Killzone 2 - Preview

Welcome to Helghan Soldier!

Boy oh boy! I have been waiting a LONG time to do this preview. Since...late 2007 I think. Well the time is almost upon us, Killzone 2 is set to hit store shelves on the 27th of February and with pre-orders in Europe alone at 1.1million units, what is it about Killzone 2 that has people going crazy???

Well ladies and gentlemen, let me take you back to 2005. 4 years ago, the PS3 was still in development, and Sony began advertising new games for the PS2's younger brother. One of the games that got a trailer was Killzone 2, sequel to the love-it-or-hate-it Killzone on PS2. Killzone tried to push the PS2 to its limits, but in fact went beyond it, and the console could barely play the game. It sits with an average of 70/100 on most aggregate websites to this day and it was any wonder why Sony decided to give a sequel the light of day. At E3 2005, this now famous trailer hit the scene:

I suggest watching in "High Quality" using the toolbar in the bottom right.


This trailer is quite obviously CGI, but the important point was that it was built to PS3 specs, meaning, theoretically the game could look like this upon release. When it emerged that it was in fact CGI but it was in fact what the developers hoped the game would look like, the shitstorm that hit the media was unreal, with unthinkable abuse being thrown around by fanboys on all sides. I mean look at it! How could any game look that good?

Well Killzone 2 sat quietly until 2007, when at E3 it was revealed that actual gameplay footage would be on show. Following the trend from 05, media publications were quick to criticise saying how people would be fooled again, and that Guerilla Games and Sony would never even come close to the target render. Well in 2007 those critics were left with a bitter taste....



Now this is in fact gameplay footage, but there were still doubters saying that there was no way this could be actual gameplay. It looked good, but still wasn't close to the CGI and as had been the custom they came under for heavy criticism again.

However, all that changed in 2008, when the pre-alpha code was on display at E3 2008, where people could actually play the game. Suddenly perception started to change, this game was becoming remarkably close to this CG footage. There were still doubters, but they were now few and far between, with most realising that Guerilla had in fact pulled off what was once deemed to be the impossible.

Multiplayer Trailer:


As anticipation grew, it was revealed mid-Novemember 2008 that media outlets had received a "Preview Code", meaning the game must be close to the final product. The improvements in visuals were incredible, with many now realising that the game may just have surpassed the CGI. How could a game look better than CGI??



Just when anticpation had reached an all time high, it was suddenly revealed in January 2009 that reviewers had received the FINAL CODE. The release date was set, reviewers were ready. But was the internet and all gamers across the world ready?

Gametrailers Full Preview:


Killzone 2 will continue the story from Killzone and Killzone: Liberation, with the ISA launching a counter-invasion to the Helghast on their home world of Helghan. Killzone 2 plans to give gamers the most immersive experience ever seen in a game. With visuals unlike anything seen on consoles before, and gameplay to match according to most reviews and a healthy average score of 93/100 based on 40 reviews with all the major publications having their scores counted, means Killzone 2 looks set to be a strong contender for Game of the Year 2009...and it's only February....

~The Damo