Hell hath no fury than a Helghast scorned…
Killzone 2.Just thinking about it reminds me of many PS3 fanboys throwing their toys out of their prams because I gave it a respectable 8.8 score. However, I did note some serious problems that held it back from the likes of COD and Halo such as handling and a plot that didn’t grab me like I hoped it would. The third game in the series appears to have listened to these issues, or does it?
Set immediately after the last game, Killzone 3 picks up the pieces of Visari’s death and the war still rages. Although this time around, the plot is more light-hearted than in past games, which ends up with mixed results…while I like the way the story goes in the third game, I can imagine many gamers being disappointed, but I guess you cant please everyone…right?
It’s obvious from the get go that some sections of Killzone 3 have been designed with Move in mind and this works against it, sadly. It handles a lot better than the last game did if you play it normally, with Move it isn’t as fun to play and still feels slow when it comes to turning as it does with most FPS games that use motion controls. Playing it with the standard setup is the preferable way to go through the game with…although I have to say I’m not crazy about clicking the right thumbstick in to get iron sights with your weapons, why the setup can’t be like any normal FPS is beyond me. Although, having said that…I’m a fan of the cover system that is implemented well through the game.
The campaign is enjoyable, but perhaps not as much as expected by fans. Most expected it to be the best of the series and oddly enough, I preferred the last game…despite its flaws. There are some great weapons and brutal melee kills that you can pull off, which is probably why the game got an 18+ rating. That and the constant cursing, that is…but why the game only has split-screen co-op is a mystery. The multiplayer modes from Killzone 2 are intact and you can grind your way to the usual perks and loadouts that we’ve come accustomed to since COD 4. It’s all well balanced though, so that other player who has everything maxed out wont be the strongest person on the battlefield.
The visuals of Killzone 3 are a minor improvement over the last game, but that’s good since it looked so damn impressive back then and it still does. Everything from character models to the explosions and weather effects look fantastic. The voice-acting is a bit mixed as the characters are a bit one-dimensional, but the soundtrack is truly epic and the sound effects like bullets whizzing past are superb. Also, the game supports 3D if you have the option open to you…alas I do not, so I was unable to see how good it looks.
The Verdict
Killzone 3 takes one step forward and two back in some ways. It handles better and is more action packed, but the story is lacklustre and the gameplay only feels like a minor improvement over the last game. That said, it’s still incredibly fun for the most part…especially through multiplayer where you’ll spend most of your time anyway. So, breeze through the campaign and just knuckle down with some Team Deathmatch and Objective based multiplayer!
Am I the only person who thinks that Killzone 3 is a major improvement over its predecessor? I don’t understand the lower scores from the critics at all.
You can change the controls to alternate before you even start which are mapped in the same vein as cod. 3d looks bloody amazing and the move controls are awesome. Short but blisteringly fun campaign. as usual brilliant mutiplayer. should be 9.5.