That’s right. Sony has just announced the second DLC from Killzone 2 and, as they hinted all the way back at GDC, the second DLC pack for Killzone 2 will be a “retro” level pack.

The content pack will give you the ability to journey all the way back to the original Killzone by providing you two new levels that Guerrilla Games likes to call “Flash and Thunder” pack.

The two levels are odes to the Beach Head and Southern Hills levels from the first Killzone.  Both are fan favorites from the first game, but have been re-envisioned with Killzone 2‘s engine and overall technology.  The levels also offer a unique twist that will truly keep players on their toes, so watch out for an explosive gameplay element that will have you running for cover, or risk a quick death.

In the Beach Head map, the ISA must defend their stronghold after the Helghast land on the sandy Vektan beaches. As torrential rain and gale-force winds batter the landscape, the relatively small size of the level creates a frantic hand-to-hand battleground, with the water filled craters supplying only limited cover. Picking your way across the harsh terrain, you will find many opportunities to sneak up on the enemy and take them down at close range. And if you’re able to get to them in one piece, there are also lots of higher ground sniper spots to explore…
 
In the Southern Hills map, the battle takes place around a central Helghast base on top of a hill. The compound is surrounded by smaller structures, creating a level that facilitates close-quarter fights within the built-up areas, as well as long-range shoot-outs in-between them. Ideal for 24 to 32 player games, the base camps in this version have been beefed up considerably, so expect to find more hiding places than in the original Killzone counterpart.
 

For years now Sony has been searching for the perfect game to conquer Microsoft’s Halo. Back when the first version of Killzone was released it got mediocre review scores because it was a “cracked shooter.” Now, it seems that Killzone has made a return, but this time it isn’t promising to be a “Halo killer,” it’s promising to be a new and redefined experience. But, can it deliver? Yes, I can say that it has but what qualities of this title deliver such an experience?

In Killzone 2, you play as a new character to the series, Sergeant Tomas Sevchenko. Instead of calling him Tomas they call him “Sev,” which can sound a lot like “Sav” at some points. Sev is a part of a four-man team known as Alpha Squad, led by series-known character Rico, who was in the first two games, including the PSP title. You and your teammates, Garza and Natko, fight your way through Helghan completing a vast amount of missions. Most importantly, you find yourself trying to capture Emperor Scolar Visari, the Helghast leader.

Taking place two years after the Helghast assault on Vekta, the ISA (Interplanetary Strategic Alliance) has launched an attack on the enemy’s homeland, Helghan. Their goal: take out the leader, Visari. That’s the story, in a nutshell, and MAN, is it good, on both paper and in playing out. But, I’ll say that there are some very weak points in the story. As for one thing, Rico really isn’t a likable character because he’s just annoying. This shows a weakness in the game’s story when it comes to the emotional department. But, other than that, the story is very strong. Sometimes, though, the game’s progression feels a bit sluggish.

Being the most visible part of the title, the game’s visuals stick out like a sore thumb all over. This really is the best-looking game to date. The character models are amazing and the graphical details in the game are, I don’t think that I can say this in a review, off the chain! But, there are some very bad low-res features to be seen, like the zip that comes out of the healer gun and the fire that shoots out the Flamethrower – they are just very last-gen, graphically. Looking into it, the game also has some strong features; the water effects shine and when it comes to the cut scenes the game put on its mega top hat and showed us a step or two.

To add to the graphical detail, the game has a very strong pick-up-and-play control mechanic, which works almost perfectly with most players. However, just like Superman, even this has its kryptonite. Luckily, the game allows you to change the control type, and there are multiple schemes to choose from. Fortunately, the cover mechanics are also very indebted. On the other hand, it kind of feels as though it was dragged on at some points. But, when you finally get how it works, there’s no stopping you.

The AI is very strong in every way, but one thing I didn’t get was why the AI always advance when you are near them. I know that it’s just a video game, but it feels as if they want you to kill them. Don’t get me wrong, they do perform the very technical things that most AI characters do – taking cover and being intelligent – but that’s just one thing that makes me upset. They can also be very resourceful and fighting a group of them at some points can be a BIG challenge, most of the time. Also, they come featured in many character types and each time you respond it feels like as if you are playing a new level.

Killzone 2 gives you an enormous array of weapons to pick from, such as flamethowers and more – you wouldn’t be bored with the weapons in this title. There also is the unique aspect to each weapon, giving you the chance to build your own strategies. You can only carry 2 weapons at a time, the primary weapon and secondary weapon – which generally deals with heavier weaponry.

Another great thing about this title is its multi-player, which will keep you playing for hours on end. The game gives you a long list of unlockables to pick from. It gives you the ability to pick your own map after each round is done. The level design in the maps are up to pair with any title currently available, but one thing we didn’t find so good with the multi-player is the unacceptably bad lag. It has to be one of the biggest problems in the games multi-player, but people at Guerilla Games say that they are working hard to resolve this problem. Also, they removed the cover system, which, lets face it, wouldn’t work in the multi-player areas of the game..

Anyway, the game’s Warzone feature for the multi-player mode really is something unique. It keeps you on your feet and things are always interesting in this mode. You start out as a normal soldier, then slowly advance throughout the rankings to things such as a Saboteur, Scout, etc.There are about six classes in total, but online you should expect the most popular class to dominate the field because not everyone wants to be the Scout. The game also deals out eight maps, but you will find yourself playing some more than others, because people are quick to click the first pick.

Closing Statements:

I feel that the game really has lived up to its hype, besides its minor jumps and skips. This game is time well-played. But, as I said, this game is far from perfect and with that I feel that this is one of the “must-play games of the year.” But, not because it’s so great; it’s because it does so many things right that it’s hard to go wrong. Also, the multi-player is a time eater. That is, if you have a high speed internet connection. Be advised that there’s no local multi-player! Keep that in mind, and you’ll find yourself playing for hours on end.

Score: A+