Killzone is one of the staples of the Sony brand and it’s obvious that it would be in the starting lineup for the next-generation race. You slip into the body of young Lucas Kellan who survives a terrorist attack from the Helghast that takes the life of his father. He is saved by a man named Sinclair who raises him through the years to become a Shadow Marshall. It’s up to Lucas to embark on secret missions to discover the Helghast’s secret agenda.
“Killzone Shadow Fall is without a doubt, the most beautiful video game on the PS4″
Shadow Falls’ story fails to explain itself for the first hour. It will seem as if he is embarking on routine missions without a reason. It isn’t until players reach the Ghost Ship that the true plot for the story opens up. Lucas meets Massar, she teaches Lucas about his backwards ideals, Lucas questions himself, and they team up and chase after evil. A majority of Killzone’s story is cliché, and mentally you will be two to three steps ahead of the tale as it unravels.
I for one have never thought of Killzone as one of those titles that had stellar stories. It has always been a title that would push a Sony system to its limits. Killzone Shadow Fall is without a doubt, the most beautiful video game on the PS4. It has a sense of scope that other First-Person Shooters have yet to realize. It engages the player with beautiful and harsh landscapes, a fantastic lighting system, and detailed textures on character models. The faces of the characters are the only downside to the visuals, they are downright underwhelming for such a gorgeous game.
Gameplay hasn’t changed from its PS3 counter-part. Movement in Killzone is still about deliberate steps and hefty weapon combat. The new addition of a sentry drone, zipline, cover shield, and EMP burst adds a little more variety to the combat. The environments have expanded much more, offering a bit more exploration in each mission. The starting areas left me with a hint of boredom, but areas like the Ghost Ship and Escape from Vektan kept me involved. All in all, it was an average experience that will remain memorable due to the visuals on display.
Killzone often feels like I’m sipping tea by the fireplace, compared to frantically running from missiles in Battlefield 4.
The Sentry Drone will head out into battle wherever Lucas sends it, and will act as a distraction for the enemy so that he can get some free shots. The Cover Shield is another staple of the genre and covers the player from one side. The EMP burst is the business, because it will stun enemies and knock out their shields as well. Lucas will also utilize a radar that can scan a wide area and locate his enemies so that he can track them easily. The final item is the zip-line… which is really useful for like two or three levels. Weeeeeeeeeee!
Of course, Killzone isn’t all about the Campaign. The multiplayer experience has returned without much change from Killzone 3. Slipping into a Multiplayer match is simple and quickly becomes enjoyable. The usual customization of weapons and classes remains intact and familiar from most shooters. The difference with Killzone’s player versus player experience compared to games like Call of Duty and Battlefield lies in the slower pace. Killzone often feels like I’m sipping tea by the fireplace, compared to frantically running from missiles in Battlefield 4.
The constant changes of modes in Warzone is something that other shooters could learn from. The switch between modes like Capture the Flag and Team Deathmatch stops the battle from becoming stale. It is definitely more involving than sticking to one mode for an entire play session, and Killzone’s less than frantic pace is accessible to casual and hardcore players alike. It’s the standout of the title and the reason to purchase the game for the long haul.
I’m not going to lie and say that I have ever been a big fan of the Killzone series. I’ve practically given the series a blanket C on each review. Sadly, Shadow Fall does not change my opinion of the average shooting mechanics. Killzone Shadow Fall receives 3 stars out of 5 from Geek Citadel. This is an underwhelming First-Person shooter wrapped in a beautiful package… as usual.
*This game was provided by the publisher for review*
