It’s been kept under wraps for a while, but Killzone 2’s multiplayer mode has finally been unveiled – and the ‘zone has never been or looked hotter...
There's something special about a really good multiplayer first-person shooter. Something that grabs a part of you and ignites it in the flames of pure addictive gameplay. It's an intangible essence that few titles can claim - and after some exposure to Killzone 2's long awaited and very secretive multiplayer mode, it looks like Guerrilla Games has sparked something that's going to burn very, very bright.
Beating you like a Guerrilla
An opening demonstration by the development team offers two vital points that are eagerly stressed from the very beginning. The first is that Guerrilla wants its game to be as accessible and new-player friendly as possible, as explained by Eric Boltjes, Senior Multiplayer Gameplay Designer.
"For us it means that everybody, regardless of whether they're a new player to the FPS genre or if they're an experienced online player, should be able to go online, join games and start playing the game as quickly as possible."
Given that many FPS titles are typically designed for core gamers, this is something likely to come as a relief to anyone wanting to dip their toes in the intense waters of multiplayer combat. So with that important factor, the second point made by Boltjes is even more impressive: "We want to make sure everyone can enjoy the game and play just the way you like it - you can create any type of game and change almost every aspect of it."
A wide and encompassing Killzone
It's an ambitious statement. Yet after keeping such a major part of the cinematic and graphically impressive Killzone 2 under wraps, Guerrilla is clearly not doing things by halves, refusing to let its large and atmospheric single player mode shadow its multiplayer sibling. In short, there's a massive wealth of options, with five game variations (such as search and destroy and assassination) each playable across any of the eight available maps.
Ready for more? Well, a class based badge system means you can choose two abilities from a choice of 16 to represent your style of play. For example, you can be a Medic who revives downed teammates, or a Scout who can become near-invisible thanks to a cloaking device.
Your primary badge defines the main role of your character, as well as its appearance, while the secondary badge serves as a complementary ability that enhances the main role. So if you decide to take the secondary badge ability of a Medic, you'll also be able to give health packs to your partners. Mix and match your badges wisely and you can become a dominant force in the game.
Having a bot of fun
Up to 32 players can be supported at once across any of the maps (although naturally many are designed for a certain number, Guerrilla really wants its FPS to be truly customisable, so the choice really is yours) and not only that, but clans of up to 64 players are possible, allowing you to compete for Valor Points in tournaments, and Artificial Intelligence controlled bots can be placed in the game at will, both on and offline.
The inclusion of bots is something that ties in perfectly with Killzone 2's ethos of making sure everyone feels up to scratch with the game, regardless of their experience. "[Now] you can enjoy all the features of multiplayer, offline. It means pretty much anything that a player can do online as well, including play all the missions, use all the abilities and use all the weapons."
And still there's more. "At the end of every game you see how many points you've scored," says Boltjes. "You can see if you've ranked up, you see what you've unlocked, how you can use it and how it benefits you. The game features 12 military ranks, each unlocking new features. In addition we have 46 different medals which you earn by doing special things in the game, such as doing ten headshots or reviving ten people."
Shooting from the hip
An interesting part of all these weapons and medals is that they open up more features to play with online, something that Guerrilla is keen on doing to maintain a level of transparency and friendliness for its players. "We really want to introduce new features gradually, so as you play [and] score points you unlock new things," says Boltjes. "You get new features and then still have enough scope left for the more advanced features for our hardcore audience to still be interested over the longer term."
On top of all that, there are over 100 different player statistics which are tracked by the official Killzone 2 site at http://www.killzone.com/kz/. Kills, time spent online, items picked up and more are logged online. "As you play the game you learn more about it, and you learn more about how you want to experience and play the game itself. Some people like sniping, some people like playing in a team, some people like playing with big weapons. We've really tried to support specific player preferences," explains Boltjes.
Even the more basic elements of gameplay are designed with accessibility in mind, with the ability to form your own squads and vocally chat on multiple channels. "We really want to inspire teamwork," says Boltjes.
Kill or be...
So far Killzone 2's multiplayer impresses as much as its story mode, with its fast paced and diverse gameplay, supremely attractive visuals and compelling map design. Battles are tense and entertaining, leaving the distinct impression that a lot of effort and thought as gone into putting out something that can compete with its rivals.
Guerrilla's open and friendly mantra, something that could help bring in more people to the FPS genre, can only be seen as a good thing, emphasised by the sheer amount of customisation and options available to make its game as simple or as complex as you want it. Killzone 2 just added another stripe to its ever impressive uniform of potential honours - so make sure to have it in your sights in the run up to its 2009 launch.
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