As most of you probably know, I am a huge fan of the game Killzone for PS2. Now that the game is expanding into a full series, with a sequel on PSP, and a third game appearing on the PS3, I figured that I should write about the series today, and what I believe it will become:

------------------

Chapter 1: Killzone PS2:

In November 2004, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Guerrilla Games released a first-person shooter for the PS2. Titled "Killzone", the game follows a firing-squad from the military, trying to survive the war against the Helghast. The game brought you to many interesting locations, ranging from a ruined city, to a jungle, to, eventually, a satellite in outer space.

The game's concept of play was very different from FPS out around then. While most FPS revolved around running in and shooting everything like crazy, then collecting a health pack on the occasion that you actually get dealt damage, Killzone was about a different type of warfare. Guerrilla warfare was this type. Players would have to use the environment, and hide when reloading or trying to recover, or face, near-certain-death.

Now, while this form of gameplay didn't exactly please all, it was certainly enjoyable to many. In addition to the different form of gameplay, Guerrilla put some very interesting weapons into the game. These ranged from the standard pistol, all the way to a laser-designation helmet, which, when used, causes missiles to rain upon the targeted area, causing mass havoc and explosions galore.

While we can talk about the many positive aspects of the game, it is worth mentioning the negative aspects too, even if they seem to be overexaggerated. Killzone was bashed in reviews because, quite frankly, it wasn't a traditional FPS.

This was about realistic people, put in a semi-realistic situation, with no way out, as opposed to the mainly used "ultimate weapon unleashes his rage upon an onsluaght of dumb enemies".

Another issue, which seemed to pop up in reviews, was the dissappearance of textures on objects a certain distance away. This, while it is noticeable at times, does not, in any way influence the gameplay as much as it was stated by reviews. I mean, last time I checked, trying to survive with that last bit of health, and advancing towards the next room, while 15 or so enemies are screaming and chasing you, doesn't give you enough time to carefully survey the graphical errors.

The last issue, which is by far, the most overhyped, is the apparent framerate drops. Now, while it is noiceable, at certain times, that the framerate may drop, to around 30FPS, it is in no way the drop to 10FPS as described in many of the reviews. However, this can hinder the experience of offline multiplayer, where the framerate drop seems to be most evident.

---------------------------------

Chapter 2: Killzone becomes an entire franchise:

Due to the success in sales, of the original Killzone, and the extreme interest in the series by it's fans, Guerrilla and SCEE decided to expand the universe past one title.

In early 2006, Killone: Liberation was officially unveiled. This game, takes place a few months after the original Killzone, and follows the path of Jan Templar (who players may remember as the unofficial leader of the fire-team in the original game).

Since the PSP isn't necessarily the best system for FPS, Guerrilla changed the game into a third-person shooter, with an isometric view. During a level, players can survey the entire area and look to see the actions of the enemy, in order to find the most effective path, once again, leaning toward the series' style of Guerrilla warfare.

The game is supposedly set up similar to a MGS game, however, instead of alert phases, the Helghast goggle lights grow brighter and brighter (or so it can be assumed by through the screens).

Killzone: Liberation is set to release on the PSP system in November. More news should most likely come at E3.

----------------------------------------

Chapter 3: The Future:

At E3 2005, Guerrilla showed off a trailer for a PS3 iteration of the Killzone franchise. This trailer, was, quite honestly, one of the most impressive showings at the event, with visuals, which, up until this point, seemed like an impossibility. The trailer was instantly hailed, by the same sources which bashed the original game as "#1 footage of the entire event".

Now, this trailer wasn't gameplay, however, it is a target video, which was built to what can be accomplished on the system, and I, for one, have no doubt that the development team can deliver visuals on-par with the footage viewed.

It wasn't just the graphics in the footage, however. The physics and AI instantly destroyed anything in existance today. These Physics and AI, should also most likely be the same in the actual game.

Well, let's move on past that initial trailer, as not much has been revealed since. Now, I'll tell you what I believe the series will end up as, in the near future.

I believe that come the release of the next two Killzone titles, the sales in the series will increase dramatically. This, in turn, will also draw in even more players, which will also increase sales.

I believe, that this series will become synonimous with the Playstation brand, much like the characters from "Jak & Daxter", "Ratchet & Clank", and "Metal Gear Solid" are today.

Well, that is it, as of now. Feel free to comment as you like, just remember for your comments to be appropriate and unoffensive to other members of the forums.

These are just some of the benefits offered to KZVIPs:

1. Special Invitations to Killzone Public Betas - KZVIPs will receive special invitations to participate in any upcoming Public Betas for products within the Killzone franchise.
2. Participation in select Contests - KZVIPs will be able to participate along with GAP members in Killzone contests and give-a-ways.
3. Custom Name Icons - KZVIPs will receive a special "KZVIP" tag and rank to let people know that they are among the elite within the Killzone community.
4. Killzone Freebies - KZVIP members will receive special freebies and swag from the development team.
5. Exclusive Chats with the Developers - KZVIP members will be able to participate in exclusive chats with members of the development team and members of the PlayStation MVP Program.
6. Organized Game Nights with the Dev Team (Snipe the Dev Team Events) - KZVIPs will be able to participate in exclusive Snipe the Dev Team events.
7. Inside scoop on the latest Killzone News - KZVIPs will be able to get "sneak peaks" at upcoming product information, screen shots, etc.

*note: Custom Name Icons apply to PSU Forums only*

APRIL
Behind Enemy Lines (20th Century Fox)
Fantastic Four (20th Century Fox)
Ice Age (20th Century Fox)
Kiss of the Dragon (20th Century Fox)
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (20th Century Fox)

MAY 23
Crash (Lions Gate)
The Fifth Element (Sony)
Hitch (Sony)
House of Flying Daggers (Sony)
A Knight's Tale (Sony)
The Last Waltz (Sony/MGM)
Lord Of War (Lions Gate)
The Punisher (Lions Gate)
Resident Evil: Apocalypse (Sony)
Saw (Lions Gate)
Terminator 2: Judgment Day (Lions Gate)
xXx (Sony)

MAY/JUNE Aeon Flux (Paramount)
Four Brothers (Paramount)
The Italian Job (Paramount)
Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (Paramount)
The Manchurian Candidate (Paramount)
Mission: Impossible (Paramount)
Mission: Impossible 2 (Paramount)
Sahara (Paramount)
Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow (Paramount)
Sleepy Hollow (Paramount)
U2: Rattle and Hum (Paramount)
We Were Soldiers (Paramount)

JUNE 13 Kung Fu Hustle (Sony)
Legends of the Fall (Sony)
Robocop (Sony)
Species (Sony)
Stealth (Sony)
SWAT (Sony)
The Terminator (Sony/MGM)

SUMMER Armageddon (Buena Vista)
Brothers Grimm (Buena Vista)
Dark Water (Buena Vista)
The Devil's Rejects (Artisan)
Dinosaur (Buena Vista)
Everest (Buena Vista)
Frank Herbert's Dune (Artisan)
The Great Raid (Buena Vista)
Hero (Buena Vista)
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (Buena Vista)
Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (Buena Vista)
Ladder 49 (Buena Vista)
Reservoir Dogs (Artisan)
Stargate (Artisan)
Total Recall (Artisan)

Due to the coming next-gen, I have been studying the changes in the System Wars board, in order to make a guide for users based on the current habits and trends going on within it.

Below is a guide for what you can, cannot, should, and should not do in System Wars. After reading this, you will know how to effectively function within the board:

The Official Guideline for Next-Gen System Wars

As a member of the Gamespot.com forums, and a user of the System Wars forum, you are required to follow the following rules and procedures in order to succeed:

-The companies that you don't favor are always wrong, and must be bashed as often as possible.

-Always remember, the disadvantages only matter if you don't own the system.

-If a game scores less than a 9.0, and it's on a system you don't favor, it's a flop, regardless of the hype.

-The only people who are immature, are the ones who don't favor the same system you do.

-Brand loyalty is more important than playing the games.

-Small captions from Gametrailer.com are more official than press releases from the developer of the game.

-As long as you have a link, regardless of where it leads, it's official.

-To get the actual number of sales of a rival system, divide the official number by whatever percentage makes it less than the amount sold by your favorite.

-Always remember, if they aren't your friend, they are always in denial.

-Having the word "Manticore" in your signature warrants all forms of flaming other users.

-Keep the hope alive.

-Create alternate accounts, with which to hype up a game on a rival system.

-Always claim ownage, regardless of the current situation.

-Responses with more than 3 words aren't worth reading.

-You MUST post the same exact topic 5 or more times.

-Common logic doesn't apply.

-Deny everything negative about your company of choice.

-Always remember, if it isn't on your system, it's a bad game.

-Keep arguing in a single topic until the page count surpasses 15, then go on to have the same argument in a different topic.

-All scans from magazines warrant AAAA hype for the game in the scans.

-Posting a link to the scans isn't a violation of the Terms of Service.

-If your topic gets locked or deleted, always post it again.

-Rinse, lather, repeat, always repeat.

-Posting ":roll:" or ":|" is a right, which must be used at least twice daily.

-The simple way to get out of an argument is to keep denying everything, instead of leaving the topic.

-Always remember, if you post something with quotation marks around it, it's true.

-Saying that a game will come out on your preferred system means that it will.

-Convince yourself first, then convince others.

-The terms "Owned" and "Self-owned" may be used at any time.

-Anyone who doesn't say something positive about your system of choice, is a fanboy.

-Your system's advantages are better than the other system's advantages.

-Useless features like Gamercards are more important than the gameplay.

-Calling someone a child makes your point more valid.

-If the game is only on PC and your system of choice (other than PC) this means that it's exclusive to yours.

-Point out the problems in all screenshots and video footage, regardless of how big or small they may be.

-When you are losing an argument, always remember to go into the forum for that specific system, and troll all around.

If you can remember these few procedures, you too can survive the Next-Gen war, and live to see your System of choice triumph.

Warning: Methods may not work in all cases. System Wars is known to cause such side effects as Anger, Frustration, decrease in intelligence, and Cancer of the Liver. Consult your doctor before attempting to visit the System Wars board.)

Alright, due to the approaching next-gen systems, and the final huge games of the current gen, I am redoing my whole format of reviews. Now I will be much stricter, tougher, and whatever other words for in-depth you can find, in my reviews. I will search out all potential problems, and list them, so that the people who read my reviews will get a true impression of the game.

My first review for Season 2 will be Kingdom Hearts II, and I will post it later this month.

Due to the lack of people interested, and the fact that the few who were interested decided to not show up, Gamer's Night has been officially cancelled.

I appreciate the interest of those involved and apoligize for any and all problems.

Since Gamespot's Reader's Choice Submission button leads to a dead url, I figure I'll post it here:

Bionic Commando is simply one of the greatest, most addicting games I have ever had the pleasure of playing. It is one of the first games to truly show me how crazy storylines can be, while offering many, "exciting" times involving near-death and a lot of shooting. It's easily earned it's place as not only my favorite NES game, but also my favorite 2D game.

Man, I can't wait to get World of Warcraft!

I mean, at first, I was skeptical of the game overall, thinking that it wouldn't be worth the monthly fee.

Then, I got a chance to try it out, and, it seems as if every time that I try it out, more and more stuff comes to me, to the point that it gets addicting.

I mean, this seems a lot like what happened when I first discovered the MGS series a few years back, where I can't find much fun in other games all of a sudden.

It seems as if this game just keeps calling me back, and pointing out more and more of the problems which I didn't notice in my other games before.

I'll have to start rewriting some of my reviews now.

Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror is a brand new action-stealth experience for the Playstation Portable Entertainment System. It follows the story of Gabe Logan, the leader of a group sent in when things are too hard or too risky for the military and special forces.

Recently, I got a chance to play the Syphon Filter demo which comes when you preorder/reserve, and I can honestly say that this is the first time that a PSP game has completely blown me away in terms of what it can do in all fields. The following preview is based upon my impression of the two levels contained in the demo. It is in no way a review of the final thing.

---------

Graphics:

When it comes to graphics, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror easily surpasses all games on the system so far. The character models are extremely realistic, actually equalling if not surpassing most current PS2 game character models. Gabe's model has a ton of detail, his face is incredibly realistic looking (although his expression doesn't change too much, which isn't really a problem) and his unequipped items are hung on his back. All of the weapons look incredibly close to realistic ones too, for example, the Dragunov sniper rifle (which you get towards the end of the first level), replicates the real one down to the last detail.

Now, since this is a PSP game, one would expect that it would be filled with a ton of jaggies. Well, there are some, but significantly less than all other games on the system, to the extent that you can really only notice them if you move incredibly close to the object (as in so close that Gabe is off-screen), and even then, there aren't too many to deal with, an incredible plus towards the overall game's value.

In terms of lighting, Syphon Filter also surpasses all games shown so far. Light reflects realistically off of all objects, and while it's no Unreal Engine style lighting, it is incredibly cool. Especially when you are in a dark room and have the flashlight equipped (you can still fire weapons while it's equipped, as it's a head lamp). The light from this flashlight fades out the further you go from the center of it's beam, and metallic objects offer little reflections here and there, although nothing extreme. When the light hits a corner, it also bends relictically, becomming more narrow and eeliptical instead of just another continuation of the circle.

Explosion effects are in abundance in this game, and the demo has truly shown how realistic they are. For example, during the second level, I was on the zipline, when I shot a tanker truck down below. It exploded, killing all enemies within a 30 foot range, while flame covered parts of the truck's skeleton flew across the area. It also doesn't have that annoying effect which players of Dynasty Warriors and Socom have probably seen, you know, where the explosion clearly outlines all of the pizels that it appears on, which is another added bonus.

Controls:

Syphon Filter's controls are so far, the best emulation of a dual analog stick controller that I have used on the PSP. The analog stick is used for moving, while the face buttons (circle, square, x, and triangle) are used for looking around. Right Trigger is used to shoot, and Left Trigger is used for strafe. While small parts of this control scheme have already been used in previous games, Syphon Filter seems to take only the best from each shooter, eliminating the annoying features which kept those specific titles back.

Switching weapons and items is incredibly easy too. Pressing Left on the D-pad will quickly bring up a translucent screen, which shows all of the forms of vision and other non-weapon items in your possession, each mapped to a different face button (circle, square, x, triangle), and when there are more items than face buttons, it goes to the trigger buttons. Switching weapons is basically the same idea, except you press Right on the D-pad, and since certain weapons have multiple modes of fire, when you select it, it will bring up a form of fire, and you press the x button until you see the one which you want to use. Bringing up either of these two menus pauses the action, so that you cannot die when switching items.

Pressing Down on the D-pad will make Gabe crouch down and walk much slower than normal, allowing for stealth-based play. When you don't have any weapons equipped, you can sneak up to enemies and choke them to death, but if they see you and turn around, your attack is now comprised of punches and some karate chops here and there. If you sneak up with a weapon equipped, and get close enough for melee combat, you can smack them with the butt of your gun. Again, a cool feature that makes the game overall much better than other games on the system.

To hug the wall or another object, you simply walk over to it, get equal to it's height level, and press Up on the D-pad. Now, using the analog stick, you can walk along the wall, and if you keep pressing in the direction of a corner or edge, Gabe will peak around it, thus allowing you to move around your aim and line up for a round the corner stealth shot, which ten pushed you back behind the wall. To get off the wall, simply press the opposite direction from which it is at, which usually means pressing Down on the D-pad.

The Up button is also used for context-sensitive areas of the game, which include the collecting items such as ammo, body armor, and documents. It also allowes you to use the RTL, which is basically a zip line in which you can go both ways. To get off the RTL, you simply press the Down button.

Gameplay:

One thing that I found great about the game, was how it constantly had something new and cool for you. One minute you might be sneaking around finding documents in a certain room, while the next you will be giving an ally support by sniping out enemies that chase them. There is always something for you to do in this game, and you are never left with nothing to do or nowhere to go. Now, it doesn't mean that the game is forcing you to do everything in an allotted time, but there is never a time where you have to just walk around every part of the level waiting to get a message on where to go next.

Another great thing about this game, is that you are never forced to go one path or the other. You can go through the level stealthily, like Sam Fisher from Splinter Cell, or you can choose to go in guns 'a' blazing like in Grand Theft Auto (except without all the pedestrians and cops).

The only ways in which you can fail the mission are either by dying, or by neglecting to save an ally, and letting the enemies catch them. The game offers ample supply of health packs too, which usually appear right before or right after a big fight.

Speaking of big fights, the game offers a host of specificly named character, which range form certain grade-A snipers on the rooftops, to leaders of military organizations. These enemies often have different, more powerful weapons than the lesser enemies. For example, one enemy had a gas mask, and body armor which could defend against damage to a certain extent. He carried around a flame thrower, which he used to burn down certain forms of cover, such as piles of wood and the occasional barrels of oil.

The levels are often massive in size, and offer many different areas from which to play. One level, started off outside an enemy base, and then went into a lowered area surrounding a giant container of oil, followed by leading me towards a suspended bunch of platforms with some dark tooms inside, which in turn was followed by standing on top of a tower giving sniper support to an ally.

Each individual area seems to add something new to the game, be it a new type of objective, a new item, or a new type of play such as the sniper support that I listed earlier.

Loading times are also fairly short, and while they aren't comparable to let's say, Maverick Hunter X's shortness of loads, they never really exceed 30 seconds, and that's a load for the entire mission, not just a small room or two. While the loads are going on you are also treated to a nice explanation of the current mission, with some background info on the people involved.

----------

Overall, Syphon Filter: Dark Mirror has been a huge treat. It offers some of the greatest visual quality, and controls on the system thus far, and constantly pushes what you think this little portable can do. It's gameplay is incredibly fun, and addicting, while offering multiple ways of play for a high amount of replay value.

This demo was only a small portion of what the actual game has to offer, and it's already looking to be the most promising PSP get since the system's launch back in March of last year. I look forward to the full 28 mission campaign (this demo was only 2 missions) and the multiplayer, which seems like it will be insane. The game is also apparently loaded with special features, which can only be attained through the campaign itself, so I look forward to spending long amount of time trying to unlock everything that the game offers.

Syphon Filter is currently set to release on March 28, at a retail value of $39.99.

Wow, to call Shadow of Colossus a "game" is wrong. I seriously would consider calling it a "work of art".

The sheer simplistic nature of plot and landscape design mix into one of the most immersive experiences I've had this generation.

Everything about this game just screams "Stop playing and take a while just to stand in awe at what lies before you!"

Honestly, this is one of the few games where everything forms together into this amazing epic. The graphics, art style, controls, creatures, environment, story, creatures, items, everything! They all work in unison to create one of the most stunning experiences I've ever had in a game.

Each Colossi is massive in it's own way, be it size, strength, detail, movement, or anything else humanly possible.

How the developers could have taken such a simplistic concept of climbing and stabbing, and made it into one of the most immersive and addicting game concepts ever made is beyond me, but they did a heck of a job on it!

I seriously haven't been this pleased with everything about a game since, well, ever.

Absolutely every part of this game is designed to work with the other parts of it, and provide one of the greatest, freshest, and most compelling concepts I've ever had the pleasure of owning.

The greatest part about Shadow of Colossus, is how just when you think you've seen everything, you've seen nothing yet.