Edited version:
Killzone 2 defines one of the best user experiences I have ever had from a console or pc shooter. The graphics, and animations are impressive bullet points on their own, but they alone do not convey how the whole user experience is crafted so finely that the class this game possesses is there for all to see. This game conveys the sight, sound and feel of war to me so well it feels like sensory deprivation that I cannot smell the action.
Im not going to pull punches in any way. I believe this game defines the first person perspective, and its a game which can only be produced exclusively on a console because only a console game could have this much production value thrown at it. It wraps the weight of 100 pounds of body armour around you and slaps another 20 pound rifle in your hands and you feel it. Rather than try and force a round peg through a square hole, Guerilla Games has taken the tacticle advantages of the console controller and built an excellent game around them. Two analogue sticks can't do a balarina as accurately as a keyboard and mouse, and a keyboard and mouse can't give you the tactile feel of this game.
This game gets far too much attention for its excellent visuals. People are forgetting that underneath all the flash the gameplay is every bit as great and they complement each other perfectly. Why will this game be successful? This game will not succeed due to a million different bullet points, it simply works because theres always something fun to do, whether its multiplayer or singleplayer. The game is fair to noobs, and experts alike, so its fun for everyone. There are very real differences between the classes and ways to play online so however you want to fight, you're always going to feel like a part of the squad and a valuable member of the team. With the class system you can pretty much pick any role you want in the game so long as you've unlocked the prerequisites. You can be a soldier/scout who lets people know of concentrations of enemy troops. You can be a medic/soldier and hang back to quickly get your friends back into the action and turn the tide in difficult engagements.
Supposedly the game has an excellent and long single-player game, so it'll still be a great value for people who rarely venture online. All in all it's both a top tier experience which defines what a FPS is about, and also an accessible one which will be loved by a wide variety of people for a wide variety of reasons. I think the best part about this game is the fact that so many people will be able to enjoy it, so those 4 years Guerilla Games spent working tirelessly, polishing this game will pay off.
