In times gone past one could look towards the PC for first-person shooters. How times have changed. While it is possible to debate that the genre is still best played on the PC, a large number of impressive titles have come the way of the consoles in the last decade or so. While not wanting to give people a history lesson, it is important to mention that Halo was the game that changed the landscape of first-person shooters on consoles forever. Progress forward a few years to the present; two more Halo games have followed.
Killzone 2 brings together the best of the genre; solid game-play mechanics with a technical design that will make most gamers’ eyes bleed. The game has a very heavy feeling to it in the movement and shooting. Anyone expecting a Call of Duty 4 or Halo 3 experience will not find it here. Controls will take a while to get to grips with. One concern is the lack of any custom button mapping included with the game. Players will be stuck with the controls they are given, thought there aree around six different set-ups to choose from, which should provide some flexibility.
The Helgast, looking very much like Nazis!
While I have not finished the game yet, I can say that the story is nonexistent. Gamers looking only for a story would be better off reading a book, as the only part of the story I enjoyed was the introduction. This is standard first-person shooter gameplay, with battles alternated with vehicle sections and the normal sniper encounters, such as most FPS fans will be familiar with. At the time of writing this article, I am near the end of the game. The action picks up; much like Call of Duty 4, I find it brings the gamer even closer to the experiences found in a real life battlefield.
As for multiplayer, this game is the best console online experience since Call of Duty 4. Though not quite matching Call of Duty 4 in terms of pure excitement, it does come very close. Killzone 2 shares many mechanics with my other favorite online game, Team Fortress 2. Players can level up; each level brings something new, such as unlocking new classes and bringing new weapons to the battle. Progress systems such as these go a long way to increasing longevity of the title. All in all, Killzone 2, despite its faults, is the best first-person shooter available on consoles at the present moment.
Posted by Lee 