An Invasion, Three Years In The Works!
[size=3][b]THE GOOD[/b][/size][/color]
[i][color="#3a84ff"][size=2][b]Stating The Obvious[/b][/size] - It's quite clear that Killzone 2 is a great looking game, there's no sense in trying to avoid this merrit since it's a major selling point for a lot of gamers out there. Yes, Killzone 2 looks good, if that's what you're looking for in your FPS then by all means, go out and pick up Killzone 2.
[size=2][b]Gritty and Real[/b][/size] - The developers over at Guerrilla Games have done a great job on making the battlefield feel real, at times you become completely enthraulled in the game. The battles are huge and you get a real sense in the Elite difficulty at just how crazy war can be. The realism is there, let's leave it at that.
[size=2][b]Plays Well With The Internet[/b][/size] - It's become more and more difficult to please the masses with online games, it's not hard to get an initial good reaction from gamers, but to keep them from losing interest is a difficult thing. Killzone 2 has done well so far in my book, it has kept me entertained for over 20 hours. That's quite a feet on it's own, but the fact that I still enjoy playing it really ties it all together.
[size=2][b]Interesting Story[/b][/size] - Although it may not be the best story out there, it's obvious that there were attempts to make it different from the rest of the crowd. I found it to be entertaining at the very least. What I found interesting about it was that it combined some memorable wars in our history into a fictional story, it pretty much combined the totalitarian dictatorship guy with the American Revolution to create an fun game.
[size=2][b]Level Design[/b][/size] - Not all developers are great at designing levels, this was a huge strong-suit for Guerrilla, they nailed it with most of the levels in Killzone 2. Not only do you have a vast array of choices, from rural wastelands, to city streets it's all fun. What's also amazing is how they made each level compatible with all the weapon modes!
[size=2][b]The [Sound] of War Has Changed[/b][/size] - Killzone 2 boasts excellent gun sound effects. You really feel like you're listening to a gun fire. Yes... it's that realistic. If you crank the volume you feel as though you're truly in a battlefield!
[size=2][b]Refinery![/b][/size] - Although it's not quite the most original game out there, Killzone 2 refines the genre enough to put it at the top of the FPS list. With it's gritty realism, awesome sound effects, ridiculious graphics, and genuinely fun gameply, it's up there with the best of the FPS genre.
[size=2][b]Not Everyone Can Be Number One[/b][/size] - Some might not consider this a merit, but it's refreshing to find a game that actually takes skill to be good at. Given I'm not the greatest Killzone 2 player out there, I have managed to be in the upper percentile for a week or two. It's different from other games in this sense and I love it for that fact.[/color][/i]
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[size=3][b]THE NOT-SO-GOOD[/b][/size][/color]
[i][color="#e04848"][size=2][b]Different, But Not Different Enough[/b][/size] - As much as I want to think that Killzone 2 is completely different from all other FPS games, it is just impossible to say that honestly. It mimics several other well off FPS games.
[size=2][b]Not Always Pick-Up And Playable[/b][/size] - Although the campaign mode is quite easily picked up by anyone and played, the online is a bit of a different story. You can't quite catch on as fast. Although if you give it a few hours you will catch right on. The problem is that you can't just pick it up and be godly at it at any point in your routine.
[size=2][b]Lack of Diversity[/b][/size] - Although Killzone 2 does cover all the main weapons, it feels like it's missing something. It just has the general weapons you expect of a shooter now a days, it has nothing to really set it apart from the rest of the pack.
[size=2][b]A Bit Shallow[/b][/size] - Many find this game to be quite shallow. I found it deep enough to get into, but I can't fight the majority. You clearly won't be as pulled in as you would a game like MGS4 or GTA IV, but it does a good job when compared to other FPS games like it.[/color][/i]
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[size=3][b]FINAL VERDICT[/b][/size]
[i]If you own a PS3 then you should at the very least rent Killzone 2, it's a great jump forward in the series as well as for FPS games in general. The story advances and I for one, am curious to see where Guerrilla will take the series with the next installment, if there is one. It's not so much revolutionizing the genre as it is fine-tuning it.[/i]
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[i]Game played to completion, finished the campaign up to the Veteran difficulty.
Time spent in game: 14 hours on the campaign, 21 hours in Warzone.[/i]
