Killzone

Killzone
Developer(s)	Guerrilla Games
Publisher(s)	Sony Computer Entertainment Europe
Aspect ratio	16:9 / 4:3
Native resolution	480i (SDTV)
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2
Release date	November 2, 2004 November 26, 2004 November 26, 2004 October 10, 2005
Genre(s)	First-person shooter
Mode(s)	Single player, multiplayer
Rating(s)	ESRB: Mature (M) PEGI: 16+
Media	1 DVD
Input methods	DualShock 2, PlayStation 2 Headset (optional)

Killzone is a first-person shooter exclusive to the PlayStation 2 game console, developed by Netherlands-based Guerrilla Games and released on November 2, 2004 in North America. A sequel, Killzone: Liberation was released on the PlayStation Portable and another followup, Killzone 2 is currently being developed for the PlayStation 3.

Killzone received a great deal of hype in June 2003 when video game websites began releasing previews and rumors about the game. Upon release, the game received average reviews, with frame rate problems, jumpy controls, and numerous glitches.

Storyline

The game is set in an era of space colonization where the Helghast Empire has recovered from its defeat in the First Helghan War and launched a blitzkrieg against the outer Interplanetary Strategic Alliance (ISA) colony planet Vekta. Vekta's orbital Strategic Defense (SD) platforms failed during the initial assault, allowing the Helghast to land swarms of soldiers onto the surface. This makes it all the more difficult for the outnumbered ISA forces.

In the game, the Helghast are a faction of human descendants who colonized the planet Helghan many generations ago. The planet's harsh environment forced the Helghast to adapt and mutate so much that they can no longer be considered human. They are stronger, faster and more resilient than their human brothers, and possess a burning hatred for humanity. Except for a small number of half-breed Helghast and trained troopers, they require a gas mask and air processing tank that creates air similar to that found on the planet Helghan.

The player takes control of ISA squad leader Jan Templar, fighting off the Helghast invasion. Templar and his squad are called back to the base for reassignment, and are promptly sent to find the ISA operative Hakha and the key in his possession. During the course of the game, the player also takes control of several other characters, such as a special operations martial Luger (a female "Shadow Marshal" assassin), a heavy weapons specialist sergeant Rico Velasquez (a Helghast-hating grunt from the slums with an itchy trigger finger), and Hakha, a half-Helghast, half-Human spy.

Battlefields

Battlefields is the multiplayer component of Killzone. Offline, it can be played with one or two players with up to 14 bots. Online, the game has no bots, and up to sixteen players can play simultaneously. There are six modes of play, consisting of deathmatch, team deathmatch, assault, defend and destroy, supply drop and domination. These modes are all playable on eight separate maps, based around areas from the single player campaign.

Online play

Battlefield Mode

The game has online capabilities and up to 16 players can participate in a game. However, there is no centralized online service but local servers, hence no worldwide competition.

The game features 8 maps which are also largely based on maps from the Single Player Campaign. Battlefields features all weapons from the Single Player game, with the exception of the Laser Designator and the knife. Battlefields Offline features 2 player support with up to 14 bots, 6 gamemodes, and two teams (ISA and Helghast) available. The Online version is largely similar except there is no 2-player split screen and no bots.

Online play was well received by many. Shortly after the game was released, players found and began to exploit glitches in both the NA and EU versions of the game. The NA version of the game received two downloadable updates, the latest one patching the game to version 2.0. This eliminated many glitches and thus almost brought an end to the cheating.

Reception

Prior to release, Killzone had been hailed as a "Halo killer". However, upon release, Killzone received mixed reviews from magazines and websites alike. Reviewers cited many technical problems with Killzone, including inconsistent and sometimes nonexistent AI, occasional bugs resulting in random game crashes, frame-rate issues, numerous distracting graphical glitches, repetition of the same voices, short draw distance, and an awkward control system. Critics also complained about the gameplay, with IGN labeling it "underwhelming and mediocre" and Into Liquid Sky stating that it "needs more refinement". In light of these problems, reviewers such as GameSpy commented that Killzone was not the "Halo killer" that it had been previously hyped as before its release. On the positive side, Killzone was admired for its sound effects, its soundtrack, and its presentation of a gritty war zone ; it was also credited for its unique hard sci-fi art design.

Comic series

In 2005, the Canadian independent publisher Dreamwave Productions planned to publish Killzone volume 1 but the project was cancelled due to the company's bankruptcy a few months before the release date.

See also

• Killzone: Liberation
• Killzone 2

References

External links

• Official Killzone WorldWide Website
• Official North American Website
• Official European / Oceanian Website
• Killzone at MobyGames

• Vekta Today: Helghast Invasion Special (Official 3D gallery of vehicles, weapons, and enemies)