Killzone 2 is an amazingly addictive shooter that doesn't take many risks, but it does what it does very well.
I'd like to start the actual review part of this review off by talking about the incredible graphics in this game. The different settings, guns, enemies, etc. are all exquisitely crafted. Although there aren't many different places for you to hunt Helghast soldiers, the areas in the game are beautifully lit and extremely well detailed and they are always a joy to look at. You may notice some rough looking textures and you might not like how your bullets don't rip through stacks of paper and some boxes, but these things don't detract from the visual presentation very much at all. You tend not to notice such small things when you're getting shot at from the opposite side of a piece of cover. You just want to blow his head off with your trusty (and pretty looking) shotgun.
The gameplay is another highlight of the game. The way you go about your business in Killzone 2 is quite simple: duck behind cover, pop out and blow some guy's head off, duck back behind cover, pop out again and rip a guy to pieces with your bullets. The controls are good and they feel natural because they've been used many times before for other games. The pacing of the action is spot on though. You go from one large firefight to the next with just enough time in-between to check your ammo and look for other weapons on the path to your destination. You normally won't actually run out of ammo for a gun before it becomes useless to you, but if you do end up running out of fresh clips, there is a wonderful sense of urgency as you run around with your revolver looking for another gun. Sometimes the difficulty level can spike and you'll have to try a certain area a few times, but overall, if you're good at shooters, Killzone 2 isn't too hard.
The story is really the only issue in this otherwise near-perfect shooter. The story isn't totally terrible as much as it is somewhat non-existent. Your goal is to capture the Helghan dictator, Scolar Visari. You basically only know that he's intent on having his massive army destroy you and your fellow ISA troops because he's mad about something that happened a long time ago. Whatever. The first Killzone took place on the ISA world, Vekta. Killzone 2 has the ISA assaulting the Helghast world, Helghan. You're there because you're pissed off at the Helghast for attacking Vekta. After the initial storytelling, you're basically just shoved into battle. I really wish shooters had better stories. I think that it is a shame that shooters tend to ditch a good story because they assume everything else will make up for that one short-coming. For the most part, Killzone 2 does make up for that with stellar gameplay, graphics, and multiplayer (I will get to multiplayer in a second.). A more involving story would have made me give this game a 10 (along with fixing some other very small, sort of unimportant things).
The multiplayer in this game is INCREDIBLE. It is deep, fun, exciting, fun, engaging, addictive, and did I mention fun? I have played a ton of hours online and I still haven't unlocked every medal. The only unfortunate thing about the multiplayer is that it is very easy to get to the highest rank (General). The different perks you get as you gain medals and ranks are very helpful and enjoyable to get. The "fun factor" is the main attraction here, so all haters of fun, do not get this game!
Overall, this is my favourite shooter of all time. No joke. This game is incredible. It is only just short of perfection and it is an enjoyable adventure from start to "cliffhanger-y" finish. Yes, the game is definitely set up for a sequel. I'll be waiting, Guerilla Games. In the meantime, I'll have to make do with other upcoming games that are guaranteed to not be quite as amazing as Killzone 2.
Gameplay: 10/10
Graphics: 10/10 (I wish I could give it a 12 or 13 out of 10)
Sound: 9.8/10*
Story: 6/10
Lasting Appeal: 10/10
*I didn't talk about sound but that's because it's the standard shooter stuff that has pretty much been perfected by now and the voice acting is pretty good. The music is also decent and it sets the mood well.