Years of waiting and false impressions have given one of the FPS genre's unlikeliest sequels a level of anticipation usually reserved for blockbuster sequels to popular franchises.  The original Killzone for the PlayStation 2 and its PSP follow-up didn't exactly light the gaming world on fire, as many felt the original's unique take on strategic combat and mature gameplay forced, and despite decent sales, was largely forgotten.  Killzone 2, the considerably improved sequel exclusively for the PlayStation 3, avoids several of its predecessors missteps and represents a fresh start for the franchise.  While the game brings absolutely nothing new to the table in terms of gameplay and narrative, a superlative online experience and technical triumphs are fierce and definitely what loyal PlayStation 3 owners have been waiting for.

Killzone 2's single-player campaign is far from impressive, and it would be a shame if most players were to judge the game solely on such a generic and otherwise workmanlike accomplishment.  Playing through this mode gives the impression of an playing a checklist of necessary goals and object-oriented missions.  There's really nothing tying the multitude of stages together, and even though I've been through the campaign I still can't tell you what the overall plot and narrative is, other than humanity is once again bringing the fight to the evil and Nazi-like Helgahst.  Insert rallying points, guarding friends, turret-usage, vehicular action (love those tanks) and many other staples of the genre and you've got yourselves one generic campaign.  But if you can look past the incredibly weak storyline, there is much to enjoy as the various combat sequences on either foot or behind the helm in mechs are wonderfully directed and should last the a good 8-10 hours overall.

The first thing that most people will probably notice is just how groundbreaking Killzone 2's visuals are.  This really isn't up for discussion, as few games of this generation have so ably demonstrated a complete mastery of Sony's complicated console as what's on display here in all their seamless, high-definition glory.  The game actually runs in 720p and a rock-steady framerate never chugs or slows down the action on-screen.  The layers of detail on the surroundings and locales is nothing short of breathtaking, with realistic lighting and well-crafted explosions giving this world a feeling of depth and chaos few can match.  Helping keep things tense are some spectacular smoke and particular effects, which at times can cloud the entire screen and when combined with the game's overreliance on every shade of the color gray, often caused the unintentional demise of yours truly.

While it will never be the discussion piece the visuals are, the game's audio is just as impressive and deserves more attention than its getting.  The gloomy sounds of combat at times drown out the indistinguishable score (so heroic, yet so derivative), but the realistic sounds and effects more than make up for this.  Likewise are the fantastic voiceovers, which are a healthy mix of differently-accented European actors that truly give passionate performances.  Too bad the actual writing is almost laughably bad, a hilarious mix of overinflated machismo and a torrent of naughty-words that reek of trying too hard.  The various screams of curdling death rattles from vanquished enemies had me howling with laughter, and listening to the various narration throughout was precious.  I'm not certain the game's writers meant for the game's vocals to sound this funny, but they were a welcome change from the otherwise moribund atmosphere.

On some level its almost pointless to explain in detail the various gameplay elements and strategies that drive the Killzone 2 experience, as quite literally every element and mechanism at work here will have been seen or sampled by the experienced first-person shooter fan.  Its as if developer Guerilla smartly abandoned much of what made the original Killzone such a disappointment (sadly, the foul-mouthed storyline survived) and concentrated on assembling the best smorgasbord of the very best  the competition had to offer.  New to the franchise is the much-appreciated jump button, as well as periodic usage of the PS3's motion-controls during the campaign mode.  The latter never function as well as they should and really don't belong in the context of the rest of the game.  Even the game's marketing tagline, "War. Perfected" seems borrowed from its most obvious target, Halo's "Combat Evolved."

At the forefront is the focus on more ‘realistic’ warfare instead of a typically offensive approach, requiring you to actually think and take cover when needed for a more grounded and strategic feel.  Those expecting to simply run 'n gun their way through the game's larger scenarios will soon find themselves blown to chunky bits, and the game's pacing will take some getting used to for some.  For the most part these tactical elements work admirably, but one can’t help but think that the whole idea seems unnecessary when things could move a bit quicker, as ably demonstrated in both Gears Of War and Call of Duty 4, which the thought process is likely borrowed from.

In what feel like a complete  and welcome contrast to the disjointed campaign, Guerilla has done great work with the game's expansive and incredibly fluid multiplayer modes. The matchmaking hub, affectionately labeled the ‘Warzone,’ is exactly what one would expect from a modern tried-and-tested online gaming formula, where different careers can be progressively obtained and beefed for ranking thanks to a straightforward XP system.  But most intriguing is how the actual matches are handled.  Rather than just playing a single game type, you’ll pick a team (typically 32 players) and be thrown into a match that various objectives to undertake in tandem, which range from assassination to arming bombs.  It’s a unique approach that keeps things quite interesting and little chaotic at times, especially as a single objective can take about 10-20 minutes to finish.  Of course these tasks aren’t really anything new, but the general idea and the way that its handled certainly breaks up the monotony seen in countless other shooters, and all without much network interference mucking the system.

Another quick note is that you can also play locally against AI bots, which isn’t as tiresome as it may sound.  Although seasoned gamers probably won’t spend a lot of time against robotic opponents (not when there's thousands of real meat- bags to frag), but it's a nice touch that that's often overlooked and much appreciated for offline fans.  Whatever flaws the single-player campaign may have, Killzone 2's massive online achievements more than make up for.

Many have linked the fate of Sony's PlayStation 3 to the technical and gameplay accomplishments of Killzone 2, and considering how much the game gets right, much of that excitement has been justified.  But its technical execution has come at the cost of the game's individualism, offering a sterile presentation where originality is largely absent, and a narrative that at best seems an afterthought.  What is undeniable is the game's visual prowess and online multiplayer achievements, which sit comfortably among (if not surpassing) its peers in audacity and execution.  This is truly an experience that throws the full might of the PlayStation 3 into pushing back the inevitable casual-gaming onslaught and gives the hardest of hardcore gamers something they can really rally behind.