Well, its finally here. After all the hype and hoopla Killzone 2 has finally been released. But with all the big words aside, how does it measure up? Two words: Awe-inspiring. How is it possible that the sequel to a playstation 2 game is not only better than the first title, but actually sets the bar for the current generation of first person shooters? Well how bout the fact that the visuals are absolutely jaw-dropping. Every texture is a feast for the eyes, with no stone going unturned up to the most minute detail. Get up close to a war-torn concrete pillar...the textures are awesome. Get up close in personal with one of the Red-Eyes ( a term used by your character and his team to describe your enemy with red glowing eyes...duh) and you can see just how detailed the character models show FEAR...something that has been tried before but failed.

Getting back to why this game is so great, lets take the nay-sayers head on about the so-called “flawed” control scheme. I don’t understand why every single first person shooter needs to feel like one of the CALL OF DUTY games. Sure those games are great, but they are great because they’re right for the style and subject matter that the game presents. Sorry to sound disgruntled over here, but its hard not to fall in love with this game if you simply open your mind and realize that this a totally different franchise and a great one at that. Once you actually accept that the controls FEEL different, you will truly appreciate just how real this game feels and operates. Each gun seems to have its own weight and response (as it should...I mean this is next-gen) and the physics of how each weapon uses its aiming system are incredible.


There is nothing more satisfying that tearing apart a red-eye looking through your scope and seeing your little green dot tearing him limb from limb, with spurts of blood everywhere. Call me barbaric, but this is the closest thing to putting Rambo in an organized group and unleashing hell. Granted that some of the motion controls are not really necessary, but they do break up the action and add a bit of depth to a very, very dry genre. Holding L1 and R1 and mimicking the motion of opening a flood pump is unnecessary but fun non the less. All in all, gravity rules out and makes you actually feel like you are holding and using the weapons in the game.


The actual gameplay itself is what you would expect from a first person shooter. I mean there isn’t much you can really do with a story line nowadays but the campaign does feel fresh in a sense, that even though the storyline doesnt really carry any true characters that stand out, it is good in a sort of “Hell yea! I just killed HUNDREDS of people and I rule” sort of way. Lets put it this way, you aren’t going to have a love affair that fans of maybe Gears of War have with its all-star cast.

Speaking of stars, the real star of this game is the online play, which is a BEAST. Every battle feels epic and you are always in the heart of the action. It is nice that if you feel like adding bots, there is an option to do so. There are plenty of weapons to make you “Reign in Blood” and not even the back up pistol feels like a let down. Once again, the online play shines because of large and expansive maps, each with its own flair and vivid detail. Come on already, this review isn’t psyching you up already? Ughh...

Long story short, Killzone 2 is not just a blood spec on an already bruised and beaten genre that is the first person shooter. The game sets the bar in all categories and I can proudly say we finally have a game that looks and feels “Next-gen”.
So get out there, shelve out your hard-earned $60 bucks, and kill someone. After the initial pain of using yet another wad of cash on what COULD be another mediocre PS3 game, you will never feel better and that money you were going to use to eat this week will be put to use in a much, much better way.

-MoonKnightHulk