The Killzone series ranks somewhere below Call of Duty and Halo in the shooter pantheon, but with Killzone 3, they aim to change that perception by focusing on what they do best.
It falters in a few noticeable places, but its strength in other areas elevates it into a true PS3 masterpiece.
The narrative is one of the softer points of this title, because while it is fun to see political machinations of these space Nazis, it does little to motivate gamers, except to clearly define who needs to be shot.
Gameplay is a typical mix of assault weapons fire, occasional turret points and on-rail segments that serve as lusty showcases for Killzone’s amazing graphics.
If this was set in an office building or New York City, it might seem pedestrian, but barrelling through Killzone’s smouldering ruins, psychedelic botanical wonderlands and frozen floes breathes cinematic life into the combat experience.
The classic Sixaxis control approach is quite serviceable, but if you own the PlayStation Move, you owe it to yourself to try this title out using the motion controls.
Killzone 3 is the first big-budget release to fully embrace Move support and the result is a difficult but intensely rewarding shooter experience.
While the single-player mode is loaded with some intense set pieces, the online multiplayer may be the bigger draw for most gamers.
Killzone 3 seems to walk the perfect line between the frenzied action and upgrade suite that Black Ops offers and the unique environments and gameplay that the Killzone series is known for.
One glaring complaint may be that there simply aren’t enough maps to go around; a disappointing shortcoming that will be filled with copious amounts of downloadable content down the line.
Ditto can be said for Killzone’s foray into co-operative gameplay. A plus for trying to squeeze some co-op into the game, but D minus for making it only available off-line via split-screen.
I was unable to try the 3-D version of the game, but the 2-D version was alive with visual detail, loads of background ambience and ran at a steady frame rate, no matter how much action was onscreen.
The audio was more of a hit-and-miss affair, with many wooden voice performances better served in community theatre than in a release of this stature.
Killzone 3 succeeds as a top-shelf release in an already crowded genre by playing to its strengths without losing focus by trying to outdo the competition.
Mature PS3 owners owe it to themselves to give this game a whirl, especially PS Move owners wondering how Sony wanted to distance themselves from Nintendo.
Upside: Superb visuals, intense combat. Sweet PS Move support, great online experience.
Downside: Poor voice work, underwhelming narrative. Off-line co-op a letdown, need more maps.
Bottom Line: Killzone 3 a must-play for any serious PS3 owner.
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