The digital delights of Sony’s scrumptious PlayStation Network service know no bounds. Aside from letting punters compete in online gaming, stream films, browse the Internet and more, its premier attraction rests in the copious supply of downloadable games ripe for the picking. From PSN exclusives to PSOne Classics, minis and plain old add-on content, Sony’s online space is chock full of goodies battling it out for your hard-earned digital dollars.
Welcome back to another installment of Inside PlayStation Network, where every Monday – Friday we’ll pluck a PSN release—be it new or old—and put it in the spotlight for a thorough dissection. Fancy getting a new PSN game but don’t know what one to plump for? Perhaps this feature will help. Didn’t realize that a game was available in your region until now? We’ve got you covered. Or, perhaps you were musing over what those lucky Japanese folk were tucking into over in the Land of the Rising Sun? You can be sure our coverage will extend to those rare regional exclusives as much as those firmly embedded on the public consciousness.
Today, we shine the spotlight on downloadable PSP outing, Killzone: Liberation.
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Developer: Guerrilla Games
Region(s) available: North America, Europe
Players: 1-6
To date the only handheld entry in Guerrilla’s celebrated sci-fi franchise, Killzone: Liberation picks up after the events of the original 2004 FPS, once again plonking players in the shoes of Jan Templar. Human resistance is on the increase, with Templar and his buddies going on the offensive in hopes of bringing the Helghast to its knees. That’s about all you need to know, and sets the scene suitably enough for an all-out action romp.
Liberation deviates from its console counterparts by ditching the first-person perspective in favour of an isometric viewpoint. Players start off with barebones equipment, unlocking meatier starting items as you progress through the game. Helghast themselves are pretty tough buggers too, and come in all shapes and sizes, such as bog-standard grunts to rocket launcher-equipped horrors and hulking tanks. They won’t stand around begging to be shot, either; enemies will take cover and attempt to flush you out by lobbing grenades at you whenever possible.
Elsewhere, you’ll also be able to bark out orders to NPCs whenever you are accompanied by a fellow grunt, typically a bloke named Rico. Among the orders you can issue to your allies include manoeuvring them a specific location, to targeting a certain enemy and planting explosives. The AI used here is pretty competent, and shouldn’t give you too many headaches. The main campaign itself is fairly short though presents a healthy challenge, with missions also unlockable for use in the game’s co-op mode.
Gamers can also tuck into an assortment of extra game modes, including challenge mode and competitive ad-hoc multiplayer. The former offers various objectives which are unlocked after dusting off chapters in the main campaign, and includes missions such as timed demolition and target shooting. Bag the high score and you’ll be rewarded with points that can be invested in upgrading Templar in the main campaign, such as increasing your overall health and ammunition capacity. Meanwhile, multiplayer offers bread-and-butter game types such as Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch, Assault and Capture the Flag, though since release there’s been a nice chunk of DLC offered to flesh out the proceedings.
Tune in again same time tomorrow for another peak Inside PlayStation Network.