Killzone 2 Review (PS3)
Developer: Guerrilla Games
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Released: February 27, 2009
ESRB: M – Mature

Hello and welcome to The Backlog, a look at older games I’m finally getting around to playing. On this debut edition we’re taking a look at Killzone 2, the 2009 follow-up to the PlayStation 2 original and the PSP installment Killzone: Liberation.

The game starts with one of the best opening sequences I’ve ever seen. Helghast Emperor Scolar Visari is making an impassioned speech to the people of Helghan about the coming ISA invasion, voice thundering, the crowd whipped into a frenzy. The camera pulls back from Visari’s face to reveal a TV screen being watched by two of our main characters, Rico and Sev, before cutting back to Visari as his speech reaches a fever pitch, calling on the Helghast to defend their planet to the bitter, bloody end. It’s a hell of a way to open a game and it sets the tone for everything that follows.

From there the story moves at a good clip. You’re Sev, a battle-hardened ISA soldier, and the mission is straightforward: invade Helghan, blast your way to the capital, and capture Visari. What the game does well is make that journey feel earned. The environments are varied and brutal, the pacing keeps you moving without feeling rushed, and the story builds toward a conclusion that actually lands. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel as far as military shooters go, but it tells its story well and doesn’t overstay its welcome.

The graphics are some of the best on the PS3, full stop. Guerrilla Games pushed the hardware hard and it shows. The industrial decay of Helghan looks fantastic, the cinematics are well produced, and the sound design is excellent throughout. The Helghast sound exactly as menacing as they look. Two years after launch this still looks like a showcase title for what Sony’s console can do.

The gameplay is straightforward and easy to pick up. Cover, shoot, advance, repeat. It’s a competent shooter that controls well and stays satisfying from start to finish. If you want a solid, meat-and-potatoes first-person shooter with a campaign worth playing, this delivers exactly that.

My internet situation at the time meant no online multiplayer, which is a shame because the online is where this game really shines. Up to 32 players, class-based gameplay with badges you unlock and mix and match to suit your playstyle, a clan system, and some well-designed maps. Even the bot matches are no joke, as our own Gary can confirm having spent significant time with the multiplayer. The bots in this game will test you, which makes it a solid option even when you can’t get a full lobby going. The multiplayer also sets up the events of Killzone 3 nicely, so if you’re planning to work through the series it’s worth engaging with beyond just the campaign.

If you haven’t played Killzone 2 yet and you’re even further behind on your backlog than I am, move it up the list. The campaign alone is worth your time, and the multiplayer on top of that makes it an easy recommendation.

* This review was written by Vortex Effect Forums member The Sandman.

Killzone 2 gets a four out of five: COMMENDABLE.

If you enjoyed this, check out the review of Killzone: Mercenary. You might also be interested in a couple of our other PS3 exclusvereviews: Starhawk for more science fiction shooting, or InFamous for some superhero open world action.

Agree, disagree, or think I got it completely wrong? Say so in the comments or over at the Vortex Effect forums.