JOYCE | ‘Killzone’ sequel a bizzaro ‘Gears of War’ clone

When “Killzone” was released exclusively on the Playstation 2 in 2004, it was dubbed “The ‘Halo’ Killer” because it was supposed to surpass Xbox’s “Halo” in nearly every way.

Four and a half years later, the Playstation 3 exclusive “Killzone 2″ could be considered “‘The Gears of War’ killer,” because the two games are eerily similar in several ways.

In “Killzone 2,” you take the role of Tomas “Sev” Sevcheniko, a member of the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance in an invasion of Halghan, home of the Helghast, the villains from the game’s predecessor.

Likewise, “Gears of War 2″ features an underground invasion to assault the Locust Horde, former antagonists of the original “Gears of War.”

The controls of “Killzone 2″ are straightforward first-person shooter with the added option to take refuge behind structures, rubble, pillars, and anything you can find in the environment. This allows you to peak and shoot enemies from cover – a common gameplay element in “Gears of War 2.”

Nevertheless, the game’s controls take some time to hone even after tweaking the game’s sluggish analog stick controls.

“Killzone 2″ and “Gears of War 2″ both feature the same visual element of a shaking and focused camera behind the character as the player runs.

Additionally, the gritty, disaster ridden environments of both games are strikingly similar, with characters that wear the same gear with nearly identical artistic design. Both games even feature a prominent character that wears a bandana over his head and has a similar facial hair.

“Killzone 2″ is “Gears of War 2″ for the Playstation 3. That is not to say that “Killzone 2″ is not its own game.

“Killzone 2″ features the best visual design of any console game to date. Everything from the detail in environments and character design to lighting to general ambience is breathtaking and truly highlights the visual capabilities of the Playstation 3.

It almost impossible to understate – “KIllzone 2″ is beautiful.

The single player campaign is a thematic experience completed by brilliantly rendered cinematic sequences and a storyline that can be expected from a futuristic first-person shooter.

The relatively short campaign progresses quickly thanks to minimal loading times between sections, which are hardly noticeable aside from a slight pause in action

You quickly find yourself pacing through the game like an enthralling novel as the relatively minute, yet satisfyingly innovative option to push up on the directional pad displays the exact location and distance to the next objective location.

The game’s online content is similar to other first-person shooters. Online “missions” include death match, king of the hill, and capture the flag modes and are usually consolidated together, where a team scores points by winning each “mission.”

There is also a leveling system in online play, where players earn experience for completing matches that ultimately lead to more weapons and higher ranks. Although it does provide an incentive to play online, it is in no way as encompassing as “Call of Duty’s” online experience.

“Killzone 2″ is a solid shooter with an unparalleled visual presentation although it does little to create a memorable game experience slightly above par. Despite its semblance to “Gears of War 2,” “Killzone 2″ is a game Playstation 3 owners can be proud to have in their library.

4 stars out of 5

features@cm-life.com