eu.playstation.com visits Amsterdam to meet the developers of Killzone 3 and play the game in stereoscopic 3D.
After playing an early build of Killzone 3 at an exclusive announcement event in Amsterdam, the first impression is that there's a new sense of urgency to the single player campaign. As in Killzone 2, you assume the role of ISA Sergeant Tomas 'Sev' Sevchenko fighting the Helghast on their own turf. However, this time it's a totally different war.
"You are in a situation now where the tables have turned," explains Hermen Hulst, managing director of Guerrilla Games. "In Killzone 2, you were an invading force but you are now the underdog. It's no longer about trying to win the war; it's simply a matter of survival."
As a result, the game feels more varied as you sprint from one fierce encounter to the next and the new enemy types keep you constantly on your toes. One of these is the Jetpack Trooper, a Helghast soldier able to soar high into the air and rain down machine gun fire.
These aerial encounters add a new dimension to the ground based battles, especially when you get your hands on the jet pack yourself. It works like an exaggerated jump: you can fly into the air and use up to two forward thrusts before having to land. Not only does this open up exciting battlefield opportunities, like gaining a vertical advantage or dropping in behind an enemy, it allows the developers to include platforming elements, adding yet more variety in terms of gameplay and pacing.
"When we started developing Killzone 3 back in January 2009, the greatest point of focus was to create a sequel that includes a lot of variety," says Hulst. "On top of that, we want to create an even deeper sense of immersion than we did with Killzone 2 by employing techniques such as stereoscopic 3D, which is a huge innovation for us."
Killzone 3 is one of the first PlayStation 3 games to have been developed with 3D in mind from the very beginning and the result is jaw-dropping. The barrel of your gun looks like it is reaching out into the world and the environment in front of you possesses an incredible sense of depth. Every minute detail in the game world has been created with 3D in mind, including each bullet and cloud of smoke. During the gameplay demonstrations, it's not unusual to see people physically ducking out of the way as a rocket zips past their ear.
"Killzone games have always sought to immerse the player in a rich world and 3D allows us to truly extend that sense of immersion; to put the player right in the thick of the action," says Hulst. "It also helps you play the game. It allows you to sense depth much more intuitively and judge where your enemies are and where you might need to go next."
It's quite terrifying to turn a corner and find a pair of Helghast eyes right in front of you, in 3D. Luckily, you have a wide array of close quarter combat moves known as Brutal Melee attacks. They work just like regular melee kills but how the action unfolds depends on your distance from the enemy, the environment, the weapon you are carrying and many other factors. Hulst says that they are still adding new animations and there will be dozens of these brutal attacks in the final game.
"I see the addition of Brutal Melee moves as one of our core genre innovations and it adds a great deal to the game's cinematic qualities," he adds.
Even at this early stage, Killzone 3 is shaping up to be a truly visceral experience and the inclusion of 3D adds even more to the cinematic quality and the sense of immersion that the series is renowned for.
Check out the PlayStation Blog for coverage of the Killzone 3 reveal event and further discussion with Hermen Hulst, managing director of Guerrilla Games.
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