Killzone 2 Multiplayer Beta Hands-on
- Posted November 13th, 2008 at 11:07 EDT by Steven Williamson
- 10,886 views
- 48 Comments
With its February 2009 release date looming, the beta phase for the highly anticipated sci-fi shooter, Killzone 2, is in full swing, giving us ample opportunity to test out the variety of game modes on offer and get to grips with every nook and cranny of the three multiplayer maps currently available. Stay with us as we take a peek at some of the features that we hope can lift this much-hyped title head and shoulders above the competition.
If you’ve watched any of the trailers you’ll know that Killzone 2 already looks and sounds incredible. In reality though, when you’re actually moving around the locations and trading gunfire with fellow revellers, it looks even better. Killzone 2 has not only blown us away with the sheer level of detail in its photo-realistic environments, but its dark and sombre atmosphere, generated by some stunning lighting effects and exceptional attention to detail, is equally significant in terms of its overall ambiance.
A prime example of this can be seen on one of larger, open maps, called Salamun Market, where the sound of war resonates through every building, balcony and plaza as muzzles flash dramatically against the backdrop of a deep blood orange sunset and dark thunderous clouds roll overhead, playing their part in this dramatic scene by casting shadows eloquently across the rooftops and deserted streets below.
If the three maps on offer in the beta are an indication as to the overall visual and design quality of Killzone 2’s final multiplayer map set, we can look forward to an intensely atmospheric shooter. Bells and whistles aside though, we’re sure that, like us, you’ll be more interested in whether the gameplay can possibly compete with its dazzling good looks. Let’s take a look.
Before you jump into the warzone, the beta multiplayer experience begins when you choose a faction. The two warring sides here are Helghast and ISA. Both factions offer a different, yet very similar, weapon set, ranging from assault rifles and semi-automatic shotguns right through to missile launchers. The focus here is on realism, with each gun, such as the M82G assault rifle, modelled on its real-life counterpart - nothing particularly outstanding here then.
From there, it’s into a traditional lobby area where you can shout your mouth off or pleasantly chat to other players about how you’re going to hand their asses to them on plate. It’s from here that the lobby leader can customize the whole game, from toggling friendly fire on and off to restricting weapons or abilities.
Currently, there are seven game modes on offer, including variants of deathmatch and team deathmatch, which host 32 players and there's also a nice variety of other game modes, such as ‘Assassination’, where everyone is tasked with tracking down and killing a randomly selected player and ‘Search and Destroy’, where you need to trigger explosives. Currently, there are three maps on offer: Salamun Market, Radec Academy and Blood Gracht.
A quick glance at the stats page, which you can also access in-game and post match, gives you an indication of the depth of Killzone 2’s class-based system, a feature that has spurred us on to test our skills to the limit with the promise of badges to compliment our play style. Whether it’s as a medic, engineer or scout, when you rise through the ranks in your particular class you also unlock access to certain abilities, such as a cloaking device, deployable bots and deployable spawn points, but more interestingly you can also mix and match these classes to suit your own style. This means that the more time you spend with the game, the more it gives back and, in our experience thus far, the more rewarding it becomes. Although we certainly didn't need any encouragement to keep playing Killzone 2, it constantly invites you to keep blasting away to gain more XP (experience points) by luring you in with tempting unlockables that are only available when you hit certain rankings; reach rank 3, for example, and you'll be allowed to create a clan.
Although we haven’t been able to set up a clan as yet, ... (continued on next page)
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Comments
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The_Sorrow_Gamer |
The_Sorrow_Gamer- 11:39am GMT - November 13th, 2008
- 2
NIce,thanks PSu for the early review
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hitman8062 |
hitman8062- 12:21pm GMT - November 13th, 2008
- 5
Day one purchase, gonna pre-order it to be sure.
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Firista |
hitman8062- 12:44pm GMT - November 13th, 2008
- 6
Thanks for this PSU. The game is sounding absolutely BOSS and is the fast tactical shooter I have been waiting for after CoD4 got stale. Hopefully if they keep all of the great things from the first game and implement all of this then we'll have practically the best FPS of all time on our hands. Time to get excited guys.
A couple questions.
1. You say the pace lies somewhere between CoD and Rainbow 6. As I believe it is the pace that makes or breaks an FPS, and personally much prefer faster pace like CoD4 than slow, like Resistance or Halo, do you feel it is optimized for the gameplay?
2. Can you tell us of the controlls. Are they fully customisable, and what is set as default? If aim isn't L1 I might cry.
Thanks. -
Moe_OwnZ_You |
Moe_sherif- 12:46pm GMT - November 13th, 2008
- 7
Killzone 2 is the best game EVER made, im so addicted to the beta. Its jst brilliant :]
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terminator12259 |
tacitassassin25- 1:00pm GMT - November 13th, 2008
- 10
this beat is awesome, the graphics are sweet, and this is only a beta @ firista r3 is zoom (default), but you dont hold it down, i dont know if they are fully custom but i think there are 6 presets, but remember this is onlya beta
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GunTeng
- 1:14pm GMT - November 13th, 2008
- 12
its a pity they felt the need to take out the lean/peek feature. That could only have added to this game, and it doesn't slow up game play....camping does...lol.
Im glad to see you can prone at least....I actually never expected that.
And to their benefit, they allow user created rooms.....thats always a positive in my book. I just hope they added other options such as muting people etc.
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vipergts2207 |
D-Smitty- 1:25pm GMT - November 13th, 2008
- 14
This game is looking like it will be epic and hopefully it will live up to the hype. This will be THE fps to own for PS3.
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Rugbynut
- 2:26pm GMT - November 13th, 2008
- 15
This game is a chance for the psn community to shine, in terms of the multiplayer it is great, probably better than COD4, This is a top quality fps, which we have all been waiting for. I have been playing the beta and i would expect all fps fans to consider pre-ordering the game, it is sick. I can say no more, don't be aprehensive, get it at launch and prepare for one hel of a ride.
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seedaripper1973 |
seedaripper1973- 4:05pm GMT - November 13th, 2008
- 17
Hey to 'steven williamson' (i cant seem to get your PM or email) you dont happen to come from stoke-on-trent do you mate???
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NirvanaFr3ak |
NirvanaFreak- 4:10pm GMT - November 13th, 2008
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this game is going to awesome. It has everything. The game looks really chunky(feels nice and right) and am so deligthed to hear that there's a class system with exp and everythin g. I think adding small rpg elemnts make shooters way more fun and playable. Awesome, definetly getting this one!
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TestosteRohne |
TestosteRohne- 6:15pm GMT - November 13th, 2008
- 19
So is this a COD4 online beater or not?
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GOD_OF_CHAOS_KRATOS
- 8:58pm GMT - November 13th, 2008
- 23
L1 is the aim button and it is toggled on and off, there is like no lag though i spot some slowdown and i am disconnected at least once a day but they seem like nothing more thatn beta bugs
The automated turrets that are set up by engineers are destructible but the ones in your base are not(Good thing because it seems to prevent spawn camping 90% of the time)
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THEmanbearpig |
MANBEARPIG- 12:28am GMT - November 14th, 2008
- 25
well ill be way behind everyone seeing as how i wont be back home in the states till late march. hope its as good as it looks and everyone will still be playing it by the time i get home!
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jigglespsu
- 6:50am GMT - November 14th, 2008
- 27
Did he actually shoot anything that was another player ... hope there's eenough players online for carnage
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GunTeng
- 9:09am GMT - November 14th, 2008
- 28
@TestosteRohne
Almost any online shooter would beat COD4 online if you ask me. That game was so flaming limited that it was extremely user unfriendly to play.
KZ2 will have much the same gameplay which isn't so bad, but it will have the ability to make user created rooms etc. So it doesn't have to have that useless random game crap that was the crux of COD4. Friends invites will work, private games will work and it should be much more fun to play.
Now all we have to see is what other player options it has, like muting players, voting, etc etc.
Not hard at all to beat COD4 online IMO.
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Moe_OwnZ_You |
Moe_sherif- 2:40pm GMT - November 14th, 2008
- 31
@Testosterohne;
EH OBVIOUSLY U RETARD......killzone 2 eats cod4 for breakfast!!!!!!!!!!!
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Dogswithguns |
Dogswithguns- 10:37am GMT - November 15th, 2008
- 36
Im saving for it. it's gonna be so awesome, cant wait.
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crazynoobgamer |
crazynoobgamer- 11:29am GMT - November 15th, 2008
- 37
This looks like the best shooter ever. Amazing graphics and all. I need this game. GOTY
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davin_g
- 11:13am GMT - November 16th, 2008
- 39
Playing the beta and the visuals are outstanding....the way the light streams through a room at time...little stuff that just make you say damn. the game has 6 different loadouts for controls. one exactly like cod4. the game takes a little getting used too...the way the guns shoot...much more realistic than cod4...where no aiming is involved. you definately have to aim and control your aim. my only gripes is the lack of ammo. i have had many many times where i run out of my primary ammo after one good fire fight....and some idiot swoopes in and picks up the dead guys bullets....now i am running around with the magnum. very very frustrating. i don't expect infinate ammo but only two clips of 20 bullets is pretty limited at times. everything else is great.....oh except the rockets...people spamming rockets is what killed the first game...i love running around a corner to get rocketed by a guy at point blank range and he doesn't die. it is a horrible noob weapon that it seems almost everyone picks up. it really ruins a fun battle when you got this one guy spamming rockets everywhere. at least we can turn that off. this is by far the best looking and playing game i have ever tried though.
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youwilldie2
- 3:29pm GMT - November 17th, 2008
- 40
holy CRAP! this game looks like it will totally be worth it!
i totally agree with everyone else with the fact that this game will totally be worth the money that we spend.
CANT WAIT . . . by the way were do i get the beta? email me the answer please. (burn666dws@yahoo.com)
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