Killzone 2 - Killzone 2

Now, the visuals are astonishing. I think the 'ruined beauty' of the Gears games and the lush jungles of Crysis are the only serious competition Killzone 2 faces in the all-action genre. Yet again there's a feeling that it's not all about grandeur or epic scale, but about creating a convincing world. Friend and foe alike are superbly modelled and animated with a real sense of character. The lighting is gritty and hugely atmospheric, and no expense has been spared on lavish surface treatments, dust swirls, volumetric fog and dazzling particle effects. Like the Gears games, it's the details that make all the difference, from flags and banners flapping in the wind to the way that everything emits or reflects light as you might expect.

I've yet to see any game - even Crysis - that can 100 per cent transport you to a warzone, but played on a great big screen with surround-sound blaring in your lug'oles, Killzone 2 comes awfully close. What's more, it manages this while still being a hugely cinematic game, the action seamlessly transitioning to cut-scene and back again, with the latter sequences never outstaying their welcome and becoming surprisingly emotive as the game goes on. It's a big, old-fashioned macho tale, but Killzone 2 isn't nearly as simple or as dumb as it first appears.

The single player campaign is fairly short - you can easily crack it within eight to ten hours of play - but it's a definite case of all killer, no filler. It's also the sort of game that you'll be happy to replay on a harder difficulty level. It's the multiplayer, however, that should give Killzone 2 its longevity. I say 'should' because, at the time of writing, I've had very little chance to sample it outside of botmatches, but what I've seen shows plenty of potential. The class system and array of game modes again put you in mind of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, and the maps and weapon sets are well designed for 32-player mayhem. Game types include assassination, search and destroy and control point games on top of the basic deathmatch options, and the game cleverly mixes them together in matches that alternate in type from round to round. Kick me in three month's time if it doesn't work out, but I think Killzone 2 will be a mainstay of PSN for some years to come.

There are some disappointments. The lack of a co-op campaign is practically unforgivable, particularly in a game where you're just one member of a constant four-man squad. It's also annoying that, while you can heal team-mates, they never have the courtesy to do the same for you. Finally, a couple of boss battles degenerate into the sort of affair where you're either under so much fire or in constant danger of a one-hit kill that victory is more a matter of persistence and good fortune than tactics or genuine skill. None of these things, however, spoil Killzone 2 so seriously that you can feel anything less than awe. It's not the best FPS ever, nor is it the sort of game that redefines genres or sets new benchmarks. It is, however, the most convincing demonstration yet of the PS3's sheer grunt, and one of the finest action games of recent years. Don't miss it.

Verdict

While there's nothing really new about Killzone 2, the phenomenal pacing, stunning polish and overwhelming bombast of the whole experience elevates it to the top tier of FPS games. The PS3 finally has the flagship shooter it deserves.