TOKYO -- I braved Sony's restricted area -- even got carded, to prove I'm over 17 -- to try out some Killzone 2.
The build currently shown is pre-beta -- which probably explains why it crashed on me once on startup -- but when the game got going, it sure felt like a very polished level. As you'd expect from the intense trailers we've seen, things kick off in a blaze of bullets, with your team under fire as you start moving forward, infiltrating a Helghast stronghold.
I think we can safely say that Guerrilla Games has finally proved that their game will look pretty damn close to that early CG trailer that was shown back in 2005, and graphically, it has to be the nicest first-person shooter I've seen.
The one thing that could disappoint some is that dark and gritty à la Gears of War
has been done to death, and the blood spurts that periodically splatter on the screen do bring that game to mind a bit too often. But it all looks great, and if gritty FPS action is all you're after, then you'll find a lot to like here.
Movement and shooting felt good, including great effects on your weapon's sight when you zoom in for a kill. Also, and I'm not sure why, but for some reason I really liked the animation when you reload your weapon, which fills up the entire screen. It feels real, and that feeling of immersion stays with you the entire time you're playing.
A lot of attention has been put into making you feel like you're there, with great sound design and a decent amount of shaky cam effects that work well, without being too overwhelming.
Killzone 2 is set to come out in February 2009.
Image courtesy Sony
