Customer Reviews:
 Surpassed expectations January 4, 2009
17 out of 21 found this review helpful
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INTRODUCTION
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Having spent a lot of time playing Killzone on PS2, and being a big fan i was surprised when i got an e-mail from PSN saying i was invited to Beta Test Killzone 2. Well actually i got damn well excited - and it turned out i had good reason as well.
If your familiar with the original Killzone, your probably aware of the average reviews it got (6-7/10) with arguments over its anti-climatic ending, boring single player gameplay and its weapons not 'feeling right'. We all wanted it to be Playstation's answer to Halo, and despite it being a solid game it didnt have that unique factor Halo had, and was plagued by a lot of glitches on the PS2 system. Regardless, Killzone was a good game, it got a fanbase and left the door open for a sequel...
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THE GAME
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The destroyed and crumbling metropolis has been done before in sci-fi games, but never has it felt so damn oppressive or unnervingly realistic. Moving about in this world keeps you assuredly grounded in it, as your character feels weighty, and runs and guns with every inch of his bulk and heft. He feels human, and therefore vulnerable.
K2 offers unique game modes you havent seen before in games like Call of Duty - so dont think its just another FPS - It will definitley give something different to COD fans who are't familiar with the Killzone series.
The maps are very varied, with the beta ones demonstrating small and claustraphobic places, as well as large and sprawling maps, spreading players out across the area through a series of empty buildings and winding alleyways.
The missions on offer in the beta were generously all the ones that have made the final blu-ray cut.There's the more traditional `Body Count', essentially a straight up team deathmatch, `Search and Retrieve' of the capture the flag variety, `Capture and Hold', seize two hotspots, `Search and Destroy', let's bomb the bastards, and `Assasination', where one poor helpless fella is the target of the entire oppositions army, and it's your job to protect him.
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MULTIPLAYER
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Killzone 2's multiplayer caters to 2-32 players, and each match is separated into a game size of small (2-8), medium (9-16) or large, (17-32). You can then choose your faction, at this point either one of the Helghst (the baddies) or the ISA(the goodies), your weapons, and then step right in, ladies and gentlemen.
There are seven multiplayer weapon classes altogether, and each class can be combined with another to provide unique mishmashes, depending on your preferred style of play. You can choose from Rifleman, the weapon-heavy option, the Scout, who can cloak himself with invisibility, the Engineer, who can program and repair turrets, the Medic, the Tactician, who can toss grenades that act as spawning points, the Assault, who has extra armour, and finally the Saboteur, who can mimic the enemy and use this ability to infiltrate the opposing base. Combine any two together and voila, you've got an invisible medic.
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GAMEPLAY
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Killzone 2 feels like a classic FPS. Essentially, if you see your enemy before they see you THEY ARE DEAD, and vice versa. A few bullets to the torso is all it takes. When your down you are in last stand mode i guess, awaiting for someone to revive you. This lasts a few seconds before you respawn.
Health doesnt regenerate - it feels like the game wants you to die. Respawning is quick and easy. There are now 'powerups' or health packs, or ammo boxes in K2. Its just hardcore FPS, scavaging some ammo from a dead guy is all you get.
Bottom line is the game demands skill, and tactical thought. The maps are perfect for tactics.a mixture of large open spaces and small winding corridors, giving you the opportunity to approach the situation from a variety of ways. You won't find yourself stuck in a choke point either, as the maps aren't linear, and you'll often move back and forth through the same areas. There's also the option to remove that creepy feeling of isolation by joining a four-man squad within your larger team, where you can nut out a game plan for yourselves and communicate via headset. Once you introduce classes and different weaponry in amongst all this, the tactical possibilities go through the roof.
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FINAL WORDS
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Hopefully, Killzone 2's single player campaign will be as equally well crafted as its lean and deadly multiplayer. It will need, perhaps, a little sprinkling of charm in order to shake up Master Chief's championship, but there is certainly enough confidence on display to suggest a winning formula.
 The sequel to the PS2 shooter emerges as one of the better reasons to own Sony's PS3 November 28, 2008
4 out of 48 found this review helpful
The campaign, which is very good, is Killzone 2's weakest point. It doesn't capture the cavalier spirit of the original Killzone, but you'll still have fun playing through it. There's no first-person shooter on PS3 that can equal Killzone 2's blend of cinematic action, adrenaline-pumping shootouts, and male- (and female)-bonding gameplay. Look beyond the gameplay and you have a rich feature set unlike anything ever delivered in a videogame. The Forge and the replay functionality raise the bar for console shooters so high, it may never be surpassed this generation. There will be plenty of aspects for fans to nitpick, but it's hard to argue against Killzone 2 as the most complete game available on any console.
Beta Review November 23, 2008
11 out of 30 found this review helpful
I was lucky enough to be selected for beta testing, and already this game is looking immense, forget about your gears of war and halos this is the game to have!!
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