You know, we've been thinking (smells like something is burning), and based on all the hype and our own personal experience with Killzone 2 , we just had to reminisce a bit. The industry is old enough now where very few occurrences are actually "new;" most all can be compared to a past happenstance. In this way, we're starting to view Guerilla's impending masterpiece as the Half-Life for a new generation.
Most of you should be old enough to remember – it wasn't that long ago – when several landmark pieces of software dropped in the late '90s. PC users will certainly remember 1998, for example, and PlayStation and Nintendo fans recall those same years with a great fondness. But to be specific, it was a time when the FPS really started coming into its own, and most will attribute the genre's ultimate success to Half-Life . While the new category began way back in the day with Wolfenstein 3D , and a little later, Doom and Duke Nukem , it was Half-Life that represented the next giant step. Many gamers knew it as soon as they saw it, but the belief became verified as the years went on: critics were using Valve's revolutionary FPS as a benchmark; it was the measuring stick against which all other FPSs were compared. A new FPS would come out and someone would immediately say, "yeah, but can it stack up to Half-Life ?"
It launched the FPS genre into a new stratosphere, and while smaller strides have been made since, they all tend to fall within the same universe. In other words, while FPSs have certainly advanced over the years, they still don't feel that much different from Half-Life . Sure, everything , from the technicals to the artistry, is vastly superior these days, but the overall experience is only enhanced; it's not redefined . Now, it's our estimation that Killzone 2 has a chance of redefining the genre. It'll be an experience like none other and could very well represent the HL for the near future. We can easily see KZ2 becoming the aforementioned measuring stick, and looking down the road, we see FPS developers with promising projects making immediate comparisons to Guerilla's title. Some of you may see this as overstating the issue, but you have to admit two things: 1. the FPS genre is long overdue for a revolution of some sort, and 2. you haven't played it.
We're perfectly willing to admit to the possibility that we're wrong. Everyone might just finish Killzone 2 and say, "yeah, that was great, but it's not really anything new." We can't really see how someone could say that, but it might happen. And if that's the case, it's just another excellent FPS, but doesn't really separate itself from the rest of the pack. However, as we see it now – again, weighing the combined hype and early reviews and feedback – there appears to be a very good chance that, a little over 10 years after the last big step, another one is only a few weeks away…
Related Game(s): Killzone 2
Wolfenstien 3D was the first computer game I ever played. Our first computer didn't even have windows, my parents bought it from a guy who put together our operating system. it was so basic, but it was enough to run that game. I probably beat it over 50 times.
If Killzone 2 can stir up those same feelings as I got playing that game, then you could be right, Ben.
Last edited by GuernicaReborn on 1/23/2009 12:55:07 PM
GAMEPRO has reviewed KZ2
5/5
on topic
KZ2 is the god of all FPS
wolf used to give me motion sickness but I still played it a lot .
I'm looking forward to the new Wolfenstein, even though I'm tapped out on WWII games that franchise is just pimp. My first pc game was Wolf too but I really got into the Atari Jaguar Version.
Wow. If this doesn't arrive on launch day like play.com says it will, i'll be pissed!
Good article Ben, from all the buzz, I can certainly see it setting a new benchmark for the FPS genre.
@wasim
you my friend, are a complete fool.
he was talking about HALF-LIFE not HL2.
half-life remains one of my top5 favourite games.
the parts in the game were your fighting those godly monsters, that had to be killed by running around activating several switches, while coming about 1 meter away from said monster, several times.
ive never had a game that made me feel that anxious before.
id be doing it, while saying out loud "run, run, run, runnnnnnnn!"
and i would constantly reload my game everytime a security officer, or scientist got killed, just because i felt sad for them.
ahhh… i miss those days.
somethink tells me KZ2 cant bring that back.
i still think its the 1st true next-gen fps though
@wasim
you my friend, are a complete fool.
he was talking about HALF-LIFE not HL2.
half-life remains one of my top5 favourite games.
the parts in the game were your fighting those godly monsters, that had to be killed by running around activating several switches, while coming about 1 meter away from said monster, several times.
ive never had a game that made me feel that anxious before.
id be doing it, while saying out loud "run, run, run, runnnnnnnn!"
and i would constantly reload my game everytime a security officer, or scientist got killed, just because i felt sad for them.
ahhh… i miss those days.
somethink tells me KZ2 cant bring that back.
i still think its the 1st true next-gen fps though
Wow, comparing Killzone 2 to Half-Life is a daring claim. I adore the HL series (and love the gravity gun jut as much), but is the game really this good?
I've never bought into hype and really don't wanna be sucker punched and disappointed. I'm primarily a PC gamer but a close second on select console titles/series, so could this measure up to say, Half-Life 2 on the PC?
Half life 2 is a garbage game against KZ2
KZ2 is the next next gen game
@ wasim-
I don't think it's fair to call HL2 garbage lol it was and still is a very sweet game, with periodic episodes being released to continue the story.
Killzone 2 DOES look pretty amazing, but until it's released, it's unfair to declare a winner. Wait until it's released and decide for yourself 🙂
@Dr Fondo
Wow is it blasphemous for me to say I've *ahem* never played HL?
PC HAS in the past had a monopoly on FPS's and it just might be the dawn of a new console supremacy. The fine line between console and PC itself is fading with the passage of each Gen.
Either way I love to watch the latest PC games for their sheer visual achievement but personally I can only game with a controller.
Last edited by Wage SLAVES on 1/23/2009 6:45:13 PM
if killzone 2 dosnt get a perfect 10 from you Ben after all the praise youve gave it…. then MS must of paid you off 😉 lol
Arnold's reviewing it. 🙂
Is that why he isn't sharing his opinion yet? 😛
KZ2 deserves a 10/10
BTW BEN
gamepro has given KZ2 10/10 too
5/5 and has said that the game is more fun than SF4 which also got 5/5
@ wasim
you are such a fan boy!!
you only played the beta so shut up about giving it perfect scores!
I didn't get into the beta but the buzz around the internets has always been that the beta alone was worth 60 bones.
i was in the beta and it was ace but still that guy is going way overboard having only played the beta
kz2 has been compare to two top fps for pc, crysis, and HL. Kz2 I think it will be in the middle, wow we actually got a console fps exclusive game compare to crysis and HL. GG I know they are proud of thereselves.
I'm sure it will be a great FPS but as with all games there will probably be an area where I'll think to myself 'this part could have been better' or 'why can't I do this in the game'.
I haven't played a perfect shooter yet but COD4 was the closest to being perfect so far. Can't wait for Feb 27th.
Ummm…no.
I have played it. Got into the beta and played it a lot. Yes it is the best looking game to date but it s hardly innovative or monumental as Half-Life, not even close. It is just another war shooter.
Beta and finished product tend to be two very different animals
Just thinking about the amount of data…the beta was a download. I don't remember how big it was, but it was downloadable. I'm sure that will pale in comparison to the finished product (which JUST went gold) on a blu-ray disc.
@ Troy, I think that the beta was about 450mb or something like that.
Ive seen some screens of the final build MP and it is unbelievable how much improvement has been made since the beta finished.
From what Arnold has told me, the final product is much better than the beta.
@blind
I dont think u ever played KZ2 beta
the KZ2 beta alone kills all other FPSes
KZ2 is the best fps on consoles. Accept it and move on
accept it?! shut up man! u played a beta! cod4 is still better than k2 as much as i luved k2!
jeez…wasim pisses me off. Stop being a dickhead.
@ Blindside,
yeah, you played the BETA,
which showed you a glimpse of the online multiplayer. All the factors that made half-life a revolution was all about the game engine and the way it was all utilised in single-player. And to be honest I'll take the opinion of someone who's had a look at the full single player than a lucky beta-ist (yeah, I made that word up!) anyday.
Last edited by Break_The_Mould on 1/23/2009 2:08:50 PM
Hey stop thinking my thoughts and expanding them.
If this is a genre defining game that would be fantastic and from the way you guys keep selling it here it just may be. I haven't played it yet so I don't know. I will wait and see and if it blows my little brains away then alright. I really want a damn RPG soon though or a good dungeon crawler as FPS is done to death IMO.
Hmmmm…will Killzone 2 revolutionize the FPS genre? I dunno. I'd say the class system in KZ2 is extremely innovative. But, I wouldn't say the game as a whole is revolutionary.
I do believe it will be the measuring stick for any FPS for quite a while, the COD4 was. Killzone 2 will easily take over the throne.
I think KZ2 will make it's biggest impact on video gaming as a whole. I think it will raise the bar across the board. It'll redefine what gamers want and expect out of a video game. It's like…once you see what's possible, you'll want that and more.
I wonder if it would be possible for a multi-platform game to be better than KZ2.
I dont think a multi-platform game will ever be as polished as an exclusive game because of resources and devoting an engine specifically to one system's architecture.
And if what some of the Guerilla Games devs say is true about the power of the ps3, I dont think an xbox360 exclusive will be able to match a game like Killzone 2 in terms of graphics, lighting, and size.
I expect a new Microsoft machine to be launched within the next 2 years just to bring it up to spec with the ps3.
@Troy
It does seem to be setting itself up as the next gold standard in gaming…hopefully a few other devs will be raring to take a crack at that spot soon after it comes out.
@Chicko
I have yet to see any game match the quality R6V2 had in an FPS game. The only one that has surpassed it — and barely imho — would be MGS4.
The rest of your post is just craziness
@ Joe:
If Killzone 2 lives up to the hype then I suppose that you have a couple more weeks to enjoy R6V2.
For me killzone,medal of hor airborne & area51 are the best fps i have played. Cod4 its just another fps to me it was not atmospheric enough.COD1 was awsome though.
Last edited by K ASH on 1/23/2009 2:26:29 PM
What!? Cod4 is my bread and butter. I've even reverted back to it from W@W! Ill respect the rest of your post as opinion but belittling my Cod4…grrr!
Area 51 (the xbox1 game, not blacksite) was effing phenominal, I still play it. And I rarely play an FPS more than once.
@coverton
haha! I'll try,
but you know what they say about great minds :p
I'll make a prediction. K2 will get a 9.8 from PSXEXTREME and it will average 9.5 in gamerankings and metacritic.
What do ya'll think?
I agree except I think PSXE will give it a 10/10. Probably an 11/10 for graphics if it is anything like the LBP review from Arnold, haha!
Last edited by Daedusian on 1/23/2009 3:30:48 PM
Nah, I agree with 9.8. I think they'll knock off a little because it doesn't have co-op.
oo yeah.., forgot about that..
Last edited by Daedusian on 1/23/2009 4:15:35 PM
I think it will get a 10/10 easy
Idk.. K2 would have to be pretty darn innovative to be on par with the HL series. I see where you're going with this article, but were talking about the same genre that has been done over and over a million times. I can't really explain it but I can't see K2 blowing me away like HL did in the 90's, they're 2 totally different things imo. Plus I was a lot younger, so maybe that attributes to my reasoning, idk. Again, this is just my opinion.
Last edited by Daedusian on 1/23/2009 3:35:51 PM
I think it will be really good, but you are right Troy Powers, without the coOp mode, it will still be missing a feature that other FPS have, in which case, that part is more de-evolutionary… is that a real word?
Australia is a continent (which can include NZ) and also the name of a country.
But for some reason Kiwis dont like to be mistaken as Australian and vice versa. Its not like a hatred of each other country but more like two competative brothers.
yeah, with time difference it works out that NZ and Aus get it about 2 days before Nth America.
This will hopefully keep me away from seeing spoilers on youtube. I couldnt resist going on youtube to watch some mgs4 videos and I have to say that is lessened the experience somewhat.
Plus I'll have SFIV to keep me occupied until Killzone 2 comes out.
Is it true New Zealanders hate being mistaken for Australians?
since when is austrailia not a contienent?