At first glance, the highly anticipated "Killzone 2" looked like everything a video-gaming male could ever want: killing and zone warfare. While the game delivers in these aspects, there are a couple reasons why this game falls short of being the Halo-killer it was predicted to be.
As with most first-person shooters, "Killzone 2" features both single-player and multiplayer modes. Unfortunately, it suffers a similar fate as highly touted first-person shooter games before it: its single-player mode is flat and uninspired. You start the game dropped right into a Normandy-style invasion, with explosions and gunfire all around you. Orders are barked at you by the radio voice god, and you complete these arbitrary objectives, usually utilizing the tacky Sixaxis motion-sensitive controls for non-combat related tasks. The gameplay and visuals (especially the cutscenes) are exceptional, but the story is uneventful and uninteresting. In addition, the known remedy to disappointing storylines - the cooperative campaign - is suspiciously absent.
The multiplayer is the reason to play "Killzone 2." The mechanics feel like the widely successful "Call of Duty 4," especially with the customizable soldier load-outs. In "Killzone 2," customization is expanded to include different unlockable classes, talents and weapons with a unique system that is intuitive and challenging (but not to the point of absurdity). While gameplay is too advanced for first-person shooter beginners to have a chance against seasoned veterans a la Halo, it won't take the average gamer long to adjust to the nuances of "Killzone 2." Probably the best new feature is a best-of-seven game rotation on a single map, giving the player the opportunity to play all the classic first-person shooter objectives without the tedious pre-game and post-game setup and loading.
"Killzone 2" makes great work of the PS3's power and is a valuable addition to any first-person shooter fan's library. The multiplayer is near-flawless and a pinnacle of the genre, but if online shooting isn't for you, neither is "Killzone 2."
