Remember the much-ballyhooed first trailer from E3 2005? That sort of visual splendor seemed almost inconceivable at the time, but the finished product looks every bit as impressive (if not more so) even outside of the gorgeous cut scenes. Dynamic lighting and shadow, coupled with highly destructible environments, Dexter-quality blood spatter, and convincing atmospheric effects, render the austere surface of Helghan a treat for the eyes. Breaking crates has never been this much fun; sit back and watch the wood chips fly. Subtle touches like those debris, the cracks on a windshield, or the hands operating vehicular controls make as great a lasting impression as the most stunning explosion. Visual cues fulfill some of the functions of the traditional HUD; on-screen blood spatters indicate the vector of enemy fire, and a draining of color from the screen presages imminent death. These touches add to the action’s intensity, though the reduced visibility they engender can make escaping tight situations a dicey proposition. Perhaps more impressive than everything Killzone 2 does right from a visual standpoint is how little it does wrong. Almost never does a sub par texture or a graphical glitch mar the illusion of a fully realized alien world. However, I would recommend disabling the subtitles, since previous lines annoyingly remain on-screen long after they’ve been delivered.

All these fireworks come with a small catch; loading times between missions seem somewhat lengthy, especially considering the frequency of intra-level loading points. More disappointing are the distracting frame-rate hiccups which accompany each and every one of the latter; I would have welcomed the option of a hard-drive install, if that would have eliminated or ameliorated the impact of the greatest obstacle to my suspension of disbelief. Killzone excels in the audio department; this is exactly the sort of game that begs to be played with a surround-sound setup, since it supports 7.1 systems (I can testify to that). The John Williams-esque orchestral score provides reason enough to upgrade, but directional audio also confers an enormous tactical advantage upon those fortunate enough to enjoy it-on countless occasions, I found myself relying on sound to determine the location of enemies and incoming fire. Helpful audio cues also alert you to the fact that you’re close to emptying a clip.

The portions of Helghan that made it into playable form are captivating enough that I wish I had been granted access to a wider range of the Helghast homeworld’s terrain. Though a few later levels alter the familiar formula, much of the game transpires amidst Pyrrhus’ monotonous green and brown earth tones (check out the first screenshot in our gallery to see what I mean). A lack of variation among the Helghast forces only adds to the sense of repetition; aside from a few “Heavies,” which resemble Bioshock’s Big Daddies, several flying drones, and a couple of ATAC’s (oddly animalistic, heavily armed airborne vehicles) you’ll be facing an endless succession of the rank and file. Like the aforementioned Big Daddies, the Heavies come in two varieties, one armed with a chain gun, and the other with a “VC5 electricity gun,” an inexhaustible resource of which I heartily approve (the combination of the names of the latter Heavies, “ARCTroopers,” and the protagonist, “Sev,” leads me to believe that someone at Guerrilla may have developed a well-deserved crush on Republic Commando). A few vehicle/turret sequences break up the standard action, but only the one involving an “EXO,” a small mech unit (again, think “Starship Troopers”), proves especially enjoyable; the brief tank section feels tacked-on and poorly implemented. A shortage of effective weapons or sufficient ammunition in a few levels also leads to frustration.

Throughout the campaign, you’ll experience a powerful sense of being one minor element in a sweeping offensive. Killzone 2 doesn’t support cooperative play out of the box (stay tuned for further developments), but you’ll be fighting alongside friendly NPC’s (one of whom bears a resemblance to Marcus Fenix) often enough to overlook the omission. You’ll never have any uncertainty about your destination, since pressing up on the D-Pad summons a conveniently situated waypoint. The game could best be likened to a futuristic entry in the Call of Duty series, not only because of its superb audio and reliance on scripted events, but because it so rarely separates you from your comrades in arms. Corny dialogue, action-movie cliches (including the inevitable “It’s too quiet,” delivered without any apparent irony), and an absence of memorable characters might prevent you from developing much of an emotional attachment to your squad, but you’ll be grateful for their company, nonetheless.

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About The Author

Ben Lindbergh is a Blast Games staff writer

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