Topic: Killzone 2

[bustin98]

I put in an hour and a half into Killzone 2. It was a frustrating experience. Ever since the N64, I have a disdain for game where its difficult because of the controller and not the objective. As you move, your screen is moved up and down thanks to 'head bob'. Ok, other games provide it but other games also let you turn it off. Fine, you don't really run and gun anyway. Let's put in some headshots and be on our way.

AARRGGGG MOTHERFUCKER SONOFABITCH

The first Resistance game pretty much nailed the controls of a FPS on a PS3. The analog sticks in this game have holes large enough to drive a truck through. Seriously. When I gently move the stick, I expect a rewarding likewise movement reflected in the game. Well, **** you says this game. Gently move the stick and   and   and  ah now I'm moving, but I'm moving too fast for what I wanted to do and now I'm right in the line of fire. Now I'm being rushed but I can't get the dude to bring his gun up   wait he's moving and damn it I am now looking at the ceiling while eating the butt of a rifle.

I do not like this game. I did make progress but I don't feel rewarded for it. I feel like I had to cheap out just to get as fas as I did. Sure, the graphics are great, but I'm not looking at the graphics when I'm trying to pull off some headshots. I'm glad I only rented this game and wish I did the same for Resistance 2.

[Stogi]

A friend of mine........well not a friend, he's pretty much a douche......gave me the choice between this game and the new PES. He "lost" my MGS4 and decided to buy me a new game as retribution; by "lost" I mean I confused him to think he lost it cuz he's a dick.

Thanks bustin, I'm glad I made the right choice.

[KDR_11k]

All I know about this game is that the fanboys are RABID.

[NWR_Lindy]

I got it today and I like it.  The beginning of the game is EPIC.

The controls are different but that's what I like about it, to be honest.  It has a bit of a learning curve because it handles a bit more "realistically" than most FPSes (i.e. you aren't just a gun magically floating around the battlefield, you actually have a little weight and momentum and must take that into account with your movements), but I got past that in the first few minutes.  You just can't run around like a madman.  That'll get you killed easily.  It's more of an advance-by-degrees shooter.  Take cover, pop up and dispatch a few enemies, move to more cover, etc.

The amount of people that think KZ2 is the best game ever is ridiculous, but I think the amount of people that hate it with a passion and think it's the downfall of Western civilization is equally ridiculous.  It's like relax people, it's just a first-person shooter.  It's not trying to change the world.

[GoldenPhoenix]

This is an honest question, how linear is it?

[Dirk Temporo]

You ask that question as though you were expecting an answer other than "It's an FPS. It's linear."

[GoldenPhoenix]

You ask that question as though you were expecting an answer other than "It's an FPS. It's linear."

Not necessarily as shown by Crysis or Far Cry 2.

[NWR_Lindy]

I mean, it's pretty linear in terms of goals - you have a goal and you fight through to achieve it - but it doesn't feel like it.  You do a lot of different stuff like driving in a tank, controlling a mecha, getting up in a crow's nest with a machine gun and sniping, etc. so it doesn't feel like a corridor march.  They really keep things moving.

[Dirk Temporo]

Not necessarily as shown by Crysis or Far Cry 2.

I never played Crysis, as it was my understanding it was basically a game for everybody with a ballin' PC to install so they could brag about it.

While Far Cry 2 had an open world, it was still mission to mission until the end of the game. Not to mention repetitive as hell.

[bustin98]

So far its been linear. I dropped the difficulty down to easy and its playable. So you're moving along and there are nooks and crannys to look for the hidden secrets, but its been a straight line from target to target. Some walls you can hop, others, while being the same height as previous ones, you can't. Meh, whatever.

Melee attacks have so far been useful. And you can chain them together for different moves. Its nice to see something beyond the norm in that respect.

Still hating the looseness of the controls. I spend 30 seconds to long trying to line up some dudes skull in my crosshairs. And that's crouching and zoomed in. If it was real life I'd be alot quicker than that. And I see nothing wrong with comparing this game's controls with any other FPS available. The type of gamer that is going to buy the game has more than likely played many previous games in the same genre. COD4 wasn't a run n gun game, and I certainly had no trouble getting through it and getting head shots when it mattered.

And anyone know whats up with the noise filter on the screen? Its kinda like Mass Effect, except its not always there, and sometimes it strengthens (when you move away from your objective?) I have a theory that your character isn't really fighting the battles but has some sort of robot version that is being controlled from somewhere else.

[GoldenPhoenix]

I mean, it's pretty linear in terms of goals - you have a goal and you fight through to achieve it - but it doesn't feel like it.  You do a lot of different stuff like driving in a tank, controlling a mecha, getting up in a crow's nest with a machine gun and sniping, etc. so it doesn't feel like a corridor march.  They really keep things moving.

Hmmm, well I'll probably pass, it still sounds like you are a pretty confined and have to go form point a to point b with little choice in how to approach it. Far Cry 2, for example, may have missions but you can approach them from so many different routes or complete them in a variety of ways (Heck I heard you can beat the game really quickly if you are lucky enough, kind of like the Fallout series). I'd say I will rent it, but considering how that went last time, I'm not sure I want to take the chance.

[NWR_Lindy]

I'm almost at the end now.  Amazing game.  I don't see what the big deal is about the controls.  I don't have any trouble pulling off headshots, and I'm playing through on Veteran.  I will say it doesn't let you sit there and spray bullets like a hose until you bring your "water" in line with your enemy's head, though.  If you want to pull of headshots you gotta pump your bullets ("burst")  instead of firing continuous rounds, because the recoil of your weapon affects your aim - like a real gun would.

Probably the only thing that irritates me are the little technical glitches.  It could be a bit more polished in spots (dialogue cuts out sometimes, loading is a minor irritation, etc.).  Call of Duty 4 is more polished in this respect.  But Killzone 2 flat out destroys CoD4 in the "epicness" department.  I don't think I've ever played a game that's had more "holy ****" moments than KZ2.  Some of the stuff near the end I couldn't help but just sit there watching with my jaw on the floor.  The game is unapologetically stark and brutal and maintains this tone throughout.  But that's what I like, and admire about KZ2...it has its detractors, but it ignores them and "super-serves" the people that it's aiming to reach.

And I still haven't even touched its multiplayer.

[KDR_11k]

They patched the controls AFAIK.

[NWR_Lindy]

Yeah, people swear up and down that the first-day patch that went out on 2/27 tweaked the controls.  I didn't notice any difference, but then I was already used to the controls from the multiplayer beta.

[bustin98]

There was a patch that went out the day after I returned my rental. Some people were done complaining, others said there was still no difference. I don't know myself. All I know is I can't say the controls are realistic because they don't change based on the weapon you are carrying or when looking down the scope of a gun. I do prefer COD4 because I like the game to challenge me, not the controller. Getting used to them is like getting used to beer. Yes, you can do it, but is it really a good thing?

Unfortunately, that same argument can be said for the Wii-mote so I guess I can't go there.

[Morari]

The controls of a FPS wouldn't be hindering the real fun and/or challenge if it were just put on a proper platform with real input devices.

[bustin98]

For those of us who spend all day with a mouse and keyboard attached to our hands, its nice to get away from that setup.

[Morari]

That's what books are for.

[NWR_Lindy]

The controls of a FPS wouldn't be hindering the real fun and/or challenge if it were just put on a proper platform with real input devices.

What's that Morari?  Oh I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over your ELITISM

I've been playing this in multiplayer and it's pretty freaking awesome.  However, going back and forth between Resistance 2 and Killzone 2 is jarring to say the least.  KZ2 controls so different it isn't even funny.

[Rize]

Yep, so I totally missed this debate.  I figured why bother pick up KZ2 since I still hadn't touched Resistance 1 or 2.  Now I've finished both of them and finally got Killzone 2.

Apparently on May 27th or so, a new patch was released for KZ2 that added "high precision mode" (toggled from the options menu).  Basically, the thing that has been aggravating everyone about KZ2's controls is that it was stuck in what is basically the equivalent of Metroid Prime 3's "basic" or "standard" mode (i.e. there's a large dead zone in the middle of the analog stick that does nothing).  In "high precision mode", the dead zone is about the same as any other FPS.  There is still a hard coded movement/turning lag, but now it feels as it was intended to feel (gives the movement some weight without making it impossible to aim).

With the controls fixed (and boy did I pitch a fit on another forum until someone told me "get the patch stupid"), I'm finding the game to be incredible.  The overall feel of the game combined with relatively realistic AI is making it a very interesting experience compared to any other shooter I've played.  It's essentially humans vs. humans, but on a non-Earth setting.  The enemies have a vaguely German aesthetic about them. Basically, imagine if WW2 took place in the future in another solar system between two space faring human races who nevertheless do their fighting primarily on the ground with weapons that (so far) are essentially no more advanced than today's average military weapons.

[KDR_11k]

"Gears of World War 2"

[Enner]

"Gears of World War 2"

FUTURE WARFARE!

[Rize]

Honestly, Killzone 2 smokes Gears although they are two very different type of shooter.  Killzone 2 is far more cerebral.

[bustin98]

Just borrowed this from a friend to try out the new High Accuracy mode. Now its great. This is what it needed to be in the beginning. I will now play through on the hardest difficulty.

But I still prefer the 360 controller over the PS3 one, so Gears is the winner for me. Yeah, I barely played my PS1, and never bought a PS2. I just can't feel comfortable wrapping my hand around the controller.

[NWR_Lindy]

Gears 2 bored me to death.  I still haven't finished it.  However, Killzone 2 is my shooter of choice this generation, even over CoD4.  CoD4 is amazing - probably the best FPS out there right now, all things considered - but I like Killzone's universe a lot more than Gears, CoD4, or Halo.

Killzone 2's multiplayer is also challenging and deep.  I just reached the online rank of General (more through dedication than skill), but I get rolled over regularly (my K:D ratio is terrible, like 0.88 or something).  But every once in a while I'll have a good game and it feels like quite the accomplishment.  The new maps are also fan-freaking-tastic.

A lot of people dismiss Killzone 2 as a "me-too" FPS, but its not.  It's quite different from all other first-person shooters on the market.