The Official Killzone 2 Singleplayer Impressions Thread

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With all the topics regarding the newly released singleplayer footage, I decided that we needed one central location where we could store all the mess.  Welcome to the official thread of Killzone 2 singleplayer glory!

[all images have been resized: right click and select "View Image" to see them in full]

You can find 12 new singleplayer videos over at Gamersyde, and you can even download them in 720p!  They look great when viewed on an HDTV via the ps3.

You can find various in-depth singleplayer impressions from the following sources:

Eurogamer:

A later visit to a forgotten Helghast outpost features carcasses of industrial buildings constructed from the bones of the spaceships that first landed there. The inspiration lies with Pakistani ship-breaking wharfs where boats are stripped for parts, and while it means yet more factories to plod through in a first-person shooter, these have a haunting, mysterious quality that makes them different: a mixture of the sad, the brutal, and the gently exotic. And in every location, the toxic variety of Helghan is always present. In the game's fiction, the planet's polluted atmosphere is itself a Class III toxin, and the ravaged weather system's lightning flashes and dust storms seem likely to have an influence on the level construction.

[...]

Throw in a cover system - in single-player only - that doesn't take the player out of the first-person perspective, but instead relies on a surprisingly cinematic lean-and-peak mechanic, and you have a seriously tactical, if traditional shooter starting to find its feet. The overall feeling of what we've played so far is a carefully constructed solidity: Killzone 2's world may not constantly surprise you, but it's remarkably tangible, from the heavy guns, to the thick, alien wind roaring in your face, and the drunken staggers of dying enemies. Despite its conservative aims - rather than introduce new ideas, Guerrilla wants to perfect a few old ones - no other shooter plays quite like Killzone 2, and no other shooter looks quite like it, either. That's a risk in a market as saturated as this, but the one thing Guerrilla has never struggled with is drawing attention to itself. Now at last there are promising indications that it's got the game to go along with the hype.

GameSpot:

One thing becomes immediately apparent when you begin Killzone 2's campaign: This is not an easy game. The first chapter, Corinth River--an area Sony has shown several times before--drops you right into a heated firefight with no shortage of heavily armed Helghast soldiers trying to take you out from scattered perches. It feels like every balcony, bridge, and window has a pair of glowing red Helghast eyes staring down at you. Starting you off like this seems like Killzone 2's way of saying that running and gunning won't cut it; you're going to learn to be patient and deliberate with your targets, and you're going to learn right away.

[...]

If you were to nitpick the presentation, most people's attention would probably fall on the audio. While the sound effects and music are both great, the voice acting could give Gears of War's Delta Squad a run for its money in terms of smoldering, manly rage. In fact, it can often be difficult to separate one gruff voice from another when your vision isn't fixed on a squadmate's face. It's not exactly an abrasive fault, but it does stick out when you consider how stellar the rest of the presentation is.  [NOTE:  Guerrilla has stated that the current voice overs are placeholder.]

Small gripes aside, we had a thoroughly enjoyable experience with Killzone 2's single-player campaign. The combat is intense, the visual aesthetics are amazing, and the level of difficulty provides a rewarding challenge. It seems that PlayStation 3 owners will have a lot to look forward to when the game is finally released. You can expect that to happen on February 17.

GameSpy:

The end result is a single-player experience that looks to be dark, frenzied, and quite challenging. We can tell you there are 10 different missions in Killzone 2 single-player, but we aren't allowed to tell you anything about the last four. One thing we can say for sure is that after the opening scenes, you'll be thrown into a world where the enemy comes at you from all sides.

Also coming from all sides is the sound, especially if you're one of the fortunate few who owns a 7.1 surround sound system. The PS3 is the first console to support 7.1, and in Guerrilla's sound studio we were blown away -- almost to the degree that you can blow away the Helghast with your M82.

IGN (NA, not AU):

"You'll see Rico being very rash – he's all about laying down suppression fire and shooting from the hip, and on the other end there's Natko, who's the shotgun guy, so he's all about staying in cover and approaching enemy for close quarter combat," Heald mentioned. This weapon focus was intentionally designed by the team to give your secondary allies more of an impact within the game instead of just being there. "They respond to how you're playing – if you get several headshots in a row, they'll comment on it. My favorite one is that if there's an enemy behind you that's targeting you and they spot it, they'll call out and say, 'Hey, he's behind you!' So that really imparts that you're playing with a team of guys," Rob said.

One of the other elements with the AI that Rob highlighted was the focus on dynamic levels of AI. He highlighted this by pointing out a segment that occurs within the third mission of the game, in a section known as Visari Square. At one point, players will have to take the square away from the Helghast that are stationed there, but will quickly have to rearm themselves to defend their positions as the Helghast attempt to capture the location back. Rob pointed out that battles like this will feature a large amount of your AI getting dynamically pushed back if the Helghast start to gain a foothold on one side of the plaza or another, forcing the player to attempt to respond to the threats if they want to lock down the route and cut off enemy advances. On the other hand, if you effectively clear out segments of the Helghast with accurate shots, your allies will push forward, re-establish positions on turrets and behind barricades, and force their targets to seek fire. Devices like this will keep the action of the game much more fluid and realistic.

Joystiq:

February is still a long time away, and I'm confident that Guerrilla can fix some of the nagging issues I have. The shotgun, for example, could be a bit more powerful. Some of the objectives run a tad bit on the long side, with too many waves of enemies. But these are small issues in an otherwise thoroughly polished game. It's an incredible vote of confidence on Sony's part to send such a complete build of a product so many months before its release.

Let me be as clear as I can. Killzone 2 is a fantastic game, easily deserving the hype its earned so far. Considering the expectations surrounding Killzone 2, that means quite a lot. From what I've played so far, Killzone 2 delivers on all fronts. The gameplay is incredibly visceral and nuanced; the graphics are unparalleled.

PSXEXTREME:

Unlike other FPS games, Killzone 2 doesn't start off with a training mode, you're thrown right into the action immediately and you'll definitely feel the fright and hectic gameplay from the get-go. What's amazing about Killzone 2's gameplay is just how superbly well the game manages to envelope you into its surrounding. You're well aware that this is a videogame, but at times, the tension and excitement can make you forget. You'll play Killzone 2 slightly more alert than any other shooter, and that could also be a testament to the game's fantastic A.I., which is always working together and always keeping their eyes peeled for any surprise attacks.

Where as some games boast A.I. that's mindless and follows a path, or other games have A.I. that's just obscenely difficult to the point of being annoying, Killzone 2 strikes that perfect balance and even manages to avoid one crippling flaw: constant re-spawning. Once you've dealt with your enemies, you can be rest assured that they won't be coming back anymore, and I commend Killzone 2 for that.

[...]

Progression through each stage is fairly linear, but combat can be approached in a variety of directions. For example, you are free to sneak around the environment in order to gain some leverage on your enemies. But be careful, like I said, the A.I. isn't stupid as they often know of exploits in the environment, and can cut you off with a surprise attack. So if you'd like to wander off and attack your opponents from the side, you may encounter some resistance on your way through to and through path. You'll combat that resistance in a variety of ways; when you're out of ammo your knife will be your melee weapon, you can also strike enemies with your gun, and of course you'll have a reserve of grenades to throw.

Here is a must see "Art and Audio" interview via GameTrailers:

And here is a great interview concerning the AI in the game:

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