REVIEW: Killzone 3

In a world where resources are shared and releases are almost always multi-platform in order to maximize sales, few have the balls to release console exclusives. Well, for argument's sake, let's exclude the Wii. As for Microsoft and Sony, two notables stick out; Halo for Xbox 360, and Killzone for PlayStation 3. While Halo seems to have the greater mass appeal, the Killzone series has released a solid lot of games for shooter fans. As big-budget console exclusives, these titles have to be something special, lest they risk losing interest, fans, and the almighty dollar. Killzone 3 is in familiar territory; It knows what has to be done to succeed, and developer Guerrilla Games has done it in the past. Does the fourth entry in the series hit its target or detonate a nuke on itself?

Overview
Killzone 3 starts exactly where the audience was left hanging at the end of Killzone 2. If there's one thing you need to hand to the Killzone series, it's the continuity found between games. The above-average story is always carried over well between sequels, hardly ever suffering any disconnects between titles. The game puts you in the familiar role of Tomas "Sev" Sevchenko, who with the assistance of Sgt. Rico Velasquez, is pit against overwhelming odds -- that I was warned of well in advance -- in an attempt to settle the score with the Helghast once and for all.

Gameplay
Not much is new in Killzone 3, but if it ain't broke, don't fix it, right? The cover system remains, one of the aspects of the game I really enjoy. As prevalent as cover systems are in gaming today, you rarely see it executed well, let alone in a first person shooter. Duck behind cover, peek out to aim, BOOM HEAD SHOT! Lather, rinse, repeat. You'll be doing it a lot, but it doesn't get old due to how well the system is implemented. I found the difficulty to be pretty steep, possibly due to the sheer number of Helghast you'll normally find yourself dealing with at any time. Though Rico is usually there to revive you when you fall in battle, it's pretty much up to you to do all the slaying. I'm so used to run-and-gunning in campaign modes of first person shooters, that was my first instinct in Killzone 3. I learned quickly that run-and-gunning doesn't get you anything but a bullet between the eyes, so the cover system quickly became my best friend.

One new addition is the inclusion of jet packs, which, along with the return of EXO suits, adds a new dynamic to certain chapters of play. The jet packs add a nice change of pace, where it seems run-and-gun actually becomes a viable option due to the increased mobility and powerful weapon attached to the pack which has unlimited ammo. Unfortunately, the jet pack and EXO suit are sorely underused in the campaign. This is rectified by way of additional vehicle sequences, where you either drive, or shoot in an on-rails type affair. Be it a vehicle sequence or not, the action in Killzone 3 hardly ever comes to a halt. You'll always find yourself shooting at something, or getting shot at. There are no pace problems at all, with the only slow down in gameplay coming in the form of a very well done stealth segment. As the game progresses the action intensifies, culminating in a ridiculous last hour or so where you're thrown into a handful of different scenarios, with crazy weapons, and crazier vehicles.

Multiplayer is present in a few different forms; two player co-op campaign, which is only available offline, and single player competitive online in three modes; Guerrilla Warfare, Warzone, and Operations. Guerrilla Warfare is your standard deathmatch, where your objective is to kill the other team as efficiently as possible. Warzone gets a little more interesting, by adding switching objectives in the ongoing match. You may have to terminate as many ISA soldiers as possible for the first three minutes, then you'll suddenly be asked to bomb strategic base locations, only for that to lead into a good old bout of capture the propaganda speaker. Great touch having the objectives swing mid-match, to keep all parties on their toes. Operations give you static objectives for each map, though you need to meet a few different conditions to emerge victorious. A cool little addition is the cinematic cut scenes after every completed segment, which shows your team, complete with player IDs, either succeeding or failing their task. It's incentive to not suck. Like most of today's online multiplayer games, the better you do the more you can unlock for your character. Additional skills for the different classes -- Marksman, Engineer, Field Medic, Tactician, and Infiltrator -- each with their own special abilities and weapons. Slay, unlock, upgrade, slay more.

Art Design
The world of Helghan, where most of the action of Killzone 3 takes place, is stunning. A living, breathing, entity in itself, I found myself wishing the action would slow down at times so I could take in everything that was going on around me. Incredible backdrops the like of laboratories, ruined cities, frozen tundras, and yes, even the great void of space, set the stage for some compelling battles. The characters are well thought our and designed, each with their own personality. The ISA soldiers are a bit more run-of-the-mill than the vibrant Helghast, especially the antagonist Jorhan Stahl, who in his nervous and eccentric insanity, really captured my interest.

Helghast, of course, look incredibly awesome as always. There must be something about gas masks and red spectacles. Their vehicles, along with those of the ISA and the loosely related Raiders, are lovely in appearance, and vicious in action. Unfortunately, the weapons didn't get the memo about Guerrilla's wicked designs, so most of the primary firearms are mundane. The shotgun pistol sidearm is nice though, and the heavy weapons are even better. I found myself using the bolt gun whenever I had the opportunity, as its combination of vicious piercing and timed explosion felt very pleasing.

Sound Design
During battles is where the sound really shines. As opposed to Call of Duty: Black Ops, where your gunshots sounded as if they were being fired from within tin cans, the sounds of the weapons and explosions give you a sense of frantic satisfaction, if that makes sense. It felt like I was actually behind enemy lines, it was that good. The music takes a back seat to the harmony of bullets and flak whirring past your ears. I suppose it's serviceable, but I didn't come away from my experience with any of the symphonic arrangements stuck in my head. C'est la vie, lately.

While the voice acting is quite good -- my man Jorhan Stahl in particular -- I did experience some issues that detached me from the experience. On more than a few occasions, voices were cut off, they stuttered, and even completely repeated once or twice. It was annoying, but not a game-breaking glitch by any stretch.

Conclusion
Killzone 3 offers an intense experience in campaign, almost akin to playing a Hollywood blockbuster, though in the end I'm not sure if it brings anything new or refreshing to the table. While the story is great, to get the most of it you'll have to have played the earlier titles of the series. And while the multiplayer is both fun and satisfying, the over-the-top action found in the campaign cannot be successfully reproduced online.

Buy it if: You've played the earlier Killzone games, you want a strong campaign mode
Don't buy it if: Multiplayer is your main draw
The Score: 7 outta 10 blasters!