E310 Hands-On Preview: Killzone 3, With 3D Impressions
In debuting Killzone 3 at E310, Sony and developer Guerrilla Games wanted to highlight the inclusion of 3D support in their upcoming shooter sequel. While the implementation of the 3D tech is a great idea, it in ways became somewhat of a distraction from all of the new improvements and additions to the game itself.
For a game so early in production, without so much as a release window yet, Killzone 3 really impressed me with how well it already plays. Killzone 2 was the first game in the series on the PlayStation 3, and what it did so well, Killzone 3 aims to do better. First off, the gunplay felt great. With just the basic assault rifle I could get shots from the hip more or less where I wanted, and then pop up the sights for a better targeted shots, all in great rhythm.
I also got to play with a couple of new gadgets: the jet pack and the rocket launcher. The jet pack is more a boost assisted glider thingy, rather than an actual full-fledged airborne vehicle. The exact feel for the flight mode is still a work in progress, but from the way it felt, it’s headed in the right direction. Once airborne, it was incredibly easy to fly and kind of felt like you were almost parachuting. There’s also a turbo boost that gives you a nice push in the direction you’re going and can be used a couple times before falling back to the ground.
Every shooter seems to have its own rocket launcher, and in Killzone 3, it’s a annihilating weapon. The primary fire launches a swarm of missiles that fly toward the target with precision. In targeting mode, you fire a missile that goes up into the sky, comes down directly over the target, and then bursts into a shower of explosives right on top of your enemies. Freakin’ sweet.
Hand-to-hand and melee combat also received some upgrades with what Guerrilla called the “brutal melee system.” The melee still remains a one-button attack in up-close fights. The “brutal” part comes from a number of weapon-specific and situational animations to make the kill oh-so-much sweeter. For example, in demo there were a couple of different knife stabs, but the one that caught my attention was the gory stab to an enemies forehead, right through his helmet.
The design in Killzone 3 is certainly a lot bigger and more open than its predecessor. In the snowy level of the demo that I played, I was overwhelmed with how open the area was and not once did I feel confined during exploration. There was definitely still a direction to go, but I totally felt like I could just keep going around the level as I pleased. The graphics are of course top-notch on the PS3, and while not a lot different from the previous installment, they have been slightly upgraded and can now be viewed in 3D.
Speaking of 3D visuals, the out-of-the screen and shuttered glassed effects in Killzone 3 are great and pretty cool. The effect were right on and didn’t affect my gameplay, even when I was equipped with the jet pack. Shooting targets through my crosshair was no problem in 3D and airborne enemies greatly showed off the visuals. However, I still feel that the addition of 3D visuals is some kind of gimmick, something Sony is trying to bank on. For example, to play in 3D you’ll have to buy a 3D TV, which isn’t going to be cheap. And if you already don’t have a PS3, you’re even more in the hole. The 3D is dope, but I was way more interested in seeing what Guerrilla had improved on and what new features were added.
Killzone 3 is looking to be one of the best shooters on the PS3, and as a fan of the series, I’m really looking for toward to playing it, especially online. Sadly, no multiplayer was shown, or even really mentioned, but we’ll let you know once we actually hear more from Guerilla. Look out for Killzone 3 for the PS3 sometime in February of 2011.
