Killzone 3

2011 | Guerilla Games | Playstation 3

Guerilla returned to the Killzone series in 2011 with Killzone 3. A direct follow-up to the events of the second game in the series. With this installment Guerilla wanted to really push the system with a brand-new engine that would serve as the prototype for their in-house Decima engine. The game boasted some phenomenal visuals for the system and stretched the dual layer Blu-Ray to its limits with the high quality texture work. As with a lot of games at the time, the ever present Playstation Move also joins the party, with the game supporting the Move controller and navigational controller (it looks really cool in a dorky way to play this with the Sharp Shooter). The game was also prominently featured during the release of the Playstation 3D Display. I had the chance to try Killzone 3 on a PS3D around the release of both, and it was a genuinely impressive experience for its time. When playing in split screen mode, the game was split across the two pairs of glasses. This gave both players a full-screen experience, instead of the off-center horizontal split you’d frequently see in games with couch co-op after the switch to 720p and 1080p.

The start of Killzone 3 picks up right after the events of the second game. Scolar Visari lies dead in the chambers behind you, and the massive First Fleet darkens the sky with countless ships. The ISA, completely overwhelmed, orders a hasty retreat off of the planet. Now, stranded against an armada of Helghast forces driven by a need for vengeance, the Vektan forces remaining on the planet have to work together to survive. The consequences of the death of Visari are immediately palpable as our heroes are immediately put in the middle of an increasingly impossible retreat. It’s a really strong opening that immediately puts you back in the middle of things. We once again join Sev and Rico in this next chapter of the franchise, as they try to make their escape from the city, following the destruction of the ISA spaceships.

After the escape from the capital, we cut to six months later. The ISA survivors, led by Narville, have been pushed deep into hiding. The invasion has taken a turn for the worst and with the power of the Helghast army in the hands of the weapon manufacturer, Stahl. After Stahl stages an internal coup he manages to seize power away from admiral Orlock. Now with the power of the entire Helghast army, and Stahl’s newly developed weapons, the enemies that hunt you are more vicious and determined than ever. The majority of the game is centered around Sev and Narville trying to fend off patrols, while Rico is off fighting a guerilla war on key Helghast facilities. As the game progresses, however, Earth orders the remaining soldiers of the ISA to surrender to the Helghast as prisoners of war. With the search turning into a manhunt, Sev is forced to choose between obeying orders or fighting back. This ultimately takes the fight to space in an epic conclusion, and one of the the cruelest cliffhangers the series has to offer.

Killzone 3’s gameplay can best be looked at through the lens of Killzone 2 going to 3. This is primarily because Killzone 3 streamlines the gameplay into a more homogenized and streamlined design, while retaining some of the gimmicks of the other game. At the core of the game is an incredibly solid feeling shooter, with some smooth feeling controls and nice gunplay. It’s much lighter on its feet, and for me this is a bit of a double edged sword. This is mostly because I enjoy the slightly clunkier feel and weight of the second game. Don’t get me wrong here. Killzone 3 is a massive improvement in general playability, but it does lose some of its heft in the process. The game offers a wide variety of weapons to suit any and all play-styles, some of which have some unintended side effects. For example; If you crouch with the Helghast LMG it’s incredibly accurate at long range if you burst fire. This basically changes the hardest hitting weapon with the lowest accuracy, into a ballistic sniper with a ludicrous ammo count. 

It’s more of a personal preference than an actual criticism. I’m fond of the weightier and clunkier feel that the guns had in the second game, but I can’t deny that the game is a drastic improvement in general playability. Killzone 3 makes up for this with its large arsenal of both high caliber, and high voltage weaponry, but also more enemies for you to tackle. Among the introductions of new enemies, you also get to pilot mechs, gunboats, and space shuttles. And who doesn’t like a good, well-armed giant robot to pilot?

Killzone 3 has the potential to be excellent, but falls short in the narrative department. The intrigue surrounding the inner workings of the Helghast does provide a nice amount of insight, but doesn’t fully flesh out the world to its fullest potential. Sev sitting in the burning ruins of Visari palace after the victorious defeat of the second game is a hard image to follow-up, and Killzone 3 definitely tries to take a safer route to conclude the trilogy. The cliffhanger at the end left a rather sour taste in my mouth the first time I played it, and it still does today. The ending sequence in general feels too chaotic, and too much like an 80’s action movie at times. The game is at its best in the quiet moments, crawling through the tall grass while otherworldly arthropods keep you company. It really lets you soak in the Helghan home world. The visuals are amongst some of the best on the Playstation 3, with incredibly detailed environments to gawk at. Overall, it’s a solid shooter with a lot of replay value, mostly thanks to the split-screen co-op features. I’ve certainly enjoyed my time revisiting it.

Good to have you back, sir/10

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