PS3 Fanboy

Forum goers all over the internet are reporting that Killzone 2 beta invites are being sent out to lucky European PSN users today. As if we weren't busy enough with the LittleBigPlanet beta. What's next? Resistance 2 beta starting early next week? Still, better to get these betas going before the huge rush of games this holiday. Our thumbs are already starting to get tired.

Did you manage to get hold of a Killzone 2 beta key? Let us know and, if you can, be sure to tell us what you think. If you didn't, better luck next time. Try to find someone who did and live vicariously through them until the beta ends.

It's funny you should ask, because Joystiq just posted a hands-on report of Killzone 2's Multiplayer from Leipzig. So if you're as intrigued by this game as we are we suggest you check it out and see what they thought. By which, we mean us. All this third-person talk is starting to get a little confusing, so just click the link and be done with it.

Killzone 2 is shaping up to be an incredible game, and not just graphically. While we didn't originally expect the multiplayer to be a big draw for the game, it's definitely now the most exciting aspect. If Guerilla Games succeeds in giving us an awesome single player campaign too, Resistance 2 will have to make the most of its few months head start, because Killzone 2 has the potential to flatten it.

After watching the Killzone 2 multiplayer trailer, we wondered how much more fun the game's online mode would be without your typical multiplayer douche. Well, now we can find out! The upcoming FPS will, indeed, feature bots. These will be fully customizable difficulty-wise, and can fill in for players either online or offline, allowing any Billy-No-Mates to enjoy a friendly match every once in a while.

Additionally, vehicles are currently only available in the single player mode. Multiplayer vehicles will be patched in after the game is released. Also being patched post-launch is a co-op mode for the story. Whether this will be online or not, we're not entirely certain. Considering the long delay Killzone has suffered enjoyed, we're surprised this won't be included from the get-go. Perhaps we'll have to pay for it, but we're used to that by now, right? Be sure to check out our full Killzone 2 hands-on impressions, coming soon.

Update: Guerrilla has a history of making free DLC with Killzone: Liberation (PSP). They released an Infrastructure multiplayer mode and an extra single player level months after the game's release.

What else could we possibly say about Killzone 2 that we haven't already said? We're sure you've heard us say words like "amazing" or "visceral." With that said, we're sure you have your own words to describe how you feel when looking upon new screens like these. So use your own words (even made up ones) like ... Helghast-a-licious and check out these images.

The Killzone 2 trailer from Leipzig is all about multiplayer -- and that's a good thing, because we're absolutely psyched to go online with the game. If you haven't read up on Killzone's various multiplayer modes, here's a chance to brush up on some of our previous coverage:

• E3 2008: Single Player impressions
• E3 2008: Multiplayer impressions
• E3 2008: The multiplayer class system

Also, download the HD trailer from Gametrailers here.

You can't really see it in our tiny screenshot above (you'll have to check out the high res version here), but this screenshot details one's personal dossier for the online mode of Killzone 2. It's looking like quite a comprehensive list as you can check out the ribbons and medals you've earned, your attained military rank, and your badge usage in addition to the traditional leaderboard rankings and total games played.

It's all really just stuff we've discussed before in our hands-on with the multiplayer mode. So, you'll probably want to read that again perhaps, but this time with the extra visual aids. To see more shots of the multiplayer mode, click here.

[Thanks frankym and raj!]

What can be said about Killzone 2? I'm not sure whether people are looking forward to it for its gameplay, or because it's a graphical powerhouse. If the latter, then people are going to be pleased -- this game is the most graphically impressive I have seen. Sure, the levels we've seen so far are very grey, with a hint of green, but this is permeated by the bright orange of the Helghasts' eyes and those glorious, glorious explosions.

What impressed me the most was the attention to detail in the animation and modelling throughout Killzone 2. It's completely cosmetic, but this is the first game where I felt that the gun pointing into the screen belonged to me. That the arm swinging to-and-fro as I run across the battlefield was an extension of my own. When I reload, the animation is so detailed and the attention to weight almost allows you feel how heavy your gun is. All of this, coupled with the graphic style and quality makes Killzone 2 incredibly atmospheric and immersive. Does this add to the gameplay? Of course not. Does it add to the game? Substantially.

Nintendo's famed game designer Shigeru Miyamoto may be known for his involvement in casual games, such as Wii Sports and Nintendogs. But, let's not forget his involvement in hardcore series, such as the original Mario and Zelda games. It looks like he made his way over to Sony's E3 show floor and checked out Killzone 2. Considering the amount of hype Guerrilla's FPS has received, we aren't surprised that a man like him would take some time to see what the PS3 is capable of doing. We wonder if he walked away impressed.

[Thanks, Fernando R.!]

While single player has always been the focus of Killzone 2 at its various press showings, today was all about one thing: multiplayer. Too bad we have to wait until early 2009 for its release, because what we've seen looks like everything PS3 fans have been waiting for. We don't want to use the phrase "Halo killer," because that's not what it is. It's something entirely different; we can't help but think that Killzone 2 may become the definitive PS3-exclusive shooter. Killzone 2's multiplayer experience is something entirely different ... by combining the best aspects of multiplayer gaming from Call of Duty 4, Battlefield, Team Fortress Online, Metal Gear Online and even the upcoming Resistance 2.

Firstly, we have to note the visuals of Killzone 2's multiplayer mode. Even with support of up to 32 players on the PSN, Killzone 2 looks just as good online as it does in the single player campaign. The character models still look incredible, and the game's stellar use of motion blur and lighting still carries on into the online mode. The experience of Killzone 2's multiplayer offerings is all about leveling up, introducing players to new features. Newbies to the game's online mode will find themselves limited in the options they can access, as they learn the basics of the gameplay. With each kill, headshot, heal, and objective, players inch closer to increasing ranks. Ranks will unlock various things in multiplayer, like the ability to start a clan, or switch to a different, more customizable class. There will be twelve ranks in all, and players will learn new tactics and strategies along the way.

We may have seen mostly single-player content of Sony's upcoming Killzone 2, but Guerrilla Games is promising a full-fledged multiplayer experience. Online play will allow players to customize their own characters by applying various traits, or "badges," from different multiplayer classes. There will be a primary and secondary badge available from each class to choose from. Also, although the Helghast and ISA look very different from each other, the effects of these badges are the same, regardless of which side you're playing on.

The full list of multiplayer classes can be found after the break.

Sure, Sony didn't show this new Killzone 2 trailer off at their press conference, but instead snuck it up onto their press site after the show. Why? That's a good question, but don't worry your pretty little head about it. Just check the video out for over a minute of new Killzone 2 footage, including some more gorgeous explosions. We don't mind seeing grey and green 90% of the time when these super-colorful explosions are our reward. More explosions please.

The latest episode of The 1UP Show features an exclusive first-look at Killzone 2's vehicles. Every bit of info that comes out for this incredibly secretive FPS gets us a bit more excited, and this impressive preview from the 1UP doesn't change the trend. We're going hands-on with the game at E3 next week -- let's hope it plays just as well as it looks.

[Thanks, frankym!]

EGM subscribers are going to have quite a surprise waiting for them at the end of this week. The cover story for this August's issue is none other than the PS3 exclusive FPS, Killzone 2. It's a project shrouded in mystery, and we're glad that (in spite of its 2009 release), we're going to learn more about this hotly anticipated game.

1UP, EGM's online counterpart, will have a few teasers online. SCEA's Mike Graham also promises that "as we get closer to E3," we'll start seeing more of the game. Can't wait! We're proud to say that once this issue comes out, we're heading straight to the bathroom and making a killzone of our own. (That pun didn't work as well as this, did it?)

This interview is from X-Play and it is by Adam Sessler (who some will decry has a bias against Sony, but all things considered, he knows what he's talking about). Guerrilla Games spokesperson Steven Ter Heide talks a bit about Killzone 2 -- not a lot of information is really new, but if you've been confused about the hype surrounding the game or missed out on some informative bits, this interview may catch you up to the rest of the crowd.

[via PS3Forums]