Killzone 2 is one of the many FPS titles I’ve played during my gaming experience. Lately, FPS has become even more popular with the release of CODMW2. I spent some time playing COD and watching others and after experiencing Killzone 2, I’d have to say that Killzone runs away with Campaign mode by a long shot. While still really good in the online multiplayer mode, CODMW2 also was done really well and both games really shine online.
Killzone 2 feels like a redefined look at the Nazi regime during the 2nd world war. You are reminded of this by the dictatorship of the opposing faction and the military mastermind of Radec, an evil super soldier from the planet Helghan. You also experience enemy propaganda and the suits remind you of the gas masks/flame thrower attire worn by it’s respective units during the war. There are also several items that are symbolic to the times and even symbols to destroy, similar to the swastica from Nazi Germany. The first mission consists of you and your fellow “Alpha squad” storming the beach and getting the ground situation under control. If that doesn’t say D-day, I don’t know what does. While this is easily identifiable, it in no way takes away from the actual story and setting Killzone 2 takes place in, an outer space, planetary conflict of the distant future.
This campaign takes you from each zone from the beach landing, all the way through the city and surrounding areas to eventually find yourself at Radec’s front door. Each mission blends with the one following, which gives an outstanding sense of continuity and relevance to the story. You find yourself scouting tunnels, towers, sometimes solo or with the Alpha team and working together to systematically take down the enemy and gain footholds in the inhospitable wasteland that is Helghan. There are wins and losses on both sides and other aspects to the story to add depth and a realistic outcome to individual battles or altercations on the battlefield.
I only wish the story had been a little bit longer. My first time through the game took me roughly 7 hours and after that about 4 to finish. I played it on 2 difficulty modes and even the easiest to someone with little FPS experience I could see to be really difficult, especially as you progress through the story.
Trophies are plentiful and relatively easy to get as you complete the main story but will only yield you about 20% unless you plan to go back through multiple times, farm a few and play online ALOT. That is really the only complaint I have about this title is the online trophies. There are just as many as offline, but require far more time put in to achieve and if multi-player is just not your thing, you will probably never get more than 40% of the trophies.
This game was made extremely well, looks beautiful and the combat was like no other FPS I’d ever played. It was violent, paced correctly, and you could feel the heaviness of the characters and the impact of not just the fighting but the environment as well.
If you are a fan of FPS and have not played Killzone 2, this is a perfect title for you. Both online and in the offline campaign mode, you will feel drawn to the action and enjoy every second of game play.
Purchase @ 40