Released in 2004, Killzone is the first game released by developer Guerrilla. Early on billed as a "Halo killer" for the PS2, much hype surrounded its release. Regrettably, Killzone is remembered for all the wrong reasons. It may not kill the Haloz but its presentation and story alone are worth a play through.

With Killzone 2 arriving within a month, and me being impatient for its arrival, I decided it prudent to play the first in the series. Initially it was slow to pick up and enjoy but the characters, story, and overall universe pulled me in. Ambitious, describes this title well. Clearly, this is a game filled with ideas but limited by technology and execution. As a freshman effort by Guerrilla, good job.

I believe as a reader of game reviews sometimes it is easy to lose focus of what is most important: fun. This is the merit I will base my score.

Graphics:

Killzone is a good representation of the graphical prowess of the PS2. The environments are huge, the character models are quite detailed and the world is believable. Initially it was hard on the eyes, but only because I'm used to playing on "current gen" consoles. Give it a chance. I must warn you there are certain parts of the game that stutter and have poor viewing distances. In other words, expect fog. If your outside, get used to it:-p The Helghan are visually great enemies to fight and fun to bring down. The CGI parts of the game really look great and immerse you in the world. Play with a component cable and widescreen turned on for extra graphical umph.

Sound:

The music is ominous, boding and well done. The voice work is excellent and the high production values are evident in this respect. If there is one complaint I will throw out there are the Helghan voice overs. Initially they got the job done just fine...however every encounter they say the exact same thing. If anything it makes you want to kill them even more! :-)

Gameplay:

Killzone is a functional FPS. I can imagine that hype made the game somewhat disappointing for some but I enjoyed what it had to offer. Make no mistake, its not going to wow you but helps progress the game. The game is all about small arms combat and its fun while it lasts. My only warning is don't expect the enemies to be smart: they're not. Fortunately most of the battle sequences are scripted so AI isn't a big deal. I was surprised that my squad was somewhat decent in disposing of enemies. The controls are solid and combat is mostly fluid. Expect the framerate to mess with your shooting a little bit. Otherwise, it feels good to mow down Helghan. Refreshingly there are four characters to choose from. Jan Templar is your typical soldier, able and willing to get the job done. He packs an assault rifle which is a good all around weapon. Shadow Lugar is a spy with zoom SMG and heat vision googles; good for range. Rico Velasquez is a minigun packing bad ass; very good close and medium range. Last but not least is Gregor Hakha, whom is Half-Helghan and a spy; he traditionally sports the Helghan combat rifle which is excellent for close and far shooting. Outside of the weapons I listed, you aren't going to find too many more. This wasn't a problem for me, but maybe for others.

Story:

The story for me was the main draw in the game. Your actions have consequence which are believable unlike many recent games. The game is brimming with detail; a great effort was put into making the story flow and believable. The characters are interesting and make you care about what they're going to say or do next cut scene. The progression of story is aided mostly by CGI, which is excellent and really sets the mood of every level/chapter. While some of the dialogue may be cheesy its entertaining to say the least. The story is reminiscent of World War 1 and 2 politics and war...except set in the future. The Helghast are very much the Nazi's and the ISA are the Allied forces. The twist is that the Helghast are no longer human after being subjected to the hard world they come to inhabitant. Without giving anything else away, Killzone is a great filler for anyone interested in the world of Killzone.

Online:

I didn't extensively play online however I know there are still people that play it. In my online bout of Warzone (aka multiplayer) I played team deathmatch. The match was very quick and fun; definitely not COD, but fun. If you happen to jump online, know that you will get pwned. These guys are die hard fans and will frag you within seconds. If I played a bit more, perhaps I would have fared better...perhaps...

Fun Factory:

My fun was tied in part to the story and excellent production values of Killzone. The universe is believable and well thought out; I wouldn't mind a novel. The game play is not the most memorable although it is functional. I had a lot of fun gunning down Helghan. They are excellent enemies; proof is fact that I didn't mind fighting only 3-4 enemy types (correct me if I'm wrong). If you don't expect much and can get over "last gen" visuals you might come away impressed like I did. I purchased the game for $8 used on half.com and definitely got my money's worth of game play. On normal I clocked in 12 hours. If anything, I believe the first game will help me enjoy the second. I was letting hype get the best of me for the upcoming sequel. I believe I am much more realistic about my expectations now, for the better. Killzone is a reminder to never let hype color your expectations but rather appreciate a game for its own merits. I enjoyed Killzone and hope the review helped you make a decision to play it. :-)