2013.40: Killzone: Shadow Fall

Completed in about 5 hours (guesstimate) on HARD

Let me get this out the way straight away; terrible story. And terrible writing. Terrible characters too, outside Echo who is a very strong, honest and purposeful character.

So if you are looking to "why"s in your FPS games or some kind a reason to push on, the story ain't gonna give you that. In fact, it kind of made me want to turn off the game.

However, the game is fun as heck to play. Weapons and movement is great. You might get annoyed rarely by accidentally 'sticking' to cover while trying to dodge away somewhere else but outside that it moves and aims great.

The weapons feel unique and satisfying. Though there is nothing here that is Ratchet And Clank fresh, using the LSR44 was an absolute blast. Acts like a fun, powerful, strong Assault Rifle / SMG hybrid in one mode. And in its second mode a rail gun that you charge up and and I on one occasion (on a stream in fact! ;)) got a double kill with it as it railed through two enemies. Very satisfying physics too. Sometimes enemies fly in random directions instead of the way law of physics would tell them to go, but it's still fun as heck making those fuckers fly.

My main gripe with the gameplay was...Well, what is it I always complain about and find the most boring and lazy way of game design? Wave of enemies! This game i later levels does this plenty and it's just fucking annoying. Not annoying like "omg I can't get past it!", honest to god I got it on my 3rd try but annoying as in "Really, Guerilla?!". I thought after KZ2 ended like that and KZ3 "fixed" it, I thought maybe they learnt or realised a few things, but no. Mind you it's no where near as annoyingly long or tedious as KZ2's ending.

Anyway. So I have to give kudos to Guerilla here for making a more open game though their AI fails them quite a bit (not always but very often). And the open-ness kind of downgrades after the first couple of levels. But I liked what I am seeing and I hope they take KZ in that direction.

I also liked OWL though honestly even on Hard he wasn't that useful. As sometimes he deploys a shield where 80% of it is in the ground so it barely provides cover. Just for reviving you (if you have a adrenaline pack) though, he is worth keeping around.


However, let's get rid of the lazy wave design completely and you immersed me well with KZ3 and even Mercenary's story was at least worth the trip. This was a complete disaster but being a launch title and all, and I guess not being a numbered release AND with the gameplay extensions they made to the series, it's quite forgiveable (though my score will reflect it but it won't get as much ranting).


Overall, it's as good a launch title you can expect, but shows it's a launch title in many ways. And provides the DS4 it's first test in a rough around the edges but solid shooter.


6/10.