Killzone 3 Review: If Looks Could Kill

From the Vault — originally published March 7, 2011. Some links, videos or prices may be out of date.

This first person shooter by Guerilla Games has been one of the most polarizing games out there. I found Killzone 3 simultaneously disappointing and great. Many great features from the previous iteration were not included and at the same time many new great elements were added and many changes were made. Some changes for the better and some not.

SINGLE PLAYER

Killzone 3 begins right where the last game ends. In terms of story the game tries but just doesn’t deliver a moving experience. The single player is explosive and exciting at times like a Michael Bay movie but the narrative is not classic or inventive. Part of the problem is the way cut-scenes are integrated into the game. There is rarely a smooth transition into and out of the cut-scenes like say Uncharted 2 or God of War III. Those games would zoom out from the Kratos or Drake’s character model in the cut-scene straight into your playable character on screen where you resume playing.

In contrast, for Killzone 3 they opt for the fade or cut to black approach that is jarring at times due to the fact that the cut-scenes are not of the same visual quality as the game. This is not a huge problem but is noticeable. Its kind of annoying though the larger issue with the single player campaign is mostly that they did not nail the story. There are no huge twists and some of the more clever ideas presented like playing as the Helghast and the stealth portion of the single player mode could have been explored at greater length. The story mode can be played cooperatively via players in the same room though not online which is a notable omission.

Despite this the single player game is fun and engaging all the way through clocking in at about 8 hours. The single player does not have enough sections that were as open as I would have liked opting for what feels like more corridor shooting segments. Despite this it is still a better single player experience overall than Killzone 2 provided. The problem is that it should have been a bigger leap forward and not just incrementally better. The level of detail and overall quality of the graphics does set the bar high and the narrative doesn’t ever quite meet the high bar set by the visual fidelity.

GRAPHICS AND SOUND

In terms of visuals the game is more vibrant and detailed than ever. One could even argue that Killzone 3 is the best looking console game to date. The textures, and set pieces and environmental elements are jaw dropping at times. The lab, junkyard and one particular large scaled boss fight are all places where Killzone 3 hits its highpoint graphically. The motion blur effects and overall dingy aesthetic style of Killzone 2 is toned down and replaced with a more vibrant and detail oriented visual style. Some will this like this change more than others as it comes down to personal preference. I happen to like both for different reasons.

There are superb smoke and explosion effects. They are ‘wow’ inducing and honestly the game is much faster paced in all modes this time around which makes it even harder to notice the intricate graphical details that are spotted easier in screen shots and gameplay videos. Not so great is the forgettable menu design. It is minimalist but doesn’t seem elegant at all which is what you want with a “less is more” kind of user interface. The menu design is actually underwhelming.

The soundtrack and overall sound scape of the game does not disappoint. The opening theme is great and very memorable. Other moments in the game also have great original scores such as your foray into to the trenches in the single player campaign. The guns sound heavy and light when they need to be. Heavy bangs from assault weapons and muffled bursts from the silenced ones are spot on. The surround sound mix is well done and the game should be experienced in surround for added immersion. Footsteps, gun bursts and explosion can all be heard in great detail and listening via surround sound can help you ascertain the position of others. The sound design in Killzone 3 is very underrated.

3D & MOVE SUPPORT

In terms of immersion, Killzone 3 is also packed with full Playstation Move support. Arguably the most full featured move support to date. What Guerilla Games has included is a very viable way to play the game in both campaign and multiplayer modes. It’s a notable addition and totally different way to play a first person shooter. Motion control supports makes the game more of a value through providing an additional unique experience. With a bit of time finding the right setting and some practice many players will surely swear off their dualshock controllers for the precision of the PlayStation Move. The support for the sharpshooter also adds an additional layer of immersion for those that opt to use it.

The 3D mode is yet another added bonus for those with the proper television to take advantage of the feature. Having played quite a bit of it in 3D it is a nice bonus feature and reason to play the campaign again. Not necessarily a reason to go out and buy a 3D television though. Both single player and multiplayer can be played in 3D and it is very well done.

CONTROLS

The controls have been tweaked and is much more responsive than Killzone 2. They did a great job of adding precision without making the game too fast or too much of a twitch shooter. You can now run and slide into cover and also slide into enemies.

The cover mechanic is also refined though I found that too many of the cover points were too low to be useful though that may have been by design. Also included is the new brutal melee system. The melee action sequence is context sensitive and varied depending on the angle of approach to enemies.

MULTIPLAYER

The multiplayer is arguably the most important part of the game and unfortunately this is where the game looses the most points. There are parts of the single player that seem rushed though the multiplayer took the biggest hit. I do not see how any self respecting game publication can give this game a high score. There are currently significant problems with the multiplayer functionality and it lacks polish.

The menus are glitchy and flash matches, if you have the classic map pack installed that many received with the Special edition or by pre-ordering the maps do not rotate correctly. Basically if you have the bonus map DLC installed the other maps will not be playable automatically and you loose the ability to vote on the next map. Other launch problems yet unresolved is lag that the developer confirmed is due to far regions being mixed incorrectly. The game shipped with many technical issues that should have been caught in the testing phase. Luckily most of these can be patched and a major patch is slated for release this week.

Clan and custom game support that was in the Killzone 2 was dropped in Killzone 3 though may be patched in at some point. Other changes that many may see as a step back are the lack of ability to spawn on your squad leader and the requirement to use preset spawn points making the game much less dynamic than Killzone 2. Also when you are downed there is no indicator of medics in your area. I cant imagine why that would be left out. While I am speaking on negatives I must add that they did not add in a replay feature and actually removed the basic online replay feature they had for Killzone 2.

The map designs are hit an miss for the most part and overall just not as good as Killzone 2. Not sure what they were thinking with the slanted and totally green design of Pyrus Crater. The spawn point in the Turbine map that requires a jet pack to reach was a horrible choice. Overall the maps are not as good though they work. Also certain maps can only be used in certain multiplayer modes which was also a bad decision. Players who stick to certain modes are limited to fewer maps which is unfortunate. Add in the fact that you cannot make custom online games and this is not so great.

The improved controls do help to keep the action paced well and I have had many hours of fun in the three different multiplayer modes.

Guerrilla Warfare is classic team deathmatch. The team with the most kills wins. It is capped at 16 players on all maps it is available on.

Warzone is the classic Killzone multiplayer game type that dynamically rotates through various modes. Deathmatch, capture and hold, and assassination. After each of the modes the team wih the most points wins and a new map is selected. It is 24 players on all maps it is available on

Operations mode challenges teams to complete a task before the time is up. This mode puts top players in the cut-scenes before and after the rounds. It is capped at 16 players on the three maps it is available on.

VERDICT

Despite all of the issues I mentioned there is a jewel in there for those that seek it or can overlook the flaws. I happen to be in the camp that can overlook the flaws though I can understand why some may not. Killzone 3 is reminiscent of Killzone 2 in that it is just not for everybody.

Its a shame that Killzone 3 is not a home run. Though a great game its a shame that old problems were fixed and so many new ones were introduced. It’s fairly obvious that Killzone 3 could have used another six months or so in the oven. Despite this it is a great package though not one that’s going to pull in droves of Call of Duty fans. Most of the current issues can be fixed with patches so those on the fence about buying the game may be better off waiting a few months where they will be able to have the patches day one (a patch is slated for release this week with another patch also announced) on top of that the game will be cheaper. I have been playing regardless and having a great time, well most of the time.