attract, its design, innovations, presentation and sheer addiction-factor mean it is a match for most on the PS2 format.

First released in 2004, it's set in the future on a planet called Vekta, with humans as we traditionally know them desperately trying to hold off the onslaught of ... more

Honestly, if I was given a tenner for every time I heard a new first-person shoot 'em up claiming to be the 'best game ever' then I'd be quite hideously rich - Doom and Doom 3, Quake II, Goldeneye, Unreal, Half-Life and Half-Life 2, Halo… The list just goes on and on. Sony wisely didn't market Killzone with this exact claim, though somewhat unwisely ignited considerable 'debate' by stating that it was going to be better than Microsoft's prized FPS Halo. I, of course, couldn't care less given that I don't have an Xbox and that the title of 'best game ever' very definitely does not lie with a shoot 'em up, but an RPG that you may have heard of called Final Fantasy VII. So there!

Anyway, so after Sony had shot themselves in the foot by claiming Killzone was better than a game that, in the eyes of those wearing Xbox-tinted spectacles could not possibly be bettered, it received a rather mixed reception from the media. When all the hype is left to one side momentarily, Killzone surely deserves a place in any gamer's collection, as though it suffers from the odd flaw that the genre seems to attract, its design, innovations, presentation and sheer addiction-factor mean it is a match for most on the PS2 format.

First released in 2004, it's set in the future on a planet called Vekta, with humans as we traditionally know them desperately trying to hold off the onslaught of humans as we traditionally don't - a race of soldiers known as the Helghast are mutated and wear dark body suits and masks for added 'spook' factor, I would imagine. Unsurprisingly, you play on the side of the former; hopelessly outnumbered (88 in every 100 soldiers being Helghan) though not without a few tricks up your sleeve. Killzone's Campaign mode initially revolves around Sergeant Templer, though progression sees three others join your band in time, each carrying their own weaponry and facing the odd character-specific task depending on the level, and all integral to the story.

Right from the off, Killzone impresses. It fuses futuristic elements seamlessly with more orthodox views of war - technology is clear with the opening FMV sequence depicting computer terminals, high-tech weaponry and the occasional dropship too, though for all this there are elements that seem more in-line with the likes of Saving Private Ryan - you begin the game in a battle-scarred trench, taking orders from a couple of men awaiting a Helghast onslaught; the atmosphere is murky and the blasts and sounds of battle radiate throughout, with a distressing number of enemies homing in on your position, and you feel like you're immediately part of the drama. Later on you get a taste of urban warfare as you sneak through devastated streets, watching out for ambushes and snipers; there's a section in the swamps where you need to find appropriate cover whilst also sticking to the right path so as not to get lost, and a Jungle level that pits you in a role rather reminiscent of Arnie's in Predator, gatling gun at the ready as you snake in and out of the trees - its marvellously atmospheric.

There are 16 weapons in all, and like the best shoot 'em ups, Killzone makes sure that even the most bog-standard of guns have an even balance of advantages and disadvantages - there's the sniper-rifle and bazooka that are fabulous tools for dispatching far off enemies, though are a bit useless at close range; there are machine-guns that are rapid-firing but lacking in power and then there's the very common ISA and Helghast rifles with grenade and shotgun attachments - not very powerful though you know you'll never run out of ammo. The design of the weapons is really fantastic; each creating its own satisfying bangs and clunks when fired and reloaded, and have a look that is simultaneously familiar and yet very sleek and futuristic too - very impressive.

Though like most first-person shooters, Killzone doesn't offer up a significant amount of variety beyond its core objective (killing enemy soldiers), the level-design is often tremendous, and pleasingly consistent. Depending on the character you choose to take control of, levels often play out in slightly different ways - Luger, a Shadow Marshall (or assassin to me, you and everyone else), is more useful when staying back, assessing the surroundings and picking off enemies with a sniper-rifle or other long-range weaponry, and she also at points will have to crawl through vents or up through areas where the other team members can't follow. Rico is the complete opposite, as he operates best with heavy artillery and is at his most effective when going all-guns-blazing; whilst the half-Helghan spy Hakha is able to get into enemy compounds, thus taking him down a different route to the others. It's really quite clever how they've managed to tweak the missions to suit the individual character, and this also means that there is a fair bit of replay value to be found playing the levels from different perspectives.

What makes Killzone such a good game then? Well, perhaps for once it is a title that manages to be the sum of its parts. The environments may not harbour a great deal of actual interaction beyond picking up ammunition and health from fallen enemies and comrades, but the clever design and cunning enemies mean that quick thinking and assessment of your surroundings is required to survive. The superb Park level is a good example of this - taking the marked path will inevitably leave you a sitting duck, and so instead the player is challenged to explore the perimeter, sneaking in and out of trees and taking out enemies individually with the minimum of fuss. There are too many memorable, action-packed sequences to list; the best including a breathless defence of a beach (ring any bells?) whereby you must overcome firstly a swarm of Helghast troops who land via boats, and then a tank that fires missiles at your stronghold. It's not just the outdoor levels either - ISA Headquarters plays host to some great close-quarter combat whilst the Mall with all its escalators, pillars and walkways is an ideal nest for snipers.

Enemy A.I. is surprisingly intelligent, and though they often outnumber your team, they rarely go blundering into the line of your fire. The Helghast will hide behind walls, crouch behind debris, alert and cover each other, request back up and, in the case of the later levels, throw grenades in an attempt to bring you out of hiding. The 'team' element both that both your allies and your enemies adopt make for some truly absorbing bouts of cat and mouse; waiting to see who will make the first move or seek to press home an advantage. Despite the lack of maps or option to make orders, Killzone still rivals the best tactical shoot 'em ups on the PS2.

Killzone does of course have some negative elements to counteract the positives. Novices to the FPS genre will undoubtedly struggle as the learning curve is pretty steep, with the player being thrown in at the deep end right from the word go. There are no training sections to help you get to grips with the slightly unorthodox control method either, which sees the 'throw grenade' button situated next to 'crouch' - leading to some rather hair-raising mix-ups early on. Elsewhere, you can only carry three weapons at a time, and whilst I understand this concept, I don't see why a bazooka and a knife equate to the same as the latter would very obviously take up less space. Picking up and replacing weapons from fallen soldiers is also unnecessarily cumbersome, requiring you to hold the circle button when over their body - a technique I confess I have not come across before. Perhaps strangest of all however is the seeming invincibility of your three allies - a theory I feel I prove with a dozen missiles doing little more than irritate my comrade…

It's a real looker though - the full-motion videos show off the realistic and distinctive characters and in-game they are almost as good again. Colours are often gritty and muted, though the degree of activity and detail in the post-apocalyptic surroundings is top-notch. Certainly, it's neither as rapidly-paced nor as smooth as the likes of TimeSplitters 2 (the slow-down proves an annoyance when there are lots of enemies on screen at once), but then its locations and structures are, at times, gigantic and consequently the depth of the levels is quite believable.

The multiplayer mode is challenging but enjoyable, as long as the person you're playing with/against is fairly competent at first-person shoot 'em ups. It's got the usual deathmatch, team deathmatch and assault style options to play around with, along with the bonus of having over a dozen enemy bots playing along at the same time. Certainly, its no match for TimeSplitters 2 in terms of the multiplayer as it has nowhere near as many game-setups, characters or maps, but then considering it was clearly geared towards the one-player experience, its not too bad a back-up.

Three difficulty settings lend weight to the moderate challenge Killzone poses - there are several dozen sections in all to play through and even on the lowest difficulty level, several days' worth of action before you complete it. The lack of rewards upon completion are admittedly disappointing, though as I mentioned earlier, most missions have the four characters available to play as, each with quite different takes on situations - plus there are always the harder skill levels which should test even the best FPS players.

It doesn't carry a certificate, though pegi's 16+ recommendation is reasonable enough due to the serious nature of the game, and though its no Grand Theft Auto, there is blood and the odd bit of swearing here and there - so no worse than your average episode of Eastenders then, from what I hear. Teenage and adult gamers will in all likelihood enjoy Killzone, though be aware as it is (initially at least) quite tough to get to grips with, and gaming beginners may struggle.

So you've heard all the hype, debate and criticism, but how good is Killzone ultimately? Well, in my view at least, very good. Sure, at times it struggles against the power of the PS2 and perhaps isn't the world-beater Sony so desperately hoped it would be, but nevertheless the fact that it tackles some new and brave ideas full on means it deserves a fair bit of credit. This, together with its decent storyline (very rare in a shooter), top-notch presentation and supreme level-design, means as a package it is well worth the £9.96 amazon.co.uk are asking for it.
 

...less