[Gen X]

I have made a vow this year. I will get my backlog down before next gen arrives as it just keeps getting bigger and bigger (Backlog, not Next Gen). Since I did my controller mod today I though I would start with Killzone 2.

Single Player

When I started my last save appeared to have been in some dusty settlement, which given how much I played today, could've been around halfway maybe. I had to set up some antenna, there were electric bugs, chiq gets kidnapped blah blah but I cannot for the life of me remember much about the events leading up to it which kinda speaks for the whole game. Honestly, there didn't seem to be too many events that were memorable. The train section wasn't bad and the early part of the game where you land on the beach(?) was alright but I dunno. I didn't mind the game, the gunplay was quite satisfying, more so now I have better sticks, I just never truly felt comfortable with the controls. The 4 presets shat me to no end, I just couldn't find one that configured crouch to a button I wanted.

Technically I thought the game was very good. Some awesome battles, tonnes of shit going on, soundtrack suited the game I thought, I think though that the game was missing some big open epic battles. Most fights always seemed cluttered and any section that I felt like I was getting overrun I could just run forward and it would trigger a checkpoint then my team mates seemed to suddenly kill everything up to that point.

Speaking of team mates, was it just me or did your sqaud get in your way a lot of the time when you were trying to line up a shot? There were times I'd be standing just back from a box or something and the AI would strafe in front of me, so I'd move to the side and go to line up then the AI would strafe in front of me again.


Overall I didn't mind the game at all, I just felt it could've been a bit better. The banter between the AI was a bit ho hum. I really wanted to smash Rico. It's not often a squad member annoys me, but he came across as such an ass. He rushes in during that rescue section and your mate dies because of it but he shows no remorse, then when the tables are turned and the Colonel dies he has this big attitude like everyone should show respect for him.

Multiplayer

I wished I had played this sooner. I think just after I got the game back in 2010 I had one round and thought it was ok. Tonite I played for 3 maps till they all ended. I actually really enjoyed it. I love how there are multiple objectives each round instead of just choosing TDM, CTF, Free for All etc. Games were still almost full with around 26-32 players for most of it and I did pretty good considering I didn't know any of the maps or objectives. I find the lack of starting ammo can be a pain especially when your team mate jumps in and loots the body before you can. I think I might play this a bit more over the weeks to see more maps.

One question, do you think £5GBP/$8USD is worth it for 6 multiplayer maps? More importantly, are they any good?

Pros
Great gun play and hectic fights
Graphics, particle effects etc
Sound effects and music
Length of game
Awesome multiplayer

Cons
Lack of customizable control config
I had lots of stutter during mid level saving a loading
Forgettable sections
Uninspiring story

Suppose I had better start KZ3 soon. *Praying for better control configuration*

[The_Hitcher89]

Great shame that Saluman was abandoned in favour of Radec Academy

[MrOogieBoogie]

Killzone 2 really surprised me. I thought the campaign was nice, but was even more impressed by the multiplayer. I thought the random game modes idea was brilliant, and it worked so well in Killzone's chaotic universe. The maps were great, and were designed in a way that funneled large amounts of players on both teams in close proximity to each other, and I loved that. Seeing 20 players fight for control over a small point always felt like war.

Killzone 3 was none of this. What a disappointing piece of shit.

[Y2Kev]

Nothing in any game this gen struck me as being so ominous and so overbearing as Visari Square in KZ2. Guerrilla's artists were simply masterful here, and I liked it even more before they Colorzone'd it up. Incredibly oppressive.

*chirp*

[TacticalFox88]

Nothing this gen comes close to the chirp when you get a kill in MP. Nothing.

The Beta for this game was really something magical.

[James Sawyer Ford]

Killzone 2 was fantastic. Great single player, great multiplayer (but w/ issues -- lacked matchmaking).

Killzone 3 was just kind of...messy. Improved controls, and graphics that lost a bit of the stylized look of the original. The biggest problem is that the multiplayer was the ultimate clusterfuck and completely uncompetitive.

[Arnie]

Killzone 2 was a good game. A great game stylistically, one of the best, although I thought the design didn't stand quite up to that reputation. Multiplayer was a blast with GAF around launch.

Killzone 3 was a bad game. Just a bad game.

[Ratchet]

I loved Killzone 2. The shooting was fun, and I thought the scenarios were cool.

[Gen X]

Nothing in any game this gen struck me as being so ominous and so overbearing as Visari Square in KZ2. Guerrilla's artists were simply masterful here, and I liked it even more before they Colorzone'd it up. Incredibly oppressive. *chirp*

I just had to youtube that as I wasn't sure which section it was. That was where I played up to back when I first got the game, the checkpoint where the dropship came in while you were in that confined space (some alleyways?). I think I finished that section off earlier this year and yes, I agree, that section was awesome, now that my memory is refreshed.

[Meisadragon]

Killzone 2's mulitplayer was incredible. Its clan system is unrivaled till now. All they needed to do was fix the controls and make the game a lot more accessible, but the way they ruined KZ3 makes me hate them so much. I hope we see a new KZ game next-gen; KZ2 deserves a true sequel.

[weekend_warrior]

Killzone 2 MP was the second best MP this gen, only behind MAG.

[Grisby]

2 was fun but I feel like they scarified a lot of cool gameplay ideas from the first and the story was a lot shittier.

The original had 4 playable characters, different routes, and some badass secondary fires on the weapons (helghast rifle shotgun for lyfe). So yeah, I think it was a step back in some areas.

[JJDinomite]

I loved Killzone 2. It was probably my most hyped game of this generation, and it pretty much lived up to the hype. There were a few flaws, but the overall experience overshadowed that. And those graphics, man. Those graphics.

[LeBrick James]

I wouldn't spend money on the extra maps. I'm against that whole idea in general though.

I still think overall that KZ2 was the best FPS experience of this generation. Pre-patch controls and all. Absolutely loved it.

[Napalm_Frank]

SP is ok. MP is really, really good.

Never bought the DLC maps so dunno how MP was later on.

[The_Hitcher89]

Time to seperate the men from the boys:

ISA M82 Assault Rifle



or Helghast StA-52 Assault Rifle



?

[EatChildren]

Multiplayer was pretty cool. Single player was insanely gorgeous, but one of the worst shooter campaigns I've had the displeasure of playing this generation.

[Gen X]

Killzone 2 MP was the second best MP this gen, only behind MAG.

brofist.jpg

MAG was so underrated by the community imo. Heard a lot of people complain about the environments and lack of destruction or like the areas were alive. I had a real blast playing with GAF when it first came out, some of my most memorable MP sessions this gen were in MAG. I think I stopped playing it by the time Bad Company 2 came out as a few of the people I was playing with moved over to that.

[Terbinator]

SP was forgettable.

MP was cool although the DS3 and gimped controls stopped me from putting any serious time in it. The other things that springs to mind is TDM was useless for nearly every map because they couldn't be arsed developing a decent spawning system (getting spawn raped on Radec comes to mind).

[SillyEskimo]

Multiplayer was pretty cool. Single player was insanely gorgeous, but one of the worst shooter campaigns I've had the displeasure of playing this generation.

My feelings as well. I really hate the controls. I heard KZ3 fixes that though.

Also, I am trying to do the same as the OP in trying to get rid of my backlog prior to next gen's launch next year. I hope the OP is having better success than I am so far, lol.

[navanman]

KZ2 MP was truly fantastic. Good classes and maps. Put many many hours into it and even grinded to get the 1% trophy.

[Gen X]

Also, I am trying to do the same as the OP in trying to get rid of my backlog prior to next gen's launch next year. I hope the OP is having better success than I am so far, lol.

I've done two games this week, both I was roughly halfway through so I put a bit of time in, KZ2 and ME2. I still got a few games I haven't started yet but I'll save those till I finish a few others. Flipping a coin between KZ3 and Yakuza 4.

[Tambini]

Time to seperate the men from the boys: ISA M82 Assault Rifle or Helghast StA-52 Assault Rifle ?

But...they're both so effective!

[Pie and Beans]

With rocket and explosion spam removed, Killzone 2 was probably the most fun multiplayer experience I've had this generation just behind War For Cybertron (you can turn into a fukken plane, no contest).

So disappointed K3 threw all that quality away :( A Vita port of just K2's MP mode would have been a killer app I feel.

[WeAreStarStuff]

My game of the generation. 27 days of MP and still playing strong. No FPS has that special visceral feel of KZ2.

[WeAreStarStuff]

Time to seperate the men from the boys: ISA M82 Assault Rifle or Helghast StA-52 Assault Rifle ?

M82 for distance. 52 for close combat.

[test_account]

With rocket and explosion spam removed, Killzone 2 was probably the most fun multiplayer experience I've had this generation just behind War For Cybertron (you can turn into a fukken plane, no contest). So disappointed K3 threw all that quality away :( A Vita port of just K2's MP mode would have been a killer app I feel.

There really isnt that much difference between KZ2 and KZ3 regarding gameplay mechanics. The only noticeable difference is really not having portable spawn points in KZ3. And the way classes are customized, but i dont feel that this was a big deal since it is very easy to switch between the classes in KZ3.

I share the same opinion about KZ2 though. It is one of the coolest online multiplayer i've experienced. Most of it comes down to the map design in my opinion, i prefer the maps in KZ2 over KZ3.

[Conor 419]

Killzone as as series is absolutely up there with Battlefield and numerous others for featuring some of the most disastrous campaigns to ever grace the entire industry.

[Archon473]

One question, do you think £5GBP/$8USD is worth it for 6 multiplayer maps? More importantly, are they any good?

Yes, especially at the bundle price.

Killzone 2 was a good game. Killzone 3 was a bad game. Just a bad game.

I don't know where all the division lays between which is better. Both have exciting and memorable single-player campaigns. Multi-player is more configurable in KZ3 (can choose one game type instead of having to play all 5). Maps in KZ2 and 3 are better when they're claustrophobic, but that's to the benefit of any deathmatch map. If you're playing with teammates, online is enjoyable. With strangers, either they know what to do already and don't communicate or they just goof around. I was never into playing online with strangers so most of my time was spent in SP and botmatch, and I've got severe mileage out of both games.

ISA M82 Assault Rifle or Helghast StA-52 Assault Rifle?

M82 for headshots. StA-52 is impractical for anything beyond suppressing fire due to its spread and kick. In MP, what good is that? The Helghast rifle was superior in KZ1, but we're out of those dark days...

[BruceLeeRoy]

The MP was glorious in KZ2. I put more time just in the beta alone than any other game this gen. The SP had some memorable sections but was filled with completely boring uninspired characters.

[Syph Medwes]

I actually enjoy the singleplayer modes of the Killzone series. Anyway pertaining to the multiplayer, yes, it would've been the best in the series, were it not for the fact that KZ3 allows more control customization, like making the triggers fire + zoom as opposed to R1/L1.

[AgentChris]

Loved Killzone 2; I'm looking forward to GG's next IP.

[user friendly]

Can't think of another game in my life where I've put 35 days of playtime in. If it wasn't for BFBC2 and BF3, It would still be my main MP game. SP was cool but MP was the real surprise. I won't say anything about KZ3 other than I traded it for CoD:BO only for a higher trade in value.


My dream game:

- Killzone 2 style
- Farcry 2 open world
- BF3 style /weapons / vehicles
- 1080p/60fps

Can't wait to see what GG is up to.

[James Sawyer Ford]

Multiplayer was pretty cool. Single player was insanely gorgeous, but one of the worst shooter campaigns I've had the displeasure of playing this generation.

I don't see how the single player is any worse than your usual Call of Duty, Gears of War, or Halo fare.

It's decent, but not memorable.

Honestly, there hasn't really been any FPS this year that had a memorable campaign (unless you consider games like BioShock and Portal)

[Grisby]

Man, it sucked that Rico managed to live but Guerrilla decided to kill off Jan.

[EatChildren]

I don't see how the single player is any worse than your usual Call of Duty, Gears of War, or Halo fare. It's decent, but not memorable. Honestly, there hasn't really been any FPS this year that had a memorable campaign (unless you consider games like BioShock and Portal)

Because, to me, it felt like one poorly orchestrated half-arsed badly designed encounter and wave fight after the other. I derived less enjoyment from it than any of the Call of Dutys, Gears and Halo. And I don't really like any of those franchises.

The only other shooter campaign that springs to mind as clearly worse is Battlefield 3's.

[Onion_Relish]

Nothing in any game this gen struck me as being so ominous and so overbearing as Visari Square in KZ2. Guerrilla's artists were simply masterful here, and I liked it even more before they Colorzone'd it up. Incredibly oppressive. *chirp*

Walking into the square and hearing bullets and explosions and seeing guys die with others firing at me. It felt like I was in a fucking war. I actually hid my character for about 3 minutes because I was too afraid to proceed. An unforgettable moment for me.

Also, I have a valor grand cross, y'all bitches jelly.

[James Sawyer Ford]

Because, to me, it felt like one poorly orchestrated half-arsed badly designed encounter and wave fight after the other. I derived less enjoyment from it than any of the Call of Dutys, Gears and Halo. And I don't really like any of those franchises. The only other shooter campaign that springs to mind as clearly worse is Battlefield 3's.

To each their own.

I never found the combat encounters badly designed. The AI was engaging and the environments tended to be fairly open enough to allow for multiple ways of tackling any given encounter.

Weapon design, hit response system, and general feeling of "shooting a gun" also felt way ahead of their peers.

[Norante]

This thread is worthless without the KZ2 GIFs of old.

[PjotrStroganov]

Walking into the square and hearing bullets and explosions and seeing guys die with others firing at me. It felt like I was in a fucking war. I actually hid my character for about 3 minutes because I was too afraid to proceed. An unforgettable moment for me. Also, I have a valor grand cross, y'all bitches jelly.

Cod 1 and 2 already did that for me. And I bet MoH AA did the same for many others. Most of KZ's campaign elements feel like they are derived from other games.

[MuseManMike]

M82 was the shit in all scenarios. Man, Killzone 2's multiplayer was the epitome of a flawed masterpiece. Spawn grenades made and simultaneously broke that game. Tharis Deport/Radec Academy matches were either brilliantly chaotic or absolute clusterfucks. But the only thing I can say about the Killzone franchise is how much potential it had, and how much of a failure Killzone 3 was. The series has 1 more shot to regain what it lost with 3, else I'm done with that franchise. I think the MP from 2 deserves a chance with only slight tweaks in the next iteration. The SP for both titles can be ignored.

[Nibel]

I think this is the only console game ever I bought just because of the graphics. It still looks nice today and I find it way better than KZ3.

[Gorillaz]

Killzone 2 MP completely ripped Killzone 3 MP a new one, it's a shame the series doesn't get as much attention as it should. Story wise Killzone 2 also felt more complete.

[BruceLeeRoy]

You guys remember the collective insanity that led up to the 2007 reveal?

Man that was a great time to be on Gaf.

[James Sawyer Ford]

You guys remember the collective insanity that led up to the 2007 reveal? Man that was a great time to be on Gaf.

Hoping for something similar next-gen whenever we see what Guerrilla Games is working on for PS4.

Should blow minds.

Other games like Gears showed a certain standard for what PS3/360 could do, but Killzone took it to a whole 'nother level.

[LeBrick James]

To each their own. I never found the combat encounters badly designed. The AI was engaging and the environments tended to be fairly open enough to allow for multiple ways of tackling any given encounter. Weapon design, hit response system, and general feeling of "shooting a gun" also felt way ahead of their peers.

Yes. Shooting the Helghast in KZ2 is as convincing as it gets.

The campaign was very memorable for me. It just had a lot of heart and grit that was missing in KZ3, which mistakenly tried to go after the typical blockbuster feel... I know I won't be forgetting Blood Meridian (E3 level that had everyone talking), or that last rush pushing the Helghast back before the final setpiece anytime soon.

[WeAreStarStuff]

StA-52 is impractical for anything beyond suppressing fire due to its spread and kick. In MP, what good is that? The Helghast rifle was superior in KZ1, but we're out of those dark days...

Going to have to disagree with this. 52 is a killing machine on maps such as BG; you just have to know how to effectively use the gun - one of the highlights of KZ2 is that the guns play differently. Personally I stick with my shotty/M4 combo though.

[revolverjgw]

I love everything about this game except playing as a midget with tunnel vision. Otherwise the style is intoxicating and the action is so visceral.

[R_thanatos]

i enjoyed killzone 2 a lot.

i think the single player was very good.
Mp did a lot of things right such as the seamless transition between modes and objectives..
Good memories..its the only killzone ive finished without being bored

[Gorillaz]

Hoping for something similar next-gen whenever we see what Guerrilla Games is working on for PS4. Should blow minds. Other games like Gears showed a certain standard for what PS3/360 could do, but Killzone took it to a whole 'nother level.

Im expecting KZ4 to be a ps4 launch title, It seems like the best idea from a business standpoint. Also I hear GG is working on a new IP. DYING to see what it could be.