Playing single dad will take it out of a dude. Or at least out of this dude. It's like there's a magnet in my forehead and a magnet in my desk and the two are attracting each other with a force that will not be denied. In an attempt to shock my system into some semblance of alertness, I have allowed myself a Killzone 2 break.
Many pixels have been spilled describing how unbelievably awesome Killzone 2 looks, so I'm not going to spill anymore, except to say yeah, it's all true, it looks that awesome. The destructible environments, the smoke in the air, the audio, the detail, the kickass AI -- it's like you're going to fall through the screen, it looks that good. These guys finally cracked open that famous Cell processor and sucked out all the graphical goodness.
But you know that, because everybody says it. So let's focus on the bads:
1. The Writing. It's amazing. I'd say it's a race to the bottom against Gears 2, but Killzone 2 wins by a mile. "Oh my God!" "The convoy!" "We're getting killed down here!" Etc. It doesn't really bother me -- it's obvious that nobody at Guerilla actually thinks their writing is good. Pretty clearly they just made a decision about it. A decision to suck.
2. The Playstation 3 Controller. I know it has a name. But its name is lame, and I will not say it. But I am saying this: the Playstation 3 controller is bad. I'm a large-handed man, and this thing is tiny -- you need a jeweler's loupe to work it. And there's just no heft to it. I'm pretty sure it's completely empty.
3. Weapons. I cannot for the life of me keep them straight. This will pass. However, what will not pass is that they each hold about 4 bullets each, so I spend as much time reloading as I do shooting. Maybe they should spin off an all-reloading game for people who are fans of that. They could call it Reloadzone. But this is Killzone.
4. "Sev." Not a criticism per se, but I find it unnerving getting called "Sev" all the time. Way too much like my real name. Get your own damn name!
5. The Helghast Voices. something was creeping me out about them, but I couldn't get it for the longest time. Then it came to me: they sound exactly like Strong Mad from Homestar Runner. I feel like I'm killing Strong Mad.
That is all. Now my head is fully on my desk.
Killzone is one of the many examples why I think shooters are doomed to extinction. It's always the same story being told concerning alpha-males involved in some WWII-esque scenario. And the clichês just keep coming as you play them. It's easily the most predictable and uninspired gaming genre over the past 10 years. Half-Life and the original N64 Perfect Dark (not the XBox version) were the last original and groundbreaking shooters.
There are games that stand the test of time. Shooters are hard-pressed to find a timeless classic. Anyone remembers the original Super Mario Bros, a game over 20 years old, and we'll still remember Super Mario Galaxy in another 20 years. People may still remember shooters like Wolfenstein 3D, Doom and Half-Life even then, but no one will remember Killzone.
eduardojencarelli
Mar. 17, 2009 10:53:am
at 10:53:am
Oh, and a final note. The designers are seriously obsessed with full-blown realism. That can get in the way of truly creative game design.
eduardojencarelli
Mar. 17, 2009 10:54:am
at 10:54:am
totally agreed eduardo.
and sorry about the grammar on this post. fixed now. I think.
Lev Grossman
Mar. 17, 2009 12:49:pm
at 12:49:pm
I'm with eduardo on both points. 1) It's been done. 2) We only want realism to a point.
As far as point 1 goes, who knows what will replace the shooter, but since Doom, it's been so drilled into our heads that we always want that same 1st-person or "3rd-person-fixed" perspective.
Point 2 is obvious, considering how wildly successful Halo 3 is, and how hurting the Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six series are.
As games like Fallout 3 and Far Cry 2 (titles which both illustrate industry stagnancy) have shown, combining genres is the way to create more fun, immersive stuff. But, you know, that's just like one man's opinion.
deucemojo
Mar. 17, 2009 14:17:pm
at 14:17:pm
Oh, and as far as sucky writing, it'd be nice if they'd shameless appropriate some lines like...
GET TO THE CHAAPAAAH!
deucemojo
Mar. 17, 2009 14:18:pm
at 14:18:pm
Man you missed the biggest issue, the controls are horribad. It's like Mirror's Edge for me, a lot of truly awesome things about it, both beautiful games, but man the controls are atrocious.
And really, you hate the PS3 controller? Those things are possibly the best controllers ever, ever. But, it sounds like you were one of those guys that was actually comfortable with the old, original XBox cinder block.
shiftydevil
Mar. 19, 2009 15:18:pm
at 15:18:pm
Really, people MAY remember Half-Life? Are you kidding, I still have friends on Steam that go back and play it. Half-Life changed the way video game stories were told, and Mario Galaxy as an example of a historic current gen game? Sorry, but Wii Sports was more fun than Galaxy. Honestly, I haven't seen that "one game" this gen that everyone HAS to have. Twilight Princess continued the decline (IMO) of one of the greatest franchises in the history of video games, Halo 2 and 3 were bleh, Resistance was decent, but certainly not great. Fallout 3 and Farcry 2 are infinitely better on PC.
Actually, you know what the greatest game of this generation is, it HAS to be Rock Band. Heck, that's the only game that keeps bringing me back to my consoles. Man....that's kind of a bummer when you think about it, I miss games that sucked me in like Metroid, Ocarina, FF VII, the first Halo, etc.
shiftydevil
Mar. 19, 2009 15:25:pm
at 15:25:pm
Oh please i dont know if u guys are wii or xbox fanboys or not but whatever the case u cant speak for everyone ppl do want to see the realism and the graphical depth that killzone 2 conveys. Unlike the stupidity that has been before mentioned years from now i will remember killzone 2 bcus to date it is point blank in my eyes thee best fps game to be released. As for controls i love the ps3 controller that xbox one sucks in my opinion and the controls in killzone 2 are nothing to complain about after an hour or so you get use to them. Before killzone 2 my favorite fps was resistance 2 the only thing it lacked was the graphical powerhouse that is killzone 2 but the fun factor was still there and i go back to resistance 2 from time to time the only thing that pulls me away are the hours upon hours i put into killzone 2. Fps are here to stay because gamers like me who love the grind, the blood and the adrenaline of going against 30 other players and trying to kill as many as possible that high never dies
chulonyc
Mar. 25, 2009 15:15:pm
at 15:15:pm
Actually, I think the controller is fine by me. I'm a small guy but the ps2 controller is very ideal for fighting games(which I adore) than say the 360 or Wii controllers. I think I might prefer it over the arcade stick(even though it is the most legit way to play an arcade fighter like SFIV).
squallleonheart
Apr. 16, 2009 12:58:pm
at 12:58:pm