E3 2004: Killzone Hands-On, Screens, Vids

Sony's answer to Halo and Metroid Prime may not have plasma guns, but it certainly packs serious ammo. New screens inside.

Update: more new screens & detailed video coverage added.

The folks at Amsterdam-based Guerilla Games say Killzone is inspired by key war moments in history, and by key cinematic moments in war films. But what sets Killzone apart is that, while it features some fantastical elements, essentially everything in the game is grounded in reality. Just exaggerated. And by Helghast does it look good.

"Bullets are cool," said the design team in a Sony presentation at E3 today. No crazy weapons, just the sorts of guns you'd find in the real world - only souped up. A nice concept that helps keep gamers grounded in the game's world.

While you can't give orders to your squad in the line of battle, they do come equipped with full A.I. allowing them to seemingly think on their own. And as for us, there are four playable characters that have their own unique traits and attributes to get us through the game.

Killzone lacks bright, vivid colors and opts instead for moody grays and sepia tones. Environments are dark and create an eerie atmosphere for gamers to wage war in (think Saving Private Ryan, or even older B&W war films.) The game serves up realism with a twist: cities and natural environments that look very real and believable but border on high concept sci-fi. A great balance that creates a very cool gameplay experience.

Killzone's natural control system was easy to get to grips with and the feeling of swift movement, quick use of weapons and thick atmosphere made for a rivetting gameplay experience in this three-level E3 demo - but the game promises to look, sound and play even more stunning as things progress.

To accompany the great cinematic visuals the designers have opted to go with a completely orchestral score, allowing the sound to match the high-budget war film look.

Killzone is easily one of the most anticipated games of the year, and definitely within the top three most anticipated shooters. Every time we see the game it looks better, and with both on and offline multiplayer it should be a hit with your buddies as well.

Stay tuned for more on Killzone, now that we've finally played it - including an absolute avalance of dedicated video coverage.

Carl Johnson
Staff Writer, Kikizo.com