Killzone: Shadow Fall Review

Killzone has every right to be a PlayStation launch title. In fact, it’s somewhat surprising that none of the previous titles can claim this. From the original on PS2, all the way up until Killzone 3 on PS3, the franchise has been PlayStation's #1 FPS exclusive. They’re all decent games; nothing exceptional, but functional and fun. Of course, when you compare the commercial success of the game to other FPS exclusives like Halo, things aren’t so positive. Still, it’s no surprise to finally see a Killzone title, this time subtitled Shadow Fall, headlining the launch of the PlayStation 4. While the launch window may be a first for the series, this is still very much a standard day in the Killzone office. There’s not a whole lot on offer here that wasn’t available on the previous generation of consoles, and on some levels Shadow Fall actually fails to move beyond its predecessors.

The Helghast have always been the most interesting aspect of the Killzone titles and Guerilla Games are clearly well aware of this. Following the annihilation of Helghan in Killzone 3, the remnants of the inhabiting race have taken refuge on Vekta, home of their bitter enemies, under the orders of the ISA. If you think that sounds like a terrible plan, then you’re not wrong. The planet is split in two by an enormous Berlin-esque wall, preventing the two societies from properly blending. There are clear attempts at recreating a Cold War style setting, but there’s very little ‘cold’ action here, so it’s hard to see any real similarities. You play as Lucas Kellen, an ISA Shadow Marshal who’s responsible for keeping a check on the red-eyed scoundrels. As you might expect, it all gets a little more complicated than that.

Killzone: Shadow Fall has a serviceable story, it’s nothing compared to the lengthy tale told in the Halo games, but it’s enough to keep you playing. Some interesting characters are hindered by the generic military types that fill the rest of the campaign, but it’s a step in the right direction. There are even a few surprises in store for long-term fans of the series; as a development of the interesting story that has developed since the original game, this is a good addition. As a singular package, though, there’s simply not enough of the good stuff. That Cold War concept is dropped all too early, and the content that follows is far too similar to what’s already available in the previous Killzone games.

If there’s one single element of Shadow Fall that’ll lead to sales, it’s the game’s place as the graphical showcase of the new generation of consoles. Xbox One has Forza 5, PS4 has Killzone. On this front, the game is well worth the cash. From the outset it’s clear where Guerilla have devoted a large portion of their time; the environments looks spectacular. The textures are varied, detailed and expertly crafted, while the lighting effects are truly incredible to behold. It’s telling that a lot of PS4 users spent the days following the console release posting screens of the game to Twitter. The volumetric lighting is the most obvious improvement over Killzone 3, but there are plenty more. The draw distance is often really impressive and all of the distant scenery is well rendered. If the PS4 is capable of this from the off, then it’s exciting to think what will be possible in the future.

As ever, though, shiny graphics don’t make a game. Unfortunately, while Shadow Fall makes some impressive advances in console visual technology, it does very little to improve upon the familiar FPS game design. Much of the ten-to-twelve hour campaign feels very similar to the previous games; a lot of medium-sized spaces with tight gameplay and tense settings. There are some moments that go against the grain, and these are the best sections of the game. These offer more open environments in which the player has a much greater choice of actions. The first example of these levels can be found early on in the campaign. An open wood houses various groups of Helghast patrols. You can move through the wood stealthily, or go ‘action man’ and take out the patrol as well as the wave of reinforcements that will inevitably follow.

What makes this level more interesting is the addition of the OWL drone that accompanies you throughout the campaign. The OWL is essentially a little mechanical buddy who can perform various tasks that can be very helpful at various points during play. The OWL can fire on enemies, stun them/remove their shields and place a shield of its own. It can also deploy a rappel line, which is by far its most useful and cool feature. On levels like the open forest, the rappel is a godsend, and makes it so much more than a typical FPS playing field. There were some annoying occasions in which it would’ve been great to rappel away from danger, but the level wasn’t designed to implement it. Yet, the OWL is on your back the entire time. It’s just one example of bad game design, pure and simple; if Guerilla are going to open up the game world at a few points, they need to be aware that taking away that freedom is dangerous.

There are all too few of these far better levels, making the linear missions feel even more on-rails than usual. In fact, the game has some actual on-rails levels that really do feel restrictive. It’s the key issue in a game that ultimately feels incredibly average in play. That’s not to say it’s not fun. The guns feel powerful, and they’re satisfying to play with. The Helghast are still brilliant bad guys, plus there’s a touch of sympathy towards their genocidal situation thrown in for measure. Add on to this some beautiful settings, especially the New Helghan on the ‘other side’ of the giant wall, and there’s plenty to enjoy in Shadow Fall. In reality, it’s not as bad as I’ve probably made it sound, but the lack of innovation in a next-gen exclusive FPS is disappointing. It looks as though the non-PS4 Titanfall is going to have an easy fight.

The single player campaign tells a much better individual tale than Killzone 3, but it’s very unlikely to interest anyone other than Killzone purists. So does the multiplayer offer a better experience for new players? The simple answer is yes. The Killzone multiplayer has, in my opinion, been excellent since Killzone 2. I’ve got a lot of fond memories playing it on PS3 as part of my clan. Killzone: Shadow Fall is essentially more of the same good stuff. The online multiplayer represents a blend between the arcade style of Halo and the tight and precise gameplay of Call of Duty. There are some decent mix ups to the standard multiplayer grind, like being able to set mobile spawn points, or bots that can revive players.

The warzone matches are still excellent, blending various game modes like conquest, capture the flag and bomb drops. If you fancy an online experience that’s a little different to the familiar fare of Battlefield or CoD, then this should do nicely. The attempts to bring some improvements to the Killzone multiplayer formula are a little underwhelming. The Warzone creation tools allow any player to specifically tailor and online game in a certain way. It allows a bit more creativity than typical game creation tools in FPS games, but it’s not a stand out feature. The maps are all excellently designed and obviously look brilliant, nothing to drop your draw but all well made locations.

Single-player and multiplayer combined, this is a good package, and certainly one of the highlights of the PS4 launch titles. Unfortunately, it’s also a highly typical launch game, in that it does little to actually provide a truly next-gen experience. The incredible visuals are the biggest step, but other than this there’s little to distinct it overall from the past couple of Killzone games. Although bonus props go to the guy who decided that the audio diaries should be read through the Dualshock 4’s speaker; good idea, that. Despite its drawbacks, Killzone: Shadow Fall should be a title early PS4 adopters pick up; it’s a fun, possibly long-lasting experience that Guerilla should be proud of. It’s also the ideal game to show off to your mates, especially if they’re fans of volumetric lighting