Killzone 2

[Twyford]

How are you playing online? I didn't think the servers were up yet?

They aren't. I've been playing the full game over the weekend and the Warzone option (online multplayer) just errors out.

The Skirmish mode (offline with bots) is pretty damn sweet though, even at the bots lowest difficulty setting (Trooper) they pose a bit of a challenge and the AI is really quite impressive. The maps are fucking huge and will be great once the servers go up.

Single player is very pretty but I'm only on the third level so don't want to give any final opinions on this yet.

[Eighthours]

How are you playing online? I didn't think the servers were up yet?

They're not, so I have no idea why he's trying to misrespresent stuff.

Okay, so I've got this now.

Killzone 2 is the very definition of "solid". It's incredibly polished and often fun, but there's a massive lack of imagination going through the game, unfortunately, which is bizarre when you consider the massive backstory that Guerrilla has presented/leaked on the web. The story and script are simply nonexistent, the characters hideously unlikeable ("FUCK! MUTHAFUCKERS! GO! GO! GO! FUCKING HIGS! YEAH, TAKE THAT MUTHAFUCKER!" Yep, written by a 14 year old), and as Edge said, the levels could pretty much be played in any order without anyone noticing. Videogame cliches abound, and it's playing everything relentlessly safe throughout.

That being said, despite being far too grey, brown and grimy (and yes, I know that's justified by previously established story points about the Helghast's home planet, but it doesn't change the fact that the problems exist), it's still a real looker. The animation, lighting and environmental effects are off the scale (even so, the game isn't quite at the level of the 2005 trailer in terms of intensity). The sound and music are nice. The gunplay's very meaty and can be exhilerating on occasion. The later weapons are pretty nice - I particularly like the boltgun (actually, the Hammerhead was my favourite weapon in FEAR 2, so there's a trend emerging here!).

There is one glaring misstep with the combat: the pistol is absolutely pathetic. There's one mini boss battle where you have to use it inbetween rocketing your adversary in order to trap him, and you can be aiming directly at what you have to shoot but miss with upwards of ten shots at a relatively short distance before the game decides to register a hit. So you have to walk very near this thing you have to shoot, which allows the miniboss a free shot at you. You just have to hope he's not firing rockets at that point. And you have to have the pistol throughout the game - you can't swap it out. It's a dreadful design decision, which means you effectively only hold one weapon at a time as the pistol's so abysmal.

So, Killzone 2 definitely isn't the second coming (offline, at least). It is, though, a very solid, polished shooter. An easy 8 but nothing more in single player. Online could well send it up to a 9, but the servers aren't on yet.

I'm about three-quarters of the way through the campaign and I can see why Edge gave FEAR 2 a higher score. However, I'm sure that a lot of you will really enjoy this game - I certainly am, despite my grumbles. I just hope there isn't a backlash based on the really high review scores from some publications. I expect that the online will negate that to a certain degree, assuming that those who have played it are right about its quality.

[Stolly]

That being said, despite being far too grey, brown and grimy (and yes, I know that's justified by previously established story points about the Helghast's home planet, but it doesn't change the fact that the problems exist), it's still a real looker.

You have to wonder at Guerilla's lack of imagination with the setting itself - they could have turned the Helghast city into some sort of Stalingrad look alike. Grimey and bombed out yes but with snow and ice. Given that snow can be almost any colour in the rainbow too, it would have been so, so easy to implement, brighten up the colour pallette of game and still retain the grimeyness factor at the same time. I don't know why but the in your face gun battles from the demo would seem to correlate with a Stalingrad, high attrition sort of battle too.

[Eighthours]

You have to wonder at Guerilla's lack of imagination with the setting itself - they could have turned the Helghast city into some sort of Stalingrad look alike. Grimey and bombed out yes but with snow and ice. Given that snow can be almost any colour in the rainbow too, it would have been so, so easy to implement, brighten up the colour pallette of game and still retain the grimeyness factor at the same time. I don't know why but the in your face gun battles from the demo would seem to correlate with a Stalingrad, high attrition sort of battle too.

I expect they'll do a "Gears 2" when another sequel emerges, and introduce more colour variety.

By the way, there have been grumbles on the web about how most reviews mentioned the lack of co-op in a negative way, when they didn't do so for the likes of Call of Duty 4. Having played Killzone 2 now, it's obvious why: the game has clearly been designed for online co-op. You're running around virtually the entire game with one other guy!

[daviedigi]

@eighthours and twyford....

if yous are playing it now and its a pre-release (with a creation date on the disk, and says pre-release on the disk),

you will have been given a sheet with it thats 2 pages ....with controlls and embargo and stuff on it (cheats lol).

first page it tells you to change your DNS settings ...have yous done this?

i have and thats why mine works online and the servers are up theres just hardly a person playing.

from my sheet heres what it tells me to do so you lot can try it....

1. start up the ps3 test kit (mine aint a test kit).

2. goto the ps3 xmb - settings - network settings.

3. internet connection settings.

4. custom - wired - autodetect - automatic - do not set - manual.

5. change primary DNS to 217.18.16.224 and then the following actions.

x (to confirm settings) - right - automatic - do not use - enabled - enter.

6. test the conection.

7. ignore the upnp is complaning and back out.

8. if you are experiencing problems still and are using a ps3 test / debug kit, ensure the NP enviroment is set to np.

this can access this from the debug settings options.

thats what my sheet says word for word (except they called the xmb ...xmp)

i dant have a test kit but i have the pre-release disk and sheet that comes with it....

please try these settings and see if it works for you.

and please dont call me a liar or say im mis representing....you may hurt my feelings.

[daviedigi]

Don't know about anyone else but this sell it to me.

the servers have been up since the beta,

people just need to change a few settings on there DNS.

i hope they do so i can finally play against or with people,

ign folks came on the other day then imediately left to a private game ..

mattneopsn also shot me twice and left whoever he is,

im on the rankings now though as id already took all the bases when he joined.

still just short of creating a clan at sergeant rank.

edit: i should also say sorry for the double post and iv made room for you both on my friendslist,

that way i can help you out if i need to and i can also prove im not a liar or misrepresenting or anything ..

i have a ps2 eyetoy so i can show you my disk and sheet if you wish.

please come online and play though im dieing to give it a decent test.

[Eighthours]

@eighthours and twyford....

if yous are playing it now and its a pre-release (with a creation date on the disk, and says pre-release on the disk),

you will have been given a sheet with it thats 2 pages ....with controlls and embargo and stuff on it (cheats lol).

first page it tells you to change your DNS settings ...have yous done this?

i have and thats why mine works online and the servers are up theres just hardly a person playing.

from my sheet heres what it tells me to do so you lot can try it....

1. start up the ps3 test kit (mine aint a test kit).

2. goto the ps3 xmb - settings - network settings.

3. internet connection settings.

4. custom - wired - autodetect - automatic - do not set - manual.

5. change primary DNS to 217.18.16.224 and then the following actions.

x (to confirm settings) - right - automatic - do not use - enabled - enter.

6. test the conection.

7. ignore the upnp is complaning and back out.

8. if you are experiencing problems still and are using a ps3 test / debug kit, ensure the NP enviroment is set to np.

this can access this from the debug settings options.

thats what my sheet says word for word (except they called the xmb ...xmp)

i dant have a test kit but i have the pre-release disk and sheet that comes with it....

please try these settings and see if it works for you.

and please dont call me a liar or say im mis representing....you may hurt my feelings.

Well, if this remains the case when the game's actually out then the biggest fuck-up in online history is about to occur. I have zero problems with any other online game, so this is a bit of a clusterfuck.

Presumably whatever silly reason has led to these circumstances will be made irrelevant when Guerrilla presses the big "ON" button, though. I'm not sure I really want to piss around with my DNS settings, to be honest, though I suppose I could write down what I have at the moment and do this change as a one-off.

[Rex Grossman]

I thought messing with DNS settings for closed online testing ahead of reviews was quite common?

[Twyford]

I didn't say you were lying daviedigi just that the servers weren't up yet. If they are and they're mightily hidden then they'll have to stay that way for another week or so as I don't want to mess about with my online setup, besides Skate 2 is getting me plenty of Online play.

Skirmish mode is great for getting some knowledge of the maps for the time being.

[daviedigi]

I didn't say you were lying daviedigi just that the servers weren't up yet. If they are and they're mightily hidden then they'll have to stay that way for another week or so as I don't want to mess about with my online setup, besides Skate 2 is getting me plenty of Online play.

Skirmish mode is great for getting some knowledge of the maps for the time being.

fair enough,

the settings do work though so make a note of them just incase you fancy it.

you can always auto-detect them back to normal again later.

im really desperate to get a few online peeps playing, what iv played online so far easily matches the likes of cod4 imho.

[The Count]

daviedigi has the review build of the game, with the separate review servers. More recent promo copies can't access the review servers, even with the changed DNS settings.

I've been playing Killzine 2 MP for months now, and it really is great. The map design is very good, it's pretty amazing that they've got the maps working so well when every single game mode can kick in at any point in Warzone. It actually has a full class system, rather than just the perks that daviedigi mentions. It might still end up a rocket fest if people keep friendly fire off, but there's enough possibilities in combining the various abilities to counter just about anything.

[Twyford]

Is there any way to change the options in Skirmish mode as to the types of games you'll be playing?

At the moment it seems to be hardcoded to just rotate between Capture The Base, Killcount, Zones etc. Is there any way to limit to one or two gametypes or gametime? I'm assuming not as there doesn't seem to be anyway of changing the options beyond map, botcount, team choice.

[The Count]

You can't change the game settings in Skirmish, which is pretty rubbish. Your character in Skirmish is linked to your online character, so you can access unlocked classes/badges there once you've got them.

[Twyford]

You can't change the game settings in Skirmish, which is pretty rubbish. Your character in Skirmish is linked to your online character, so you can access unlocked classes/badges there once you've got them.

Thanks, it would be nice to have the option but I see Skirmish as just a training ground for the real thing. Some of the Skirmish matches can go on for almost an hour or so until completion (first team to seven wins) so as long as you can set some limits on game time in Warzone then it's all good.

[myoozikk]

[layten]

Night Trap sequel confirmed?

[daviedigi]

daviedigi has the review build of the game, with the separate review servers. More recent promo copies can't access the review servers, even with the changed DNS settings.

I've been playing Killzine 2 MP for months now, and it really is great. The map design is very good, it's pretty amazing that they've got the maps working so well when every single game mode can kick in at any point in Warzone. It actually has a full class system, rather than just the perks that daviedigi mentions. It might still end up a rocket fest if people keep friendly fire off, but there's enough possibilities in combining the various abilities to counter just about anything.

thanks the count.

you are of course 100% correct.

so are you playing online...if so add..away....if you want.

got a few others playing now aswell.

going back in now to earn my shottie.

[Talk Show Host]

Just received my promo. I don't know what to think of the game yet.

The graphics may not be as good as the legendary video but they are tremendous. I mean, really tremendous.

Controls feel very loose. I mean, very loose. Like there is no middle in the sticks. Is that classic dualshock talk? Coming after Halo 3, GoW and CoD they feel really bad. Or maybe I haven't played a PS FPS for some time.

The first hour feels like I'm playing with bots. Story has no weight whatsoever and characters are even more cliche than expected. I'm hoping it will pick up later on.

Action is relentless but it feels too much like a scripted show. I am hoping there is going to be some fights in open areas with a Halo-like unpredictability to spice things up.

Not very impressed until now but it's still very early.

But those graphics...

[hoot]

I swear everyone and their dog gets promo copies these days. Seriously!

(not jealous, honest)

[Uzi]

I swear everyone and their dog gets promo copies these days. Seriously!

(not jealous, honest)

I have a promo copy on the way to me too Sony are going all out to give this coverage and press. Good on them

[womblingfree]

How is everyone getting promo copies? Does having a few thousand posts on here qualify you as a games journalist these days? Or do you need a blog as well

[Talk Show Host]

A word of warning.

The graphics from the moment you load the up game (first intro), choose New Campaign (which kicks the second intro and mini tutorial) until the minute you land in the beach can kill brain cells.

I had to watch some Pong footage afterward just to restore brain balance.

How is everyone getting promo copies? Does having a few thousand posts on here qualify you as a games journalist these days? Or do you need a blog as well

No, you actually have to get paid for writing about games to be considered a games journalist and receive promos! Doh!

[hoot]

Are you able to take it online yet?

[Talk Show Host]

Are you able to take it online yet?

Don't have time to check now, I'm off.

I'll check tomorrow.

[Twyford]

Are you able to take it online yet?

Didn't work for me 20 minutes ago.

[macosx]

Sony are going all out to give this coverage and press.

really?

[Uzi]

really?

In the media yeah, they lifted an embargo crazily early and lots of review code seems to hae gone out to keep them coming along.

[daviedigi]

Are you able to take it online yet?

but weirdly i can.

hope i wont have to buy another copy when this is out proper,

theres some talk of the servers being wiped and only the game proper working on it.

also on my pre-release sheet theres some known bugs,

so iexpect the full game proper will be even more polished to fix these.

[squirtle]

A word of warning.

The graphics from the moment you load the up game (first intro), choose New Campaign (which kicks the second intro and mini tutorial) until the minute you land in the beach can kill brain cells.

I had to watch some Pong footage afterward just to restore brain balance.

But that's all FMV, isn't it? The Vekta take off to the Helghan planet is what I presume you're talking about. The intro that's been knocking around for a while. it's not in game, or so I was led to believe.

[Mr.Crowley]

After playing 3-4 hours of this I really don't understand all the graphics hype, I really don't.