Review: Killzone 2

When Killzone was released in 2004 for PlayStation 2, the first person shooter gained a cult following due to its over the top violence and the hype that it would be the one game to put down XBOX’s Halo. Nearly five years later, Master Chief has since retired, but Killzone’s only on its second installment, which is now available for PlayStation 3.

As a brutally bloody mix of first person shooter action, amazing visual presentation and meticulously designed multiplayer maps, Killzone 2 may be the only shooter you’ll play for the rest of 2009. That is, if you’re not on hung up on subtle details, like a storyline. 

Set on an off-world colony in the future, you’ll playas Thomas Sevchenko of the ISA (International Strategic Alliance), and venture to the home world of the Helghast, (who are a war-faring human-like species) in order to thin out their ranks. If you haven’t played the original Killzone, it’s not really clear why you’ve set out to wipe your the Helghast, but rest assured that you’re taking up arms to settle a beef they started. The plot is Killzone 2’s weakest point, but thankfully the gameplay and graphics more than make up for the story’s short oversights.

In traditional first-person shooter style, you’ll wield a variety of guns and ammo with which to wipe out your foes. Through  your payload is filled with weapons like the LS13 Shotgun and Bolt Gun, the M82 assault rifle will probably be the one you use most often. A good mix of fire power with a strong zoom, makes this gun the most versatile weapon in the game.

The refined duck and cover system is what makes Killzone 2 a compelling title to play. While most will want to barrel though the terrain and decimate enemies, they’ll need to hone their strategy to a mode of  fire-duck-fire in order to get through successfully. The game is also weighted properly, as your movements correspond to the amount of armor you’re carrying, providing a more realistic experience.   

Even as the single player campaign is strong enough to warrant a few additional plays once the game has been completed, Killzone 2 succeeds extremely well in the online multiplayer mode. Playing with up to 32 players in eight available maps, first person shooter fans will be able to smack talk their way to online supremacy across the game’s rich visually lush presentation. Multiplayer also supports a variety of customizable options including:  classes & badges ( to combine abilities from different player classes), clan recruitment and the online-only feature of battle replay. 

Like some of the more prominent first person shooter games out there, Killzone 2 lacks in the aspect of creating a strong narrative, but it’s more than acceptable given the sharp visuals, array of weaponry and varied multiplayer options. For those looking to get the lead out, Killzone 2 is your game for 2009. 

Killzone 2 is available now exclusively for PlayStation 3.