Killzone Trilogy Collection

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Back in 2004, Killzone was originally released. Unfortunately, Killzone had been over hyped by the gaming media to an almost ridiculous point. This was supposed to be Sony's answer to Halo. Some had even dubbed it the "Halo killer." It was no surprise that the game failed to live up to the expectations that had been set for it. I bought this game day one at my local Gamestop, and I fell in love with it. It was buggy, and wonky. There was no jump button, and the story was not exactly the stuff of legends. But there was something about it that kept me coming back time and time again. I played through the campaign probably 3 or 4 times. Then I moved on to the PS3 in 2008, and I left behind Killzone for a while. I played through the superb 2nd game, and the fantastic 3rd game. Every time I played through a new Killzone game, I wanted to be able to play Killzone. I had long since given my PS2 to my parents, and they used it as a DVD player exclusively. I waited, and I waited. Last year they announced that there was a planned release of Killzone via the PSN as a PlayStation 2 classic title, and I was overjoyed. Then it was unceremoniously delayed. Then, Sony announced that HD port of Killzone, and this trilogy pack. It's a fantastic set, to be sure. For the price you get 3 complete games, plus all the DLC for KZ 2 and 3. All this for 40 bucks is steal. But, how is the HD transfer for Killzone?

First off, while it is on the disc, you must first install the ENTIRE game onto your PS3 before you can play it. While the file remains on your PS3, you cannot play it without the disc. So technically, it's not really on the disc. It's on your PS3, and the disc is merely the key to access your content. Now, the game is still a buggy mess at times. But damn it, is it fun. The graphics definitely look dated, and the game play is stiff compared to todays FPS. The cutscenes are not remastered, and quite frankly, they look like crap. To my surprise, there are still a few hiccups when there are to many enemies on the screen, but nothing too alarming. One thing that they did absolutely correct is the fact that you can COMPLETELY customize the controller layout. It's fantastic. So, my impressions so far is that Killzone is exactly what I remember it to be. A game that manages to entertain despite many misgivings. It will definitely be fun to replay those later missions as all the different characters.

I was kind of tempted to say that this was a cash in, but look at the package. It's three complete games, plus DLC for 40 bucks. If anything, I felt like I ripped somebody off.

Recommended.

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I played Killzone 3 briefly when I bought my current PS3 model, and I only played it online (I found it only "OK" online personally). I recieved this gift for Christmas along with the Sharp-Shooter accessory to utilize for Killzone 3. As a collection, this is a bargain and a great complete experience.

Killzone 1 is dated, obviously, but it allows you to play through the same story as 4 different characters with notable differences between all the experiences. I got a platinum in that game and loved every minute of it even though I played through it 4 times. It feels solid and though the control scheme is a little dated, it works just fine.

Killzone 2 is hard as nails. It's a pretty game with good voice acting and an interesting series of events that drives the story. You have 2 characters from Killzone 1 show up and create a generally great experience.. though again, hard. Don't expect to get a platinum in this one.

Killzone 3 is visually great, I felt the quality of the voice acting was worse than Killzone 2 (but that wasn't significant), and it supports the Sharp-Shooter accessory (along with 3d). I'm a huge PC gamer and usually reserve that platform for my shooters I usually don't Love console shooters. Killzone 3 with the sharpshooter and 3d turned on provided some of my favorite moments in a console shooter, ever.

The sharpshooter isn't perfect but when it works as intended it feels awesome.

The game itself is very interesting and the plot drives the story. The online is pretty solid though if you're big into Call of Duty or Halo you probalby won't care for it too much (It's very different in a good way generally). I haven't tried the sharp-shooter online but I imagine it would either be a major advantage or a major burden, all dependent on how good you are at moving and shooting at the same time with it.

The online has very cool classes with the great idea that no class should just be a 'soldier'. There is a Tactician, Infiltrator, Medic, Engineer and Sniper. The Tactician and Infiltrator are the closest you'll get to your traditional soldier but they definitely aren't. You'll encounter a great variety of classes when you play online because they all genuinely have advantages and disadvantages. Even the sniper, who can literally turn invisible, does not feel the least bit overpowered compared to the other classes abilities.

3 great games, a little more than 10 bucks each... If you've ever been curious about Killzone you should definitely pick this up and give it a shot. It's a great series and this is a great collection.

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I own all three Killzone games, individually, for the Playstation systems. So the main reason I purchased this trilogy set, was so that I could get the DLCes for Killzone 3 (which I did not have), and the updated version of Killzone for the PS3.

Playing Killzone on the PS3 was definitely a blast from the past, and reminded me of why I got hooked on the franchise back in 2004 when it was released. The updated graphics don't hide the fact that the game was developed for an older system or released almost a decade ago, but it does make it more enjoyable playing on a new TV or an LCD monitor. Also, GG just ported the original game in all its PS2 glory to the PS3, so whatever glitches, complaints, or broken mechanics you stumbled across in Killzone back in the day, then they are still there to give you that unique and interesting gameplay experience you have tucked away in your memories.

As for Killzone 2 & Killzone 3, there aren't any changes; it's just both games released on one disc. If you have never played any of the Killzone games or if you are missing that one game for you personal collection, then this is an excellent purchase, since you can get all three games and there accompanying DLC to relive the Killzone story and prepare for Shadow Fall when its gets released.

A word of warning about the DLCes; my voucher (as well as my brother's voucher for this trilogy) said the code expires October 2013. So, I'm assuming the DLC voucher is a limited time offer, and if you were planning on picking up the trilogy strictly for the DLC, then you might want to get it before October.

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Back in the early 2000s, Bungie's console sci-fi first person shooter "Halo" was pretty much the benchmark for the genre on consoles. Halo's slick controls and graphically impressive presentation helped keep the Xbox's head above water long enough for it to garner a decent amount of publisher support over time. As one would expect, Sony, as Microsoft's main competitor, wanted its own answer to Halo, and in the years in-between Halo and Halo 2, Sony developed and promoted a so-called Playstation 2 exclusive "Halo-killer" called "Killzone". The result was a game that had a lot of promise, but was too ambitious for the relatively underpowered PS2. Killzone was actually not a bad game at all, but suffered from atrocious frame-rates, buggy presentation, poor draw distance, and a sluggish feel. Despite these failings, Sony doubled down on the potential of a Killzone franchise, and released Killzone 2 for their next system, the PS3. Despite the scandal of an early E3 presentation that was actually a "target render" and not real gameplay, Killzone 2 managed to at least get within striking distance of what was promised, and was a fair success. Killzone 3 followed within a 2 year window, and established the series as a worthy Sony exclusive. With this collection, not only do you get the PS3 entries, but you also get an HD rendition of the original PS2 Killzone on disc, and all for $40, along with a voucher to download the DLC for the PS3 games, for less than the price of a single new game.

For those who haven't ever played a Killzone game, but like FPS games, this is sort of a no-brainer; it's easily worth the money for the reasons I'll outline below. For those who already are invested in the franchise, and have both PS3 games, it's a trickier proposition, and your decision will probably hinge on whether it's important to you to have a hard copy of Killzone HD (as it's currently available through PSN). In regards to the quality of Killzone HD overall, it's actually a pretty good update, all things given. Like most "HD updates", much of the improvement comes down to using a natural high definition resolution, increasing clarity greatly. In this case, it also appears that Guerilla Games used the original assets, that had been downgraded for the PS2 version, but are present here as they would've intended if the PS2 had been powerful enough to handle them. Sure, the cinematic cutscenes, like most HD game reissues, are pretty wretchedly low-fi, but the gameplay itself runs at a very consistent framerate, with clearer textures, and markedly improved draw distance. Occasionally, you'll still encounter the embarassing moment when hitting the magazine reload button or fire button glitches out, and nothing happens, but overall, this is probably the game Sony and Guerrilla wanted to release in an ideal world.

Gameplay-wise, the Killzone trilogy may have been marketed as an answer to Halo, but is, in reality, much more akin to the Call of Duty series. Killzone 1, which takes place mostly on the Earth-like colony of Vecta, feels much like a futuristic take on the first Call of Duty (and its predecessors, the early Medal of Honor titles), with a taste of the Red Faction franchise thrown in. As you fight your way through the Vectan capital initially, and then through beaches, jungles, swamps, forests, snowy mountains, and whatnot, you end up building up a 4 person squad, and depending on the level, have the choice of which member to play as. Each member has different abilities, which can effect which route you take through the level. It's a pretty straightforward shooter which eschews Halo-esque vehicle use in favor of various types of infantry combat. The AI is a bit dopey, but overall you'll get a fair amount of gameplay here. There's also a botmatch mode, that allows the solo player to simulate a multiplayer experience (unfortunately, this version doesn't have true multiplayer, which would probably be redundant anyways).

Killzone 2 is a much more cinematic and hard-hitting experience, taking place on the enemy world of Helghan during a botched invasion, and reflects the cinematic turn the Call of Duty franchise took between Call of Duty 2 and the Modern Warfare sub-franchise. Obviously, as a PS3 native game, it's much better looking, although the environment is less lush and more harsh and hostile than its predecessor. The game is much more focused on changing up the experience from moment to moment, and "palette-cleansers" such as turret shooting from a hovering battleship and using a mech emphasize the shift to a more "produced", if linear, experience. The multiplayer has been revamped, but still includes a botmatch option. This time around, a match essentially incorporates mutiple types of matches, that change each time a team wins. Killzone 3 matches Call of Duty's eventual total shift towards impressive, but restrictive, cinematic spectacle, with set-piece moments littered throughout the campaign. It's a memorable ride, but shorter and somewhat shallower than its predecessors. Still, it closes the campaign with a memorable starfighter sequence, and for the amount you pay for the collection overall, it's hard to complain too much. Killzone 3's multiplayer once again includes a botmatch mode for those who want the experience without being insulted by Mountain Dew-addled teens, and is a further refinement of what came before.

While the series as a whole is pretty entertaining, there are still a few caveats. The "heavy/sluggish" feel of movement can be a bit of a turnoff to those accustomed to the lighter, and frankly, more responsive feel of other shooters, while the fact that they didn't include the DLC on the disc itself is a real disappointment for those who want some permanency without relying on Sony's maintaining the content on servers for the next few decades. The Killzone games are reliable fun, but always feel a bit "off" in the polish department, especially when it comes to the dunder-headed audio when characters speak. In addition, the dingy/gritty look of the environments may be an aesthetic that is an acquired taste for some. As a side note, you will need to install Killzone HD on your hard drive from the disc, so make sure you have enough spare room on your console. Overall, though, this collection houses some pretty solid shooter action, and for Killzone newcomers who are intrigued, is a very safe bet.

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I had never played any of the KZ games before purchasing this trilogy, so my opinion of it is colored by having first experienced other shooters (like COD and Halo). I'll also mention that my review focuses on the campaigns, as the online multiplayer just isn't my style.

Killzone 1 was a very simple, no-frills game that was fun but with telltale signs of its age. Casual gamers will enjoy the simple controls while others may notice the poor AI and (at times) unclear objectives.

Killzone 2 makes its improvements immediately clear with hugely updated graphics and passing attempts to fill in some of the vast gaps in backstory. With the 2nd installment, KZ finally feels like a modern shooter. It's a great action game with interesting backgrounds and a few very unique missions that all FPS fans will enjoy. The only thing I didn't like about KZ2's action is the never-ending enemies. Until you move up to the magic geographic marker, the bad guys will just keep pouring out.

Killzone 3 is the most action-packed installment yet. In my opinion it took everything great about Killzone 2 and improved upon it with even greater mission variety, epic set pieces, and non-stop action. The AI is improved and there's no more "endless waves" of enemies.

All in all, this was a great buy and a series that I had a ton of fun playing through. It's gotten me excited for the upcoming PS4 installment despite the weak storyline.