9.6

Killzone 3

Killzone 3 has arrived on the PlayStation 3 after a string of delicious breadcrumb trailers and titbits from Sony. With a Hollywood type blockbuster story, flawless gameplay and graphics to die for... plus full compatibility with FULL HD 3D-TV's, Killzone 3 is definitely the ultimate first person shooter experience of 2011. Best of all, the developers have improved on some of the complaints and shortcomings of the original titles, making this game more streamlined and a true treat to play. This is gaming at its best!

The story of Killzone 3 takes place two years after the ending of the previous game as the corrupt Helghan are fighting back against the ISA after their invasion. Players take the role of Sevchenko, an ISA soldier as the story swaps between both factions of the game. At times, the storyline of Killzone is reminiscent of Frank Herbert's Dune due to the Imperial like Helghan as they attempt to gain the upper hand again as their empire falls apart around them.

At it's core, the gameplay behind Killzone 3 is a traditional first person shooter that works extremely well on the PS3. The controls are mapped quite well on the DualShock controller with some tweaking available to the gamer. With three different difficulty levels, Killzone 3 should take most gamers around 8 (being lenient) or so hours to successfully complete, provided they go out of their way a little. As you explore this violent world that has been scarred by war, you will encounter a number of different enemies plus some powerful weapons to be found along the way. Depending on your difficulty level, ammunition is not a problem but as you increase the difficulty, the AI of the enemies does create a thorn in your side.  Killzone 3 is definitely more realistic when played on a higher difficulty system because you need to take into consideration the cover mechanics that requires much more strategy.

The majority of gameplay is combat that is generally done on foot but there are also some vehicles levels as well that helps give the gamer a break. Did I mention you have a jetpack as well? You betcha! There is an element of "puzzles" in the game that generally require you to use the six axis controls such as turning valves in the game. I must admit that I was a little taken aback by this feature because it has not been used in many games of late. Apart from the six axis controls, Killzone 3 even supports the new PlayStation Move controllers. It definitely changes the gameplay and there are a number of PlayStation Movie configurations available but when it comes to accuracy, you cannot beat the DualShock controller which still works a treat. However it's definitely great to see a game like this support this new system.

One annoying aspect of Kill Zone 3 are the checkpoints. Even though there are many checkpoints in the game, you basically need to complete your main objective or "mission" before you can save the game. I was half way through a mission and decided to call it a night but when I returned to the game, I was back at the start of the mission. The single-player campaign has plenty of twists and turns to be found along the way and some of the action scenes are fantastic. I have not had this much fun since Gears of War 2 due to the story and characterisation of the various people in the game you encounter.

But Killzone 3 is not just about single-player as it contains a rather in-depth and enjoyable online multiplayer mode. Like similar games, Killzone 3 allows the player to select their class and engage in a variety of different gameplay modes. One interesting aspect of multiplayer for this title is that the gamer is awarded points on how well they performed in the game which can then be used to upgrade your class with additional skills. Depending on your preferred class, whether an Engineer, Field Medic, Infiltrator, Marksmen or Tacticians, the classes are actually quite varied and diverse and in order to successfully complete some gameplay modes, you need an all-round team.

The classes were similar to Killzone 2, however the new additions and tweaks to the classes really spruce things up such as the Tactician who can control spawn points or the Engineers who can upgrade turrets and the like for additional firepower. From mission objectives to death matches, there's plenty of action and fan service of the Killzone series to be found online. I've thrown Halo Reach aside for now because there's a new multiplayer king in town.

Graphically, Killzone 3 is one of the best looking games that I have witnessed on the PlayStation 3. Firstly, the background environments are truly amazing and there's more detail than you can poke a stick at, the jungle and snow scenes are to die for. he pre-rendered cinematics look real and more importantly, the in-game graphics look very realistic as you fight, run and shoot your way to victory. The texture details are high, the lighting is used quite well to highlight certain parts of the game and there are a variety of different locales to be visited while playing as opposed to the previous game.

However the highlight for Killzone 3 for me was the inclusion of 3D that pushes this game over into the amazing basket. 3D can be turned on via the options menu which does allow you to tweak how much 3D effects occur. It definitely turns the gameplay into a unique experience as everything almost jumps out at you. The only issue with 3D and non-3D is that at times, 3D seemed a little slower in certain parts of the game and if you want to turn 3D off, you need to quit the game.

The soundtrack behind Killzone 3 enhances the gaming experience like some Hollywood action movie but set on an alien world. The music changes with the gameplay to help get your adrenaline pumping or your emotions flowing. Voice acting is quite professional for the majority of times but on occasion, it does sound a little forced and contrived due to some over acting. It's also a game that must be heard on surround sound in order for those explosions to be heard by neighbours or to hear those bullets whizzing past your head.  A true "wow" moment here.

Final Thoughts?

Killzone 3 is far superior than its predecessors and this will definitely be the must have first person shooter game on the PS3 for 2011. There are a few issues in the game but overall, this game works on just about every level of a first person shooter game. I really enjoyed the story behind Killzone and my one grip was that the single-player campaign was a little short. Fortunately, the world of multiplayer more than makes up for this short-fall and I'm also playing the game again on hardest difficulty. What a brilliant game from Guerrilla Games!