Killzone 2 Review

Killzone 2 isn't a good game: it's an outstanding game. Chaotic and satisfying from the very first bullet, Killzone 2 not only sets a standard for technological performance, it manages to teach a new lesson in creating a convincing theatre of war.

It'd be flirting with irrelevance to mention the 2005 CG trailer and the apparent importance of the game to the PlayStation 3; this was covered in the preview. For this reason it'd be hypocritical to say that Killzone 2 'saves' Sony, so I'll refrain from that.

With that out of the way; Guerilla Games has done technical wonders here, really showing off the virtues of working this closely to the platform holder and hiring the right talent. It could even show the virtues of targeting a CGI trailer...moving on...

The opening cinematic is glorious in laying your task out before you - the war has already begun and you're diving straight in.

It's not until you land on the war torn planet of Helghan that the visuals truly start to impress. Landscapes layered with geometry and buildings built from cement and corrugated iron act as the background to refracted light, thick smog and battlefield chaos.

It's the attention to detail that impresses. There might be a smattering of low-resolution textures here and there, but every element has been laboured over to create a living planet that's dense with detail and alive with Hollywood-style presentation.


Film grain, camera-lens light spots, impressive motion blur and realistic first-person movements add that final polish to a graphical and artistic filmic experience - Killzone 2's immersion is unsurpassed.

As ISA people-carriers whiz past and the Helghast come down upon you, you'll feel overwhelmed by the war you're about to take part in. But that's what makes the game so compelling. You're in the middle of the war, but you're not the Helghast's only target. This is due to the splendour of the game's artificial intelligence.

Helghast perform uncanny behaviour on the battlefield, actively seeking cover when bullets fly past their heads, shooting blind, diving from tossed grenades, flanking your position - all the while announcing realistic reactions in grizzled voices. "Time to die!" one quips as he jumps from behind.


Then there's different Helghast who exhibit diverse behaviours. Some games suffer from similar humanoid enemies, with many resorting to the introduction of absurd alien creatures to make the combat feel fresh. Killzone 2 doesn't resort to this, where only flying metal ATACs infiltrate the Helghast humanoids (the first ATAC encounter is both tedious and generic).

Instead, it's Killzone 2's artificial intelligence that makes each encounter exciting, and when there's the speedy and stealthy Helghast, or the cautious RPG-sporting Helghast meeting your wrath, you'll be convinced that you're fighting a very formidable army.

The combination of animation and rag-doll physics isn't uncommon in video games, but Guerrilla Games has concentrated so heavily on the movements of each limb that the Helghast move in an eerily realistic fashion. Try destroying the top of their cover, they'll sharply but naturally shimmy down to make sure their head isn't visible.

The beauty comes when you start to shoot the Helghast; they'll realistically react to the bullets, with blood spurting and limbs flailing. If you only manage to shoot their arm, they'll grab it in pain. Shoot their leg, they'll limp off into cover. Killing enemies has never been so satisfying in a video game, and since this is what shooters generally consist of, other developers should take note.


Weapons are beautifully modelled, with reloading animations adding to the realistic visuals. Each is useful in its own way and all feel great to wield. From the standard assault rifle to the deadly shotgun; all perform realistically and sufficiently empower the player. The flamethrower, nail gun, and lighting gun add sci-fi variety to your arsenal, causing you to giggle with joy when you get a hold of them.

The game's first-person cover system feels surprisingly natural when in the heat of the action. It's essential to succeed, since the Helghast can be apt at headshots, so jumping out of cover to pop them in the helmet is incredibly satisfying.

As levels open up from the first landing battle, level design continues to improve, with a surprising amount of variety in encounters and artistic vision. There's a clear attention to the gameplay's pacing, which although mostly hectic, gives you breathing spots that allow you to try different tactics in completely new environments.

You might begin to tire of the grey landscapes in the game's first third, but new locations offer continued surprises that, at points, elevate Killzone 2 into classic territory. It'd be a shame to spoil these moments; the discovery will bring you the most joy.


The game's story is limited and, perhaps, concentrates on one of its weakest aspects - the group of soldiers you're fighting with. Although this creates a sense of intimacy in a hostile world, its the overarching history of the Helghan and ISA warring that's more engaging. When this is highlighted, such as in the wonderfully acted Visari speeches, the effect can be overwhelming.

Moreover, apart from the aforementioned Visari, Helghast Radec, and playable character Sev, the voice acting and script isn't the most engaging and can come across as trying too hard.

Great graphics are nothing without great sound design, and Killzone 2's 7.1 surround sound elevates the game's atmosphere to another level. The orchestral soundtrack is bombastic, highlighting the action and lavishly framing the cutscene set pieces. Composer Joris de Man has outdone himself.

With the single-player at around 8 hours, you might think the game is short. However, the pacing averts any such feelings. The story propels the player through its campaign, but environment and narrative surprises mean that you're completely satisfied by the time the conclusion comes. The included four difficulty levels ensure replayability and wish such dynamic A.I. you'll want to experience the many unique encounters again and again.


Which brings us to the game's online multiplayer. The eight map designs here are excellent. They are surprisingly big, but still contain choke points and density that ensure confrontations. There's also a distinct inclusion of both horizontal and vertical play, which gives each match a certain grandeur. Usually a video game's online experience can't match the graphical quality of the single-player campaign, but once again GG has come up trumps.

The multiplayer's first great innovation is the inclusion of more than one game type in each round. Matches will transition seamlessly between body-count, seek and destroy, assassination, and base capture. Not having to return to the game screen after every game type is quite liberating and forces teams to change their tactics on the spot.

The second innovation is partly borrowed from Call of Duty 4's level-up system. Perform well in your online play and find yourself earning badges and ribbons left, right and centre. With this comes new weapons and most importantly, new classes. Each class consists of two abilities that you are then allowed to mix and match to create your own unique character. Combine sprinting, reviving, turret building, morphing, or invisibility and the online play will continue to reward.

Killzone 2 manages to succeed both in artistic presentation and gameplay. The latter was something many gamers and critics were not convinced about before release, but excellent level design and addictive multiplayer sooth those worries. Although innovation is limited, every feature is polished to diamond standards, which means that even the uninspiring narrative is improved by the compelling Killzone universe. Now, the question isn't how good Killzone 2 is, it's why haven't you played it yet?

9/10

Patrick Steen

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