Kragg
10-27-2010, 03:30 PM
<table width="100%" style="padding:2px; background-color: black"><tr><td>Killzone 3 Beta Impressions [PS3]
Developed by: Guerilla Games (http://www.guerrilla-games.com/)
Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment (http://us.playstation.com/)
You pay: $0</td><td align="right"><img style="border:1px solid red;" src="http://evavhost.com/i/press/kragg_head.jpg"></td></tr><tr><td>Release Date: Oct. 25, 2010 (NA), Oct. 25, 2010 (EU) </td><td align=right>Ben 'kragg' Daniels</td></tr></table>
Space Nazis Must Die!
Sometimes you start playing a game and within ten minutes you just know that it feels “right”. Then you play it for a few more hours and realize you are going to be making a purchase in the near future. This was exactly the case when I started the Killzone 3 multiplayer beta. Admittedly, I never played any of KZ2’s multiplayer after finishing the campaign, so I am a total newcomer, but if this is a solid impression of the final product I’m completely sold on it.
Just to get it out of the way, we may have a new front runner for “Best Looking PS3 Title”. The graphics are incredible, and easily some of the best I have seen on a console game. Everything from the textures, character and weapon models, to the snow and water effects on the “Frozen Dam” map are absolutely superb. On top of this, animations are fluid and I noticed barely any frame rate issues. Granted, this is still a beta, but things are looking excellent so far. Audio is on par with the visuals, and the gunfire effects are especially satisfying. You know it’s solid when you’re firing weapons just to hear them go off.
http://evavhost.com/i/reviews/kz3beta1.jpg
The controls are tight and characters feel like they have weight to them without being sluggish. The best way I can describe it is a great blend of Modern Warfare’s alacrity with the gravity of Gears of War. I could easily target other players, and only occasionally got caught up on some terrain while running and jumping. Although melee and assassination animations are especially brutal, you won’t feel pulled out of the fray when you cave in someones skull or jam your boot knife into their eye socket.
Play is split into two modes across three maps. “Guerilla Warfare” focuses on classic team deathmatch while “Warzone” presents a series of team-based objectives across multiple rounds. I much preferred Warzone as it really showcases the strengths of the loadout system, highlighting use of the primary and secondary skills for each class. Points are awarded for killing adversaries and performing different tasks on the battlefield, and as you accrue points to rank up you will earn “Skill Points”. SP can then be used to unlock upgrades and new equipment in a skill tree.
http://evavhost.com/i/reviews/kz3beta2.jpg
In addition to the weapons and gadgets in each loadout, certain maps feature alternate modes of transport. One includes a large mech that can be piloted to stomp and gun down other players. It feels properly cumbersome in the drivers seat, like a lumbering metal behemoth. Another map features a jetpack, which puts the Halo Reach jetpack to shame in both function and execution. Neither of these felt tacked on. They sat nicely in the mix without unbalancing the action. There is also an interesting interaction between the jetpacks and a massive turbine that exists in the same map.
From the time I spent with the Killzone 3 beta, I was thoroughly impressed. My feelings went from “Killzone 3 looks cool” to “I must own this on day one!” Everything from the astounding visuals and sound to the polished gameplay and a slick looking clan interface indicate it could be the premiere FPS experience to beat in 2011. Let’s hope that when the war fully begins on Helghan next year it will live up to this first glance.
Developed by: Guerilla Games (http://www.guerrilla-games.com/)
Published by: Sony Computer Entertainment (http://us.playstation.com/)
You pay: $0</td><td align="right"><img style="border:1px solid red;" src="http://evavhost.com/i/press/kragg_head.jpg"></td></tr><tr><td>Release Date: Oct. 25, 2010 (NA), Oct. 25, 2010 (EU) </td><td align=right>Ben 'kragg' Daniels</td></tr></table>
Space Nazis Must Die!
Sometimes you start playing a game and within ten minutes you just know that it feels “right”. Then you play it for a few more hours and realize you are going to be making a purchase in the near future. This was exactly the case when I started the Killzone 3 multiplayer beta. Admittedly, I never played any of KZ2’s multiplayer after finishing the campaign, so I am a total newcomer, but if this is a solid impression of the final product I’m completely sold on it.
Just to get it out of the way, we may have a new front runner for “Best Looking PS3 Title”. The graphics are incredible, and easily some of the best I have seen on a console game. Everything from the textures, character and weapon models, to the snow and water effects on the “Frozen Dam” map are absolutely superb. On top of this, animations are fluid and I noticed barely any frame rate issues. Granted, this is still a beta, but things are looking excellent so far. Audio is on par with the visuals, and the gunfire effects are especially satisfying. You know it’s solid when you’re firing weapons just to hear them go off.
http://evavhost.com/i/reviews/kz3beta1.jpg
The controls are tight and characters feel like they have weight to them without being sluggish. The best way I can describe it is a great blend of Modern Warfare’s alacrity with the gravity of Gears of War. I could easily target other players, and only occasionally got caught up on some terrain while running and jumping. Although melee and assassination animations are especially brutal, you won’t feel pulled out of the fray when you cave in someones skull or jam your boot knife into their eye socket.
Play is split into two modes across three maps. “Guerilla Warfare” focuses on classic team deathmatch while “Warzone” presents a series of team-based objectives across multiple rounds. I much preferred Warzone as it really showcases the strengths of the loadout system, highlighting use of the primary and secondary skills for each class. Points are awarded for killing adversaries and performing different tasks on the battlefield, and as you accrue points to rank up you will earn “Skill Points”. SP can then be used to unlock upgrades and new equipment in a skill tree.
http://evavhost.com/i/reviews/kz3beta2.jpg
In addition to the weapons and gadgets in each loadout, certain maps feature alternate modes of transport. One includes a large mech that can be piloted to stomp and gun down other players. It feels properly cumbersome in the drivers seat, like a lumbering metal behemoth. Another map features a jetpack, which puts the Halo Reach jetpack to shame in both function and execution. Neither of these felt tacked on. They sat nicely in the mix without unbalancing the action. There is also an interesting interaction between the jetpacks and a massive turbine that exists in the same map.
From the time I spent with the Killzone 3 beta, I was thoroughly impressed. My feelings went from “Killzone 3 looks cool” to “I must own this on day one!” Everything from the astounding visuals and sound to the polished gameplay and a slick looking clan interface indicate it could be the premiere FPS experience to beat in 2011. Let’s hope that when the war fully begins on Helghan next year it will live up to this first glance.