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Let me get this out of the way: I HATED the original Killzone. I hated its stilted gameplay, I hated its awkward aiming, and I hated the bland visuals (no matter how impressive they were, they were dull). I bought my PS3 for two games: Metal Gear Solid 4 and God of War 3. With God of War 3 still a ways off, and having already played the hell out of Little Big Planet, I needed something to pass the time. I had completely ignored the mountain of hype surrounding Killzone 2 because of the initial hype behind the original. However, having no games to play for my PS3 and with my 360 in the shop, I needed a game to play. I surfed good old Metacritic, and the Metascore for Killzone 2 caught my eye. 90's? Wow! I expected this game to get in the seventies at most, but 90's? Anyway, I went out on a limb and bought it with low expectations.
After having played through it, I found my skepticism to be groundless because this game blew me away.
Now, I rarely give a second thought to how good looking a game is, but this I can safely say is the best looking game ever released for a console. The models, the animations, just the sheer spectacle of everything on screen is enough to make your eyes water. It's easy to get sucked into the action without noticing what's going on all around, but if you take a second to notice everything, you'll have a similar reaction to witnessing a breathtaking action scene from a big budget Summer blockbuster.
Now that we know how good looking the game is, how does it play. Well, at first you'll find the controls a bit sluggish, and the overall gameplay can take a while to wrap your head around. In fact, I was frustrated with this game until I figured out I was playing it all wrong.Despite what you may think, Killzone 2 is not a shoot first, ask questions later kind of game. If you try to run and gun in this game, you will die...instantly. Instead, there is a cover mechanic which you will use very often. Kind of like Gears of War. The key to victory is to pick enemies off one by one, and slowly push forward to make your way through. The cover system works splendidly and each individual kill is satisfying in its own way.
Unfortunately, with so much action going on, it can be easy to forget that there are more enemies around than the ones you're currently fighting, and most of your deaths will come from being blindsided by an enemy you never had a chance of locating, so you need to focus while still being aware of your surroundings. It sounds simple enough, but given how crazy things get, it will sometimes feel like walking a tightrope.
Another problem I had with Killzone 2 is the story. There pretty much isn't one. Instead, like many other high profile games today, plot is merely an excuse to get to the next firefight. Your space marine buddies also spout some of the worst meathead dialogue I've ever heard in any game.
Despite a few shortcomings, Killzone 2 is well worth your money if you own a PS3.
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