LATE TO THE PARTY REVIEW - Killzone: Shadow Fail

by Rob Anderson
Developers; Guerilla Games
Publisher; Sony Computer Entertainment 
Format; PS4 
EU Release Date;Out Now
No, that's not a typo. I recently picked up Killzone: Shadow Fall for the PS4 and did my best to soldier through a good play.  There were some good times, and some bad times...  In the end, well, you'll see.

Killzone is, at its heart, a game that is trying far too hard to tote the abilities of a new system without really putting enough thought into the rest of the experience. The PS4's new touchpad is used in a very innovative way, changing how your electronic friend (the OWL) can help you out. The problem is that this is one feature too many and keeping track of what the OWL can, should, and is doing can be very distracting and that those three are rarely the same thing.
Aiming is responsive and the feel of power you get from unloading a magazine into a group of Helghast or dropping one with a long range power shot is pretty great. One thing I found a little frustrating was deciding if the weapon in the rack was better than the one I had, and why I couldn't change both weapons I was carrying for something new and improved.  You quickly forget that nuisance the first time you find a 75 round machine gun of terror and press the trigger.

I'll be brief - The story sucks. Predictable and poorly played out on screen. I called the ending before I even fired a shot in anger. At least I don't play FPS games for their engaging stories.
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It is a beautiful game. I really like the way Guerilla used the power of the PS4 to show what a game can look like on a next-gen platform. Water glistens as you would hope.  Muzzle flash lights up the room in a way that makes me want to spread a sadistic smile across my face as I almost feel bad for the medic I mow down (he shot first, FYI).  One thing it doesn't seem anyone has been able to get past yet - dead eyes. The faces look real, but there is nothing behind the (quite well rendered) eyes.

Another good area for this game is sound, which is very good. There is one pretty big issue which I have not been able to overcome - OK, two problems.

The first is that the player receives a lot of information over the loudspeakers off the in-game worlds.  This can be challenging if you don't feel like standing around while the bad-ass rattles off about why he's better than you and where his minions will stop you.  I had better things to do than stand inside shouting-range of a speaker. Subtitles are your friend.

The second, and far larger issue, may not really be in their control. 

One of the game's extra objectives is to find a bunch of "audio logs" scattered about the levels of the game.  As soon as you find one it's behind blaring out of the speaker in the PS4's controller at a level that would wake the dead. Or my 18 month old son from his nap. I cannot stress enough how annoying this is. There is no option to turn the volume on them down. Going to the menu and playing the log even all the way through does not stop the log from playing during gameplay. Nothing really is gained in the game by listening to the whole thing. Sure, they add to the story, but they are extra for a reason. Just like I play with the subtitles on for a reason.
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Looking at the Multiplayer; I will preface this with I may not have played enough to have a truly informed decision. That is because after the first two games, I had absolutely no desire to play multiplayer in this game ever again.


The one thing that made me even play a second game in multiplayer was how the games are structured. Each game consists of three rounds. Each of these rounds can be a different game type. That part is freaking awesome and should be repeated by other game developers. I get to have some variation while still playing on the server I want with the team I have learned to play with. That I liked.

Sadly, everything else about the multiplayer experience made me want to play the campaign more.  It took too long to find a game, the menu was confusing, and heaven help you if you want to spawn somewhere other than the default. I would like to point out that I played the multiplayer BETA on the VITA and didn't have that problem.  THE VITA!!!!

OVERALL:  The save mechanic is the worst I've seen since the Super Nintendo.  For the love of everything holy, don't hit save in the middle of a level and then quit. You'll be starting at the beginning of the level anyway, checkpoint be damned.

Wrap Up

For all my complaining, I do like the game.  It's good for the mindless trigger-pulling fun that is the First Person Shooter genre.  While it wouldn't be my first choice, especially at full price, it is a good universe to play in. The story is kind of silly, and the controls can make you mad...  But it is beautiful and fast-paced.  Play it for the sweet melée kills and evil laughs that will fill your experience as you down another foolish Helghast with a headshot.  Just make sure you know what you're getting into.

3/5
Game purchased by reviewer
Images courtesy of Sony Computer Entertainment