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"Killzone 2"

3/29/09

"Killzone 2" reminds me of a lot of the solid PG-13 action films I have seen in recent years, be it "M:I-3" or maybe "The Bourne Ultimaturm"...almost nothing in those films is truly original.  You get stock good guys and bad guys, a little gunplay, some chases, and some laughs...all the while, you know what's going to happen but the presentation is so solid that you play along.

In "Killzone 2", the story is hackneyed, the bad guys are all very bad, your weapons shoot bullets and the cover system isn't even as strong as other games like the "Gears of War" series.  But, the graphics are SO good, and the controls are SO tight, and the enemy intelligence is SO crafty that even if nothing about the game is unique, there is so much goodness to be found here that I have to recommend it.  Playing on the hard difficulty (one short of total insanity), "Killzone 2" has given me a run for my money, but it sticks to the basics...pick up guns, shoot the guys with the glowing eyes, make sure to run from cover point to cover point, and pop up just enough to shoot baddies in the head.

I was amazed at how interested I was to play the game, despite the real lack of variety in its missions.  The voice acting is terrible and profane at the same time, so for a couple of reasons, you'll laugh out loud during the cut scenes.  The online component is good, and actually shows the game's truly unique tidbit--it utilizes all of the game types (deathmatch, capture the flag, assassination, etc.) all in the same running 25-minute standard game.  Using an experience points system, you'll have to play a while to be able to start matches with better weapons and perks...and, the maps allow for 16-on-16 action, which is great.  However, I wish there was more use of Bluetooth-enabled mics to talk to other players, and I really wish that kills were more than just a quiet tink-tink sound instead of the "Halo" system that announces kills.

Rent "Killzone 2", give it a hard run over a weekend, and decide if the multiplayer portion of the game is worth making a full purchase.  Otherwise, survive and advance!!

Rating:  $40

 

Feedback?  Comments?  Salma Hayek's digits?  justin@bellviewmovies.com

 

Bellview Rating System:

"Opening Weekend":  Buy this game right away, and don't ask me any questions as to why that's a good move.  A game experience that will almost guarantee repeated controller abuse, lots of ManScreaming and high resale value, you will assuredly play this bad boy for months on end. 

"$40":  Usually after games have been out for a while, they drop in price slightly, or can be bought for slightly cheaper in combination with other new games.  Usually, that's about $40.  You'll feel good getting the game for this price, since it isn't quite run-out-and-get-it-right-now good, but it has enough game in the box for a few weeks' worth of enjoyment.

"eBay":  This game is not too bad, but you'd be better off buying it used from either half.com or eBay.  You also might let a friend buy this game, let s/he beat it, and then try to buy it from them to make them feel better.  Yes, this does tend to feel like "Sloppy Seconds."

"Rental":  Like my cousin Ron, you should always rent games that you aren't sure about first, to make sure that your $50 is going towards something worthwhile.  For games in this category, this is the maximum amount of money ($5) and/or time (3-5 days) you'll need to either gain satisfaction from the game, or beat the game in its entirety.  Rental-rated games are also sometimes perfect for a weekend when you are going to be at home on your ass, with some time to kill.

"Dogshit":  Games like this should have never been released.  If you play this game for any reason, you will regret every second of the experience.  Further, if you can get this game for free, don't do it, because even for FREE, it will still be a negative experience for you!