Killzone 2: What the reviews will say
The good and the bad bits that’ll determine the scores for Sony’s biggest shooter
What the reviews won’t like
• The objectives – Blow up communication towers, plant explosive charges, defend Johnny Useless team-mate, Guerrilla have more brutally killed the box rather than thought outside it for most of the game’s objectives.
• The level design – While levels are fairly linear in the way they’re laid out, usually offering clear, channelled progression, we still got lost quite a bit. Pressing up on the d-pad points you in the right direction, but, if level design were clearer, you’d naturally know where to go.
• Your AI team-mates – Aside from enjoying running in front of your gun, getting shot and needing to be constantly revived, your team-mates constantly grate by dropping relentlessly tiresome F bombs.
A lack of memorable set pieces – The first five levels feel like a bit of a slog at times, with many trench fights or pitched battles in city squares. The pacing just can’t match something like Half-Life 2 and, as a result, the action gets tedious at times.
• It’s very ‘gamey’ – Many battles with the Helghast end with you having to trigger some sort of event - like having to walk to a certain point to activate a new stream of enemies or a new setpiece. It’s all a bit entrenched in contrived game logic. That, and the story is a load of clichéd sci-fi pap.
From what we’ve played so far Killzone 2 is a solid and visually striking FPS. The action in the levels we played wasn’t earth-shattering or even consistently exciting. But, with satisfying weapons, rewarding shooting mechanics and a rich atmosphere, we can still see this making a bang with PS3 owners.
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Jan 6, 2009
David has worked for Future under many guises, including for 12DOVE and the Official Xbox Magazine. He is currently the Google Stories Editor for GamesRadar and PC Gamer, which sees him making daily video Stories content for both websites. David also regularly writes features, guides, and reviews for both brands too.
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