Halo killer. Halo killer. Halo killer. This is the term used many times by Sony reps to describe Killzone. This is the true error of the game. While on its own, Killzone is a beautiful game, definitely the best shooter on the PS2, trying to compare it to Halo is truly its downfall. Let me explain.

Killzone's graphics are by far the most beautiful seen on a shooter on the PS2. The war torn streets of the futuristic city and the dirt and dust of the environment capture the atmosphere of a true battleground. And as far as shooters go, it has good pick-up-and-shoot gameplay. However, when you compare a game to Halo, you have to expect large, open levels and clever AI. Killzone lacks both.

From the very first mission, Killzone attempts to establish that this is a large-scale war. Based on the first mission alone, it would seem the goal was accomplished. The constant rush of Helghast enemies and the yells of comrades do a convincing job of holding the atmosphere together. This also serves as one of the best "training" levels I have ever encountered. Unfortunately, the intensity of this initial battle does not hold up throughout the game. Quickly, it begins to feel like there is a massive battle going on, but you're missing it. There is rubble and semi-destroyed buildings all around, yet no visible artillery barrages or masses of troop movement. And the PS2 hardware limits the size of these well-crafted environments to where you will often find routes blocked by rubble. Occasionally, you may stroll across a tank or a squad of troops, but the firefights never build to anything more but a minor skirmish. The environments simply tend to feel lonesome and abandoned. Even with the occasional assaults on Helghast strongholds, it is just not enough to shed the feeling that you are lagging behind the major battles. As someone who enjoys being in the thick of things, this just doesn't cut it for me.

In the firefights, the AI-while occasionally challenging to bring down-do not present an intelligent challenge. Don't get me wrong, the game isn't exactly easy, nor is the AI actually utterly retarded. The computer does a fine job faking strategy and logic, but the illusion does not last for long. Enemies will often take the same path and maneuver in similar ways each play-through. This makes it rather easy to land a grenade in the middle of a group of Helghast hiding behind an object. Unfortunately, this takes away from the idea that the enemy might actually have a real strategy. The Helghast also seem to have very strong body armor. It can often take several rounds to bring down a single enemy. Even apparent headshots aren't totally effective. Thus, the best weapon to carry in a firefight is something with a lot of ammo and a high rate of fire. This brings me to one of the almost innovative features of Killzone.

In the beginning you are Templar, a soldier of the ISA. He is your average war hero stereotype. Mid-ranged rifleman, fearless decisive leader, you are Templar. Eventually, there are three other characters that become available to use. First there is Luger, the "sexy female assassin." She feels and sort of looks like a rip-off of Tangier from Red Faction II, but I digress. Of course there is also your mandatory heavy weapons character Rico. He is slower than the others, but he has all the weaponry you need. The standard machine gun with a rocket launcher underneath is perfect to obliterate the Helghast troops. Finally, there is Hakhar, the Helghast traitor. He is similar to Templar, but only he can use Helghast equipment much better. There isn't much difference between Templar and Hakhar, and Luger's stealth abilities do not seriously come into play. Since the rare branch in path is of little consequence, I recommend simply playing the game as Rico as soon as he is unlocked. He is best suited to mow down groups of enemies.

Now this game is not a failure by any means. The graphic are superb for the PS2. In fact, in my opinion, the attention to detail in the environments creates levels that are more beautiful, in a war torn sort of way, than those in other shooters-even Halo. From the rusted, burned out buildings to the futuristic shipyard based off a real dock, the levels are completely believable. Killzone also has some unique graphical touches. For one, when sprinting, the camera blurs. Similar to the blur effects in Need for Speed Underground (although to a smaller degree), the effect aids the feeling that you are actually moving faster.

Killzone also uses well-crafted animations, although these are a mixed blessing. While they make the action seem more realistic, they hamper the gameplay experience. When reloading, for example, your character will take his eyes off the target in order to completely focus on reloading the weapon. In a toe-to-toe fight, this is dangerous and not a lot of fun. Also, to use a melee attack you must run up to the enemy, hit X, and then your character will do a combo attack, usually with the butt of the rifle. It looks awesome and the first time I did it I thought it was amazing. However, it doesn't really feel like you are doing it. You hit one button and the animations take over. I don't agree with the idea of taking control out of the player's hands, even for that instant. Games like Halo and even Call of Duty do a nice job with melee attacks, as pressing the melee button correlates with a swing of the weapon. Lacking a single melee button, Killzone does not offer this feeling of control. Also, the lack of a jump button is almost inexcusable in a current generation first-person shooter. The rest of the control, however, was standard shooter, and I have few, if any, complaints.

Overall, Killzone is the best sci-fi shooter on the PS2, hands down. If you are looking for a fun shooter with magnificent atmospheric elements on the PS2, then pick up Killzone. Expect your standard, not completely clichéd, single-player game, and the requisite death match multiplayer shooter experience. While it doesn't quite live up to Halo, this is an enjoyable game. And you could always trade it in when you're bored with it.

Apr 13, 2005 | 0 comments
Will