Lawrence.com

Killzone 3 is just around the corner with a firm February 22nd release date and many shooter fans on the PS3 will be eagerly awaiting its release. The previous title boasted some of the best looking graphics on the console and provided an impressive campaign and multiplayer component. Most people are wondering if the third installment to the series will continue to deliver the quality we've come to expect from Guerilla Games. I've played the multiplayer beta extensively and spent a decent amount of time with the E3 demo (releasing on PSN next Tuesday and available now for Plus members) and here's what I think so far.

Killzone 3 by frojas

Single Player

For those that haven't seen the footage from Sony's E3 press event, the demo takes place on a snow and ice covered area as Sev and Rico take out Helghast in the air, on the ground and even in a jet pack. Both characters are now playable via cooperative play, suggesting that Rico and Sev will probably be inseparable for the most part throughout the game. In the first part you'll man a turret as you take out ground and support troops throughout a military compound. Next you will partake in an infiltration mission that includes using the new jetpack and allows you to try out the brutal melee kills. Finally you will complete the demo with a series of killbox-like skirmishes as you take out encampments and tanks using a fun new weapon. All in all the experience will last about 15 to 20 minutes depending on skill level and exploration.

In Killzone 3, none of the characters have that heavy tank feel from the previous title although there is still some considerable weight. Helghast are still as resilliant as ever, taking many bullets to kill and difficult to get head shots on. The ability to duck into cover, a unique feature for an FPS series, gives appropriate tactical advantage to both player and enemies alike. Aiming down the sights on enemies (called zooming) is still available, but not as necessary for close combat as you've come to expect from other military shooters. Some minor tweaks have been made to the controls allowing for a Call of Duty feel - for example you now click R3 to melee enemies - but veterans should have no problems jumping right back in. That doesn't mean that the demo was without its weak points, many of which sadly revolve around the jetpack.

I remember being in the audience at Sony's E3 conference when we watched the demo being played for the first time. The moment Sev put on the jetpack an uproar of applause flooded the theatre, almost making me jump. I, on the other hand, was not so enthusaistic. I don't really like the concept of jetpacks in games and haven't since I first took flight in Duke Nukem, which makes me wonder why recent franchises like Killzone and Halo have included them. The jetpack doesn't allow you to actually fly, but rather works more like a powered jump - you'll be surprised when you first see how short your air time is. It does look like you get the benefit of unlimited ammo, but it disables certain useful skills, like melee kills, that you only discover after it's too late. I also didn't like that many ambushes come at a moment where you're exposed and there's no cover to run for. If you play it conservative, you probably won't suffer these issues, but for the aggressive players it can be a setback. All issues aside, it's still classic Killzone and I can't wait to get my hands on the main campaign and assault Helghan.

Multiplayer

Killzone 3's multiplayer is currently available to everyone as an open beta that can be downloaded on the PSN store. There don't seem to be all that many changes to multiplayer, but the few changes that were made seem to benefit greatly. As with the single player, the overall controls are smoother so you'll feel less tempted to anchor yourself in a defensive position and actually get moving across the battlefield. A few new classes have joined the ranks of the traditional favorites engineer and assault as well as a more diverse weapons and skill set for each. Instead of ranking up specific classes you played with and earning specific abilities, you now get unlock points that allow you to unlock nearly anything across all classes. The maps retain that wide open feel from Killzone 2 and with the option of either straight up team deathmatch or rotating goals, each match is addiciting as ever.

There still seems to be an issue with those that play often having a tactical advantage over those that play on occasion. Some of the players in my recent matches have been playing since day one and already have a set of weapons and perks that I don't stand a chance against. I also didn't like the strength of shooting from the hip, although that's a bias on my end of playing nothing but Black Ops and Bad Company 2 as of late. I must admit that being completely terrible at each round didn't make the game any less fun, though, I still had a blast and played for at least a couple of hours each time I booted it up. I experienced no lag or server issues while playing, which either means that Guerilla is awesome at online integration or that most of the issues in Call of Duty are cheaters. I'm still a bigger fan of the campaign over the multiplayer, but I get the feeling that a good chunk of online players will make the move to Killzone 3 upon release.