DLC Review: Killzone 2 Flash and Thunder
Game: Killzone 2 Flash and Thunder
Format: PS3
Developer: Guerilla Games
Publisher: SCEE
should start by saying that Killzone 2 was a console seller for me. It was the game that really pushed me into finally buying a Playstation 3. Up until that point I, like many, sat patiently waiting for a price drop that (so far) never came. I was content with my PS2 and would happily play the original Killzone title for hours on end.
After buying the PS3, I can quite confidently say that Killzone 2 is one of my favourite games of all time. The single player campaign is good, but the online multiplayer is really where the fun is to be had. Warzone throws you into the heat of online battle with little effort. I had very little experience of online play before, so I was incredibly happy with the simple way one gets into a game. If you’re not picky about the specifics of the match, you get get into an online game with just two button presses. Press X to Join Game and Press Triangle to be drafted into the first game with an open slot. For a newb like me, this sort of interface is perfect for getting started. Once you feel a little more confident, you can start to tweak the settings and set the parameters of the game type you want to join – player count, maps, mission types, weapons/classes etc.
So I’ve played quite a bit of Warzone and reached the rank of General (through hours of slog rather than intelligent play). I’m still REALLY enjoying the online element. At one point I was finding some of the games simply too chaotic. I wanted to try and play strategically rather than an all out frag-fest. I tweaked the settings of the games I wanted to play. First I changed the player count. I only go into games of between 9 and 16 players now. I find that you have more time to breathe and you can actually do something more than die, re-spawn, kill one guy, die, re-spawn – repeat. I also only like to join games that have no Rockets. With RPGs on, games can quickly degenerate into one big explosion. Things like this keep the online experience fresh for me, but I’m always on the look out for other ways to keep Killzone 2 at the top of my playlist.
A couple of extra maps had already been released with the Steel and Titanium map pack, but they didn’t really interest me – especially at the £4.79 price. For the uninitiated, the idea behind this downloadable content (DLC) is that you pay for it, download it (duh) and bingo bango, you’ve got a couple of extra maps to play on in either Skirmish or Warzone. Whilst the first two weren’t particularly enticing for me, the next map pack announced certainly was. DLC 2 – Flash and Thunder brings back two of the most popular multiplayer maps from the original PS2 title. Beach Head and Southern Hills are re-invented for the PS3. I have to say that I was sceptical at first. I was sure that the maps would bare little resemblance to they previous incarnation and therefore be classic in name only. I was right and wrong. The basic layout of both maps is essentially recreated from Killzone 1, with all major structures in place. The graphical style has been majorly updated though and these are two of the most visually impressive maps in the game.
Life’s a Beach
Beach Head is fairly short, but intense. The ISA spawn inside the fortress at the top end of the map whilst the Helghast spawn on the beach itself in one of the two small towers that occupy the far end of the map. In between the two bases you have a real sense of trench warfare. Major impact craters scar the ground between the two camps with several scaffolding-like erections in the middle of the map. There is also a lot of sewer-like piping across the map that can offer refuge. One in particular overlooking the Helghast base seems to be a particularly popular sniping point. I got a lot of kills by laying proximity mines in there.
The terrain itself is very rugged and “hilly”. There is a lot of opportunity for head shots as players come into view from a lower plane. This map is so good for so many classes. The Sniper has excellent points to cover large areas of the map – especially from the ISA base. The Saboteur can get a lot of Proximity Mine kills in the tunnels. Turrets get an awful lot of kills on this map, and there are some great, highspots on which to place them. Most structures on the map have a ladder attached so you can climb above the fracas, place your bot and watch the kills roll in. The enviromental effects are fantastic – better even than Phyrus Rise. This is quickly becoming my favourite map in the game.
I’d rate this map 5/5
The hills are alive, with the sound of Nukes!
Southern Hills is really interesting. Out of the two, its the one that most differs from the original plan. The central structure is more or less the same as the PS2 version, but other than that it’s quite different. The two spawn areas are like nothing from the original. Two bases are fairly similar with the ISA base a lot narrower, and perhaps the easier of the two to defend. In my first game on the map, there were only three of us. I was on my own and the other two were spawn camping (sitting at my spawn point, waiting for me to re-spawn so they could kill me instantly). The base was easily defendably though. With narrow entry ways I was able to keep them at bay with proxitimy mines and completely outscore them on kill:death ratio.
There is a large, multi-level structure in the middle of the map that replicates the original quite faithfully. There are lots of rooms to hide in – which will be important later – lots of rooftops to snipe from and place sentry turrets. There are also lots of spots you can get to with a well timed leap that will give you great vantage points. Graphically it’s similar to Phyrus Rise, but with one major difference. Every few minutes a siren will sound. That is your key to leg it and find the nearest building to bunker down in. An orbiting ISA ship periodically drops a nuke on the map which wipes out everything that is out in the open – players, bots, everything. Hiding behind a wall will not provide suitable cover, you have to get into a building. This provides a really interesting way to play and the associated visual effects are outstanding.
I’d rate this map 4/5
Overall I will say this about the pack. If you ever considered buy DLC, this is the one for you. I’ve never paid for extra content, and have always been reluctant, but in all honesty, this pack is fantastic. I know the price is putting some people off, but I have to say that I think it’s worth every penny. These maps are very well designed and very well balanced. If you’re looking for something to revitalize your Killzone experience, I can whole heartedly recommend this pack. For the whole bundle, I give Flash and Thunder a score of 4/5.
[starreview tpl=16]
