Over the past couple of evenings I've been playing Killzone 2. And, despite the juvenile title (I can't imagine having to ask for the game out-loud, in a shop or something), I'm enjoying my time with it. I know nothing of the first game, nothing of the story, or the characters, and I don't actually think it's important. 'Move-from-here-to-here-and-shoot-everything-with-red-eyes-before-they-shoot-you' is all you need to know. It's simply a chunky shooter (That should be a genre).
One of the ways the developers tried to set the game apart from other First-Person Shooters was with the weight of the character. And it's immediately noticeable; the movement feels like that of a huge meathead with a tonne of armour on. It's nice. It feels different, and it gives you a satisfying presence in the world.
The cover system is interesting and Gears-like, and while it makes little sense (if I can see over the obstacle whilst supposedly in cover, doesn't that leave my poor meaty-head dangerously exposed?), it feels nice to utilise. The tight, claustrophobic level-design is built around its use yet, on the default difficulty level, its not strictly necessary.
I think I'm going to start again from the beginning. Play it on a higher difficulty. See what's what.
