The FPS genre on the Playstation Vita has been largely a disappointment thus far. Titles released waiving the Resistance and Call of Duty flags have been sub-par. With Killzone Mercenary, Guerrilla Cambridge makes an attempt to put home console-quality presentation on the Playstation Vita. The investment from Sony has definitely paid off, bringing one of the best games on Vita into the our hands.
The single player storyline is far from an epic tale but the missions are varied and interesting and the combat and enemy AI keeps things interesting. Completionists will be rewarded as multiple playthroughs of each of the nine single player levels will be required to achieve platinum. Each replay of these levels will require specific weapons and force you to explore the levels differently and interact with the level in different ways, including stealth and demolition-style missions.
Multiplayer is where Mercenary really shines. Whether you're going it alone or with a bunch of friends, KZM's 8-player online multiplayer is fast-paced, rewarding and best of all, encourages teamwork. If you have a few friends to bring with you, the Vita's Party application will let you team up there and then bring friends into games alongside you. There is no adhoc voice chat built into KZM which appears to be par for the course on recent online Vita games. Using the Party application allows you to chat, play and carry your team into a match. The lack of public chat might upset some but honestly, if someone wants to hear what you have to say, they'll invite you to their Party (don't wait up)
KZM's multiplayer component has multiple game modes available for online play including a Deathmatch clone, a Team Deathmatch clone and Warzone. Warzone is a rotating game mode that switches objectives every five minutes from Body Count (Deathmatch), Hacker (points awarded only for hacking VAN-guard capsules that fall from the sky) and a Valor collection mode (more on Valor later). Warzone's rotating objectives mode is a great break from the traditional Deathmatch modes.
If you haven't played Killzone Mercenary before, you probably have never read about KZM's Valor system, which is an interesting card-based rank system that works alongside a traditional XP rank system. While ranking up in KZM is a method any seasoned FPS fan will understand, Valor is updated once per day based on your total XP collected from the previous day. This means that on top of your rank of lieutenant, captain, etc. you will also be ranked with a variable Valor card that will drop in multiplayer when killed. If an opposing teammate picks up your downed card, they add that card to their collection and gain some XP/cash (you don't lose it) but if your teammate "saves" your card, they are awarded Valor and XP and you lose less XP/Valor due to their card rescue.
The card system is interesting and something additional to follow beyond the rank and weapons you purchase to unlock. The suit of the card (clubs, spades, etc.) changes based on the type of weapon you prefer. For example, using rocket launcher-type weapons will change your "suit" to Hearts and you are notified as such. This sort of suit distinction in multiplayer gives each team an idea of what type of weapons they prefer in combat and again, adds another wrinkle on the standard FPS multiplayer. The best part about the XP and Valor system is that it carries from Single to Multiplayer, so replaying the single player missions to complete challenges helps you rank up, earn cash and Valor.
While the multiplayer maps available are interesting and varied, I would have liked to see more than the six multiplayer maps included in the default package. There hasn't been any inclination that DLC is on the way but if it does, I expect it will be a welcome enhancement. While the title overall is extremely polished, there are definitely a few bugs in the package. Dead helgast enemies sometimes get stuck in the environment and the game has locked up on me two or more times in about 40 hours of gameplay. While none of this has detracted from my experience with the game, I felt it should be mentioned.
Overall, Killzone Mercenary is an excellent addition to any Vita library and a title that any FPS fan is sure to be satisfied with. KZM combines a solid single player campaign with a thoroughly fun online multiplayer component to create, easily, the best handheld shooter ever made. Fantastic visuals and top-notch audio presentation is matched only by a varied collection of weapons and a unique Valor system. Dust off your best pair of headphones and find a comfy chair, this one is a winner.