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Killzone 2 delay a 'pure management decision'
A statement by Sony PR on the PlayStation Blog clarifies some details about Killzone 2's delay to February 2009 and confirms that the game is also being released in North America that month (previously, that date had only been confirmed for Europe). Sony's Ron Eagle explains that the game was intentionally delayed because the fall release calendar was already full.Eagle points out that if Killzone 2 was released this fall, it would be the third shooter in the PS3 marketplace (joining SOCOM and Resistance 2) fighting for retail dollars, so the decision was made to push its release into the new year (how'd they decide which to delay -- flip a coin?). Eagle insists that "there is nothing wrong" with Killzone and the so-called delay is a "pure management decision." If holiday 2008 is anything like last year, our wallets are already thankful to the management for the breathing room.
The story of Killzone 2, straight from Sony
We're going to have to wait until next year to experience the hotly anticipated Killzone 2. Right now, Joystiq's Chris Grant is getting some time with the title (we're insanely jealous!). While we wait to hear back, we'd like to present you the story, straight from the fine folks at Sony. "Two years after the Helghast assault on Vekta, the ISA is taking the fight to the enemy's home world of Helghan. The ISA goal is direct: capture the Helghast leader, Emperor Visari, and bring the Helghast war machine to a halt. Assuming the role of Sev, a battle-hardened veteran and a member of the special forces unit known as the Legion, players will lead a group of highly trained soldiers on a mission to take out the Helghast threat. For Sev and his squad, the invasion of Helghan is just the beginning. Tasked with securing Pyrrhus, the Capital City, the team quickly discovers that the Helghast are a formidable enemy on their home planet. Not only have they adjusted to the planet's hostile conditions, they have also harnessed a source of power they can now use against the ISA. Sev discovers his squad isn't just fighting enemy forces – their fiercest opponent may be the planet itself." From what we saw at our E3 preview, we know exactly how terrifying the weather in Killzone 2 can be. Massive thunderstorms can come in at whim, thanks to a new technology developed by the Helghast. To say that it will make for some epic battles is quite the understatement. Stay tuned for more. Update: Video walkthrough attached, after the cut. %Gallery-4722%
Watch Killzone 2 from PlayStation Day [Update]
Update: We had to remove this trailer earlier in the week due to unknown embargoes. However, now that the embargo is done, we're clear to give you the Killzone 2 trailer from PlayStation Day. Enjoy it in HD (the way it was meant to be experienced) here. While half of the video is rather obnoxiously a close-up shot of the Killzone 2 logo, the in-game footage we do see here shows a lot of promise. 2009 is a very long, long away ...
Killzone 2, captured in video
The folks at Gamersyde continue their off-screen captures of the games featured at PlayStation Day. This time, they've uploaded videos of the hotly anticipated PS3 FPS exclusive, Killzone 2. What stands out most in the graphics in our eyes: the animation. There's simply a great sense of drama and impact in these videos. The team at Guerrilla Games has been given the benefit of a long development cycle. Let's hope they make the most of it.
Cute stuff: see the Killzone Sackboys
The dramatic horns ... the red eyes ... Surely this must be Killzone! Nope! It's just a Killzone-themed Sackboy from the upcoming LittleBigPlanet. This was displayed at yesterday's PlayStation Day conference, and we're glad that it's finally available to see in motion. These little critters are absolutely adorable: can we adopt one now?
See Mirror's Edge in PlayStation Day footage [update]
Update: Videos for Resistance 2 and Killzone 2 have been removed at Sony's request. "This was an internal video to show work in progress and was not ready for distribution." We will post new media when it is available.If you were furiously pounding F5 to follow along with PS3 Fanboy's live coverage of PlayStation Day 2008, you probably felt a little pang of sadness as our man, Jem Alexander, got to see some new footage from Mirror's Edge, Resistance 2 and Killzone 2 while you had to make do with reading his text second-hand.Now, you can make amends and see the videos directly from the show for yourself. Oh, and you should know that the audio on the Killzone clip seems to become a little crazy at the end, but we're hoping you still get the idea. You can find Resistance Mirror's Edge after the break right here.
Killzone 2 dated February 2009
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/playstation/Forget_September_Killzone_2_dated_February_2009'; Live from Sony's PlayStation Day 2008 in London, David Reeves has just announced Killzone 2 for February 2009, ending speculation that the game would arrive this fall. (See, Guerrilla said so.) The apocalyptic shooter will be playable later today at the event, so head over to PS3 Fanboy for the hands-on impression and further details.We're contacting Sony to confirm whether the Feb. '09 date is just for the European release or a worldwide launch. Update: A Sony spokesperson told us they "haven't made any announcements for Killzone 2's release date in NorthAmerica" but, perhaps sensing our disappointment, said they'll have "more news for [us] in the next couple of weeks." You'll know when we know, you know?
Buy your own Helghast infantryman off of eBay!
If you're a big Killzone fan, you might've checked out the limited edition Helghast figurine from press photos of previous Sony events. The "figurine" stands at over six feet tall and, well, intimidates you into playing Killzone. Now you have a chance to own one -- someone has put one of these statues up on eBay for your bidding pleasure.The statue is fiberglass and can be disassembled for ease of transport and you can tote the StA-52 Light Assault Rifle yourself if you want to go cosplay or something. Or ward off the ignorant masses. It's your call.[Thanks Ether02!]
Killzone Liberation joins the Greatest Hits lineup
Ratchet & Clank: Size Matters isn't the only PSP game being slashed down to the budget price of $20. The top-down shooter, Killzone Liberation is also joining the bestselling Greatest Hits lineup. This is a terrific deal for a solid action game. Certainly, Sony's trying to raise a bit of awareness before that little PS3 game comes out. You know, that game called Killzone 2. For those that pick up Liberation, don't forget to pick up the free bit of DLC for the game: it includes Infrastructure multiplayer and an additional single player chapter. %Gallery-20189%
Killzone.com gets linked to your PSN ID
Remember that game, Killzone? Yeah, apparently PS3 fans think it's some sort of "big deal." The unsurprisingly named official site of the game, Killzone.com is being updated, and will integrate with your PSN ID. The latest update states: "Killzone.com is currently undergoing important changes behind the scenes. We're joining forces with the PLAYSTATION®Network to offer you new and exciting functionality. To take full advantage of future upgrades to the website, and to preserve your current profile, please link your Killzone.com account to your PLAYSTATION®Network account."While it's unclear what kind of enhancements are being made to the Killzone.com online experience, we're excited to see the PSN ID become more ubiquitous. SCEE also recently announced that its forums will integrate with the PSN. Clearly, we can expect something significant to happen in the coming weeks.[Thanks, grief!]
New Killzone 2 concept art discovered
Using some first-rate detective work, the guys at ripten have unearthed a slew of gorgeous concept art spanning the entire Killzone series, including the highly anticipated Killzone 2. The person responsible for these amazing pieces of art is Xavier Marquis, a concept artist born in France who has worked for video game companies such as Sony, Eidos and Ubisoft. Several of the Killzone images were published in the June 2007 issue of ImagineFX, a fantasy and sci-fi digital arts magazine, but up until now, we really haven't seen many of them. The series has always had a great artistic look to many of the characters and Marquis really fleshes them out in his work. Hopefully, we'll continue to see his work for a long time. Go here to see the full set of Marquis' Killzone concept art. [Via ripten]
Killzone 2 dev admits screenshots 'touched up'
Even virtual worlds need to visit the powder room before parading in public. The practice of 'touching up' is something our shallow, image-conscious society accepts (heck, we expect it!), so long as the object doesn't stray too far from our idealized imaginations. So when Guerrilla Games rolled out a new batch of Killzone 2 screens, captured from this year's E3 demo, fans noticed the images looked a little too good to be true, drawing obvious connections to Killzone's infamous E3 2005 debut trailer, which substituted actual game content with pre-rendered 'target' video.Guerrilla QA manager Seb Downie joined the discussion on the PlayStation Forums, admitting, "[The screenshots] are only the tiniest bit touched up ... there was a little bit of colour-correction done and some minor polish, but nothing major." The comparison image above, also posted in the discussion (via PSU), seems to corroborate Downie's admission, revealing sharper colors and deeper contrasts in the 'doctored' screen on the right (effects that seem within the limits of standard display settings; i.e., a television could be capable of displaying both the dull and stylized versions of this scene by tinkering with its display settings). Also, the "original" version of the image is a frame snagged directly from video, so it's subject to a certain amount of blurring that's not necessarily an accurate depiction of gameplay frozen in that instant. In any case, how can a screenshot ever tell the truth? Downie concludes that Killzone 2 simply "looks better in motion."
Killzone 2 dev: Blu-ray is a necessity
The upcoming PlayStation 3 exclusive Killzone 2 could not fit onto a DVD (capacity of dual-layer disc: 8.5 GB), according to the game's producer Steven Ter Heide. In an interview with GamePro, Heide said, "It is not a luxury to have Blu-ray, but rather a necessity, as compression only gets you so far."He added that the one level shown at E3 took 2GB of space (approx. 24% of a dual-layer DVD), which is unsurprising since he said the same thing during an E3 presentation. Assuming he meant assets exclusive to the level (we're guessing quite a few vehicles and enemies will be seen in multiple levels), that'd make for a rather short game on DVD. Still, it's hard to be convinced by the statement when reusable assets are factored in. The real decider will be the final product; we're hoping Heide's statements indicates a plethora of content when Killzone 2 comes out. Heide also lauds the Cell processor. We wouldn't expect a Sony developer to join in on the hardware hate-fest, but we're not hearing a lot of other developers at this point standing up for the PS3. Killzone 2 still does not have a release date.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
Blu-ray or bust says Killzone producer
Killzone 2 producer Steven Ter Heide and Guerrilla Games managing director Herman Hulst would be out of jobs if it weren't for the PS3 and Blu-ray. In an interview with Official PlayStation Magazine UK, Heide and Hulst tag team to deliver major props for their system of choice, all while bashing a certain competing console."We really need Blu-ray to make the game. I don't know how you could fit it on Xbox 360 without taking some shortcuts", producer Heide explains. And with graphics like those seen in this 25 minute video, there's little doubt that he isn't just speaking the company line.Continuing on about Killzone 2's Blu-ray dependency, Hulst adds, "Blu-ray isn't important for watching movies; we need it for making games". Something tells us that a few companies beg to differ.
Lean and peek at this new Killzone footage
Straight from Leipzig, the developers at Guerrilla demonstrated some of the gameplay features of the highly anticipated PS3 first person shooter, Killzone 2. While the game is mostly known for its graphics technology, gamers should be most curious about the way the game plays. Certainly, is the gameplay as advanced as the way it looks? Watch this new footage to see the cover and aiming system in work in this new video.
Creating the Killzone look with deferred rendering
How did Guerrilla pull of its distinctive "Killzone look?" Their Develop presentation was all about "deferred rendering," a process which adds Hollywood-quality visual effects to the images rendered by the PS3. Extensive post-process effects allowed the team to create "highly dynamic lighting in environments" with "complex geometry" and "MSAA" -- whatever that is. Those with technical know-how will appreciate the Develop presentation the team delivered, which goes into some intricate detail about how much SPU power is being used by the game. Even with already-impressive results, the team has a long way to go. In fact, there are still "a lot of features planned," such as: ambient occlusion, contact shadows, shadows on transparent geometry, more efficient anti-aliasing, and dynamic radiosity. [Thanks, sheppy!] Read - Presentation (in PDF form)
LittleBigPlanet and Killzone win Game Critics Awards
Was there any doubt that LittleBigPlanet is the most original game of E3? The Game Critics Awards have named Media Molecule's 2D wonder the "Best Original Game" of E3 this year (a week after we named it the best PS3 game; and Joystiq also named it the "Best Original Game"). In addition, Killzone earned special honors in graphics -- it didn't match the visual fidelity of the original trailer, but boy did it get close. Finally, the Game of the Show was Rock Band ... a multiplatform release that'll find its way on PS3. Not a bad line-up of awards for the PS3, no? [Via PlayStation.blog]
Virtually there: Sony's Killzone event
Sony took over Sushi Roku to show off an exclusive preview of Killzone 2 to the press. While our readers continue to argue over whether or not our impressions were negative, or positive, we wanted to show you how Sony threw a party. The sushi and drinks were never-ending, and the Japanese sushi chefs were constantly jovial and friendly. The menu was simple, consisting of tuna sashimi, California rolls, shrimp tempura, and other standard sushi fare.Amongst a crowd of international journalists and tons of unfamiliar faces, we saw Sony executives mingle and chat freely about the state of PlayStation. Somehow, the giant Phil Harrison snuck behind us as we grabbed a drink. Afar, we could hear Kaz Hirai talking about PS3 sales figures. As we headed to the behind-closed-doors screening, a life sized Helghast greeted us, with ominous eyes. We were hoping it would animate at some point, because we'd certainly be scared out of pants. The event was a rousing success, showcasing Sony's ability to mix style with gaming. Check out our gallery of the event below:%Gallery-4728%
Killzone 2 developers talk development, E3 2005
Sony released a new Q&A with the Killzone 2 developers at last night's event. The Sony-published interview doesn't provide the most critical look at the game's development, but nonetheless offers a new look at this hotly anticipated game. How big is the team currently at Guerrilla? 135 people Please describe the work atmosphere at Guerrilla. It's a very creative environment, with a great international workforce. We have over 20 different nationalities inside the studio. What is the premise of Killzone 2? It's 2 years later and the ISA are invading the Helghast home planet of Helghan. The goal is to capture the Helghast leader and bring the war machine to a halt.
Killzone 2 at E3, revisited
Clouds dash by as a flying vehicle zooms ahead. Armored soldiers are yelling frantically, as the chaotic sounds of a war zone fill the jam-packed auditorium. Sound familiar? It's meant to be. The opening seconds of the new Killzone presentation bring to life the infamous E3 trailer from 2005 -- only this time, it's in real-time.Certainly, the question on everyone's mind is: does it look as good as the notorious it's-not-CG-we-swear trailer from 2005? In many ways, the visual fidelity of the updated presentation matches the highly polished look of the debut trailer. Beautiful volumetric smoke filled the screen, and the characters were alive with animation. Motion blur was used to great effect, adding a subtle hint of realism (unlike the over-the-top blur of Crysis.) However, unlike the deceptive E3 presentation of yore, this one had an aura of believability. A critical eye could note a few rough jagged edges, and textures that are a far cry away from Hollywood renders. In particular, the floor textures were no short of terrible. The facial animation system could certainly use a bit more work as well. Were we a little disappointed to notice such identifiable indicators of visual flaws so quickly? Certainly. However, in spite of all the shortcomings within the game, there's no denying that Killzone 2 provides a visual feast that effectively demonstrates the technical prowess of the PlayStation 3.%Gallery-4719%
