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Guerrilla compares Killzone 1 and 2, side-by-side
It's been five years since Guerrilla released the original Killzone on PS2. Five years, one console generation, and seven PPEs later, Guerrilla crafted what remains one of the best looking games to date: Killzone 2. In its retrospective piece, Guerrilla compares how the tech and characters have changed in the five years spanning the two console games. Perhaps most surprising about the comparison is not how improved the PS3 game is -- rather, we're impressed at how well the PS2 game has stood the test of time. Perhaps it's time to revisit the PS2 original, for those of you lucky enough to own a backwards-compatible PS3.
Be thankful, Killzone 2 double XP multiplayer starts this weekend
Just in time for your Turkey Day weekend, Killzone 2 will be activating double XP on all multiplayer games from November 27th to November 30th. In addition to double XP, Guerrilla will host a Killzone 2 "retro tournament" using only the Beach Head and Southern Hills maps from the second DLC pack, both remakes of Killzone 1 maps. If you don't have the DLC yet and don't want to drop "money" on it you'll want to check out Killzone.com -- free codes will be given away later this week.
Killzone 2 CG intro wins Roses Design award
The Roses Design Awards have recognized Killzone 2 with six nominations and one award, according to a report by GI.biz. This is the first time games have been allowed to compete alongside graphical, visual design and architecture categories. Axis Animation won a gold award for "Best Use of Animation" for its work on the Killzone 2 CG intro (embedded above). Described as one of the studio's "most ambitious projects," the intro features over three minutes of footage from Vekta to Helghan in one seamless sequence that's free of cuts until the final climatic shot. Director Stuart Aitken is certainly deserving of high praise for setting the stage for one of the PS3's most visually involving games to date.
PlayStation Home gets animated t-shirts, Killzone space tomorrow
PlayStation Home denizens will be able to open up their PSN wallets and go on a shopping spree tomorrow. The PlayStation.Blog is promising over 100 items will be up for grabs, like animated t-shirts, glow sticks and a brand new Killzone "Visari Throne Room." The virtual apartment will come equipped with 70 items, so you interior design freaks can go crazy. While we admittedly don't frequent Home on a regular basis, we are glad to see that SCEA has designed a catchy promo to end their videos with. The redesigned PS3 logo and the slogan "It Only Does Everything" is a great statement that really makes clear the PS3's ability to play more than games. Now if only SCEA would bother going on a marketing campaign like its European counterpart ...
Killzone 2 getting patch and new DLC: 'Napalm & Cordite'
Incoming! Another DLC pack is en route to Killzone 2. This time, it's the "Napalm & Cordite" pack, which we'll be hearing much more about next week. In the meantime, Guerilla Games has seen fit to detail the next patch, which will coincide with the new DLC content. Patch 1.28 is the "latest and greatest update" to the game and adds a multitude of new features when it drops on July 14. These features include, obviously, code support for the new Napalm & Cordite maps, "Suljeva Cliffside" and "Arctower Landing," as well as code which adds the flamethrower and bolt gun to multiplayer. The patch also contains new trophies, more detailed information when browsing games and a bunch of other fixes and updates. Check out the full list over at the PlayStation Blog. %Gallery-67751%
Killzone 2 'Flash and Thunder' pack dated June 11
Click for more biggerness The second map pack for Killzone 2 has just been announced by Sony. The "Flash and Thunder" pack contains two Killzone 1 level remakes, namely Beach Head, in which you're tasked with resisting a Helghast invasion force on a coastal stronghold, and The Southern Hills, in which it's the ISA's turn to invade a Helghast hilltop compound.No word on pricing yet The pack will cost $5.99 and you can expect to see it on the PlayStation Network store on June 11 -- that's just a few weeks away! Update: Screenshots gathered, gallery and price added. Video now available after the break.%Gallery-63781%
Joyswag: Killzone 2 Signature Series Guide
Killzone 2 is getting brand new DLC this week -- you don't want to get spanked on the online battlefield, do you? We're giving away ten copies of the official Killzone 2 guide, filled with tips and tricks to survive the battlefield, online and off. Master the different ranks you can play as, and earn every ribbon and medal. Leave a comment telling us the most difficult Trophy you've unlocked in Killzone 2. (See the Trophy list here.) You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec) Limit 1 entry per person per calendar day This entry period ends at 5:00 pm ET on Thursday, April 30 At that time, we'll randomly select ten winners to receive a copy of the Killzone 2 Brady Games Signature Series Guide (MSRP: $20). For a list of complete rules, click here Now, once you brush up your Killzone skills, you'll want to join the Killzone 2 Online Championship Tournament. Find out more after the break. %Gallery-50068%
Killzone 2 DLC adds 12 new Trophies
The upcoming "Steel and Titanium" DLC pack for Killzone 2 will also add 12 new Trophies to the game, all Bronze. Two two maps will feature six Trophies each, encouraging players to utilize all the various classes and tactics available in multiplayer. To check out the new Trophies, click past the break. [Thanks, Bahamut44-4!]
Killzone 2 sells more than 1M copies worldwide
There's only one thing internet fanboys love debating as much as Killzone 2's graphical capabilities ("It's too brown!" "It's more real than real life!") -- and that's Killzone 2's sales numbers. SCEA has just announced that its flagship "only on PlayStation" game has sold over one million copies worldwide, making it "the biggest initial success at retail of any first-party PS3 title to date."It's taken Killzone 2 nearly seven weeks to reach the million milestone, and how that should be celebrated will largely depend on your loyalties. In comparison, Super Smash Bros. Brawl took a mere week to reach that magic number; Gears of War 2 managed to sell twice that much in its first week. Regardless, a million copies is nothing to scoff at -- we're certain these sales provided a nice injection of cash into the Sony war chest.
Sony targets collectors with licensing agreement
Sony is looking to extract some more money from European wallets through a new deal inked with Target Entertainment, who will now be the consumer product licensing agent for all PlayStation software IP. This means you could have a nice 6" tall Kratos watching over your cubicle whenever you go to refill that mug of coffee, or your own cuddly, huge Sackboy to snuggle up with every night while in bed. Really, the possibilities for merchandise are near endless here.SCEE's licensing and peripherals manager Stephanie Freeman says Sony wants "consumers to have the ability to interact with our brands and characters in ways other than just on screen. We feel Target Entertainment Group has the vibrancy and experience to help us do this successfully." No word on when these products will be making their way to market, but you should be able to stock up on Helghast target dummies and Ratchet and Clank ratchet sets soon.
Killzone developer says PS3 dev easier than PS2
You've heard it time and time again: the PS3 is not easy to develop for. However, the folks behind Sony's flagship FPS, Killzone 2, will disagree. Guerilla Games' Managing Director Hermen Hulst spoke to GameDaily about the working as a PlayStation-exclusive developer. "Like us, if you are native to PlayStation, our tech director doesn't say it's particularly difficult. It's specific, but it's not difficult like PS2 was difficult – PS2 was a difficult [machine] to crack, but PS3 didn't take us a long time to get up and running." Hulst does admit that multiplatform developers may have more trouble working with Sony's console "because it is very different" from other consoles.Development Director Arjan Brussee not only sees PS3 as an easier system to develop for, but also believes Sony's proprietary architecture can be easier to deal with than the Xbox 360. "I actually think PS3 is a simpler architecture than some of the other consoles; you just have to have a certain mindset on how to address it. I think the Cell-based processor with the SPUs and the super high speed DSPs that you can throw all your calculation tasks at gives us a model that's way easier to program for, even for junior programmers, than the general purpose multi-core type of architecture, which the PC and Xbox 360 have." Brussee notes that offloading certain processes to the SPUs allows programmers to take full advantage of Cell's processing power.The remarkable visuals of Killzone 2 certainly gives credence to their claims. Perhaps Guerilla should follow Insomniac's steps and allow the development community to learn some of their PS3 programming tricks.
April Fools: Helghast find love in Lovezone
Killzone isn't just about death and destruction. No, the Helghan world is just like our own, with stories of peril, triumph ... and love. Black20, in collaboration with IGN, have created a trailer for a fictional romance set in the Killzone universe. "Lovezone" tells the touching story of how two Helghast can meet on the battlefield, and the struggles they must overcome to realize their love. Check it out after the break. [Thanks, Jay!]
Go behind the 'Behind the Bullet' Killzone 2 ad this Thursday
Have you seen the Killzone 2 TV commercial? The "Behind the Bullet" ad focuses on the journey of a single bullet in the Helghan battlefield. The entire commercial was rendered in real-time on the PS3, and players will be able to see the proof this week. A free PlayStation Network download will allow people to manipulate the visuals of the commercial in real-time and see all the various elements that go into creating the chaotic landscape of the ad. For a behind-the-scenes look at the, uh, behind-the-scenes making of the ad, check out GTTV.
Joystiq Review: Killzone 2 (multiplayer)
click to enlarge We know what you're thinking: "Hey, didn't you guys already review Killzone 2?" Pretty neat trick, huh? Yes, we did. But, as we played before the game hit retail, we only covered the single-player experience. Now that the game's out, the servers are up and we've had ample time to pop some caps in other players thousands of miles away, it's time to talk about Killzone 2's multiplayer offering.Considering how solid the game's solo campaign is, some would argue it's good enough to just leave the critique at that. But any major, modern FPS needs a strong multiplayer component to compete -- not to mention bring some staying power to that $60 purchase. In the case of Killzone 2, its MP side can scrap with the best of 'em when it's good (which is often) but still contains enough of the rough stuff to warrant a few rounds of patches.%Gallery-4719%
Killzone 2's 1.20 patch out today
Guerrilla Games is ready to release its version 1.20 patch for Killzone 2 today. Already available for download in Europe, this 16MB update fixes all previously detailed issues. The patch will arrive in North America sometime later in the day. In the meantime, play some online multiplayer while waiting for the patch ... Wait a minute, servers are down for maintenance? Oh. Source 1: US PlayStation Forums Source 2: Gamers Digest
Guerrilla fixing Killzone 2 bugs, looking into control complaints
Despite being intentionally designed as a "weighty, slower, more tactical first person experience," Killzone 2 is taking some flak for its sluggish controls. Producer Seb Downie had previously stated that "no changes [were] required to the system" with regards to last month's demo, but now that the final game is out, Guerrilla Games is changing its tune. Included in an official list of things to be patched, Downie notes that controller issues are being looked into: "Any possible changes will have to be carefully implemented and tested before being deployed though." This is a stark contrast in tone whereas the previous message implied that Guerilla would not alter anything -- they just might do something now. As for the things that will definitely be patched, Guerilla has revealed it's working on bot solutions, network issues and other problems. Check after the break for the full list of fixes.
Play Killzone, win assault rifle replica
Here's a good incentive for Killzone fans to get the upcoming PS3 shooter early. If you play the game any time between March 1st and March 14th, you'll get a chance to win this replica rifle. There will be a winner every single day, determined by stats collected by Killzone.com. These rifles won't be available in stores, so make sure you play Killzone 2 non-stop for the best chance of winning.
Live chat with Killzone 2 devs again this Wednesday
Guerrilla Games must be very excited about the upcoming release of Killzone 2 this week. The dev team just can't stop talking about the game. Guerrilla just held a live Q&A session last week, and the company is doing it again this Wednesday. On February 25 at 12pm Pacific/3pm Eastern, Jan-Bart Van Beek (art & animation director for Killzone 2) and Geert Donker will be back on the PlayStation Blog answering important fan questions like: Do Helghast have feelings? So join in the fun before the game hits stores this Friday.
Cool Stuff for Sunday, Volume 3
Many PlayStation fans wish Sony would open up their pockets a bit and advertise the system a bit more. S1gfrid from VGChartz created this simple, but effective, ad campaign. These posters highlight the many unique exclusives available on the PS3. For example, the poster on the left shows games that mature gamers may be interested in: Uncharted, Metal Gear Solid 4 -- while the poster on the right shows the system's more family-friendly affair. It's a simple concept that we think would work very well in a mainstream magazine. Check out all the pics here. Crysis user mod takes on Killzone Infamous: "I Am Scared" trailer Weekly Trophy Portal update PS Nation podcast - Episode 101 "We Have a LOT to Say"
Killzone 2 documentary, part one
SCEE has released (via ThreeSpeech) the first part of a behind-the-scenes Killzone 2 documentary, which focuses on the atmosphere of Helghan and player-immersion. Various members of the development team, Guerrilla Games, are seen describing the game while apparently in Helghan -- some classy special effects guys! There's also plenty of gameplay and cutscene footage without their ugly mugs transposed over top. Find the first video after the break. The second part will be released on Monday.
