-

Going into a local GameStop one day to trade in some items, I began chatting with one of the employees manning the register. He asked me, after applying credit to my account for the items I had given him, if I was going to reserve anything that night. I responded with a rather dry, "Not reserving, but looking into buying Killzone 2 when it's released." He said, and I paraphrase, 'you may want to reserve it now, it's going to be the Halo killer.'

Excusing the gruff business tactics - practically begging for a reserve or pre-order through rather shrewd phrasing - as I do understand how GameStop works; I was employed there for a while myself. But to have a fellow gamer tell me that a first-person shooter was going to be the Halo killer was either: A) very stupid, or B) incredibly smart. You can assess this situation from one of two ways. I've come to the conclusion that there are Halo fanatics who have the Master Chief collectible statuettes, 360 controllers, custom skins for its respective console, posters, replica Warthogs, and whatever-the-hell-else they make to coincide with each respective release. Telling these fans that some random FPS will topple their beloved shooter franchise is equivalent to blasphemy. And then there are ardent non-fans, such as myself.

Little did this employee know that he immediately sparked even more curiosity in me when he labeled it the "Halo killer" because, well, I have a certain amount of distain for that game anyway. But the more I read into Killzone 2 and the more video clips I saw, I became confident that it was going to be the big PS3 system seller that Sony has been needing for going on three years now. Sure, Sony has both the critically acclaimed Uncharted: Drake's Fortune & Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots currently available, but those games have become largely niche titles that I reckon few people have actually purchased the pricey console to play.

The current comparisons being made between Bungie's Halo and Guerrilla Games' Killzone 2 are flawed and, above all else, unfair. Despite a homosapien/alien war played through a first-person perspective, Killzone 2 is an altogether different beast. It approaches first-person action less surreally and with more emphasis on squad combat, tactics, and an acute reliance on pseudo-realism. An example being its cover system which is one that must be put to use systematically in order to survive. It is accessed by maneuvering next to large, obstructive objects like road blocks, pillars and walls, then holding down L2 to "dig-in." In this mode, which is still presented in the game's almost non-stop first-person perspective, your character (Tomas "Sev" Sevchenko) can lean out and around said cover, pop-and-shoot, or simply recover from taking too much damage.

There have been many complaints made about the controls and overall "feel" of Killzone 2. Granted, it certainly doesn't feel as "light" as recent shooter fare like Call of Duty: World at War or the other big PS3 exclusive, Resistance 2. But rather than presenting itself as a fast-paced run and gun actioner, KZ 2 is obviously meant to be played more methodically and, because of that, will definitely take some getting used to. “Wading” through dim corridors and massive firefights with all the speed and agility of a sloth is a refreshing change of pace over every other shooter where marathon running and loose aiming mechanics seem to win out. In fact, the default X and Y-axis sensitivity is so tight it can feel downright ruthless. Thankfully, it can be adjusted, but I give credit to Guerrilla for attempting something different amidst a genre overcrowded with redundancy.

As an action game with some of the best presentation and production values around, you really can't fault the game for being an FPS that wears its heritage boldly on its sleeve. Its this reliance on a tried-and-true formula, coupled with amazing presentation, that places KZ 2 above most of its (stiff) competition despite being relegated to genre limitations.

This is not, however, a game that you'll cling to after the end credits have rolled, wanting to replay over and over again, and somehow hoping to recover the true meaning of life from. But it does offer up incredible action sequences, furious battles, and brilliant visual and aural presentation to tie these moments of exquisite action together. Enemy AI is stupendous; different types of units attack with unique patterns, weapons, and tactics. Being flushed out with a grenade by certain breeds of Helghast is not uncommon, while others find comfort in full-on assault. I can't say the same for friendly AI exhibiting any sort of intelligence as they will die... a lot. Reviving them is an option offered to the player, but it gets to be an old hat after the same guy goes down for the 5th consecutive time.

Not only is this an action lover’s dream come true, but Killzone 2 is one of the most visually stunning games I have ever played. I have no qualms saying that this is one console game that certainly gives PC favorite Crysis a run for its money in terms of pure visual prowess. The Deferred Rendering engine encompasses beautiful landscapes, spectacular lighting, the best motion-capture ever put to disc, and character models & textures that will literally floor you; all of which are presented at insane resolutions with the help of excellent framerates. Killzone 2 is basically a high-end PC game under the guise of an ordinary console FPS. It is a game so utterly beautiful that, quite literally, no other console shooter is even coming close to its visual excellence.

Although Killzone 2 won't be winning any awards for originality, the experience in its entirety is a highly enjoyable/rewarding one. Despite some minor issues inherent in the game's design, as well as awkward, if refreshing controls, this still remains one of the most impressive shooters released thus far on the current-generation of consoles. Xbox 360 fanboys won't find the brass to admit that Killzone 2 is one hell of a game, but PS3 owners and those soon-to-be are in for a one-of-a-kind experience. Showcasing the true power of its hardware, this PS3 exclusive is an entertaining, altogether excellent action game that is not quite a great one, but only because its ideas are something FPS lovers have been playing through for some time now. Nevertheless, I still wouldn't miss the chance to grab this one off the shelf as soon as possible.

9/10