Outside Perspective: Killzone 2 & Halo 3

Beefjack Writes: "With the hype surrounding Killzone 2, it is amazing to see what arguments are brought up within the gaming community. The article you are about read was written in a midst of rage and annoyance at the constant battle for consoles games exclusivity.
With Killzone 2 being the most technically and graphically stunning game to date it is easy to see why people are so eager to find flaws within the game. Halo 3 fans stand tall and declare the game is nothing special and that they have seen those graphics within Halo and Gears of War.

While I understand and can plainly see that Killzone 2, graphically, is an amazing game, I can also see why people will be drawn to Halo 3. Sure, compared to Killzone 2, Halo 3 is a technically inferior game but I am not here to prove which game is better, I am merely saying, why all the hate for each other?

The article is NOT saying which is better. I am stating the differences within each game. Both being sci-fi shooters, Killzone 2 and Halo 3 both fall into the same genre but they both have noticeable differences which will draw their own fans in with their own preferences."

[PoSTedUP]

KZ2 > halo3
~no contest~

im more into intence badass games, not haylow kitty games. : / ouch

[BulletToothtony]

.

[MeatAbstract]

'Outside Perspective' being that I don't have an 'Inside Perspective'. Its a different look. Obviously I can't play Killzone 2 cause the damn game isn't out yet. Halo 3, well, I am a new 360 owner. I will receive a free copy soon anyway.

Being that I hadn't played neither of them, its an interesting perepctive to look at 2 games that fanboys are constantly battling about in forums and gaming sites.

[eagle21]

halo 3 looks dated, even back in 07. Did you know the AIAS gave zero awards to halo 3? It didn't even get nominated for GOTY. COD4 won many and GOTY. LBP has a record breaking 10 nominations this year including GOTY.

www.interactive.org

[BattleAxe]

HALO should be compared to Resistance as they are both the same type of FPS. Killzone can only be compared with Call of Duty.

Personally I've spent about an hour playing HALO 3 and its just way to run and gun for my liking. I would say the same thing about Resistance 1 and 2 and you could probably throw Unreal Tournament 3 in there too. CoD 4 and WaW requires you to use cover and be a little bit smarter when you make your move. The same can be said for KZ2.

[Snow]

Halo 3 is better then Killzone 2.

Even at it's majestic 640P

[BlindMonkey]

http://www.crispygamer.com/...

This idiot says people that give killzone 2 a good review shouldn't be reviewing games.... What an idiot.

[pswi60]

xbox and halo fanboys clutch to their ridiculous beliefs much like a baby clutches its teddy bear or blankie.

killzone 2 is simply a better game. when Halo 3 was released, the starry eyed media put H3 emblems on friggin pop cans, t-shirts, buses, buildings, etc etc. People think Halo 3 is the best evar because that's what they want to believe.

But then COD4 came out. and now Killzone 2. in a couple years it will be something else. Buy a ps3, get KZ2, and move on with your life.

Period.

[Kushan]

COD4 (And COD5) don't look particularly special, either, in fact their best point is that they run at a nice 60FPS, yet it was the gameplay that won most of us over.
Graphics will never be more important than the gameplay. The logic of "It looks amazing, it must be a 10/10 game with great gameplay!" or "It looks like a last-gen game, it must be crap!" scares me, sometimes I wonder if many of us have lost sight of what gaming should really be all about.
I'm sure Killzone 2 is going to be a great game to play (I'm not judging it yet - nobody here has played the final release so nobody can), but I had fun with Halo 3 as well (And coming from someone who's a diehard PC gamer that believes Halo is grossly overrated, that surely must tell you something), I'll probably still drop in to play Halo 3 every now and then in between COD and (hopefully) KZ2.
I think that's a fair and balanced comment to make, but no doubt lots of people will still click "disagree" simply because I didn't say that KZ2 was the best game ever made. See paragraph 2.

[PistolPumptMonk]

Hasn't played EITHER?? If I wanted a perspective this "outside" I'd ask my mom how the two stacked up... This is a joke.

[TheColbertinator]

@Kushan

Great comment.It was well written and explained carefully.

bubbles and agree +1

[Viper7]

Dunno about Halo3 as havent played it yet. But Killzone2:s Multiplayer packed quite a punch. Only thing I am worried is the party and join up features and maybe slightly about weapon balance but it still tasted better than Call of duty 4 for me at least.

however its dramaticaly differend from both, cod being a Run and gun with realistic settings and weapons, Halo with its somewhat unreal resempling gameplay with its own tricks.

Oh, and yes I have played Killzone2 multiplayer dunno about "PoSTedUP" tough.
I am dieing to see rest of the multiplayer levels as I only managed to try 3 of them. (all being great, except one was a bit small and "tight" for my liking but still pretty enjoyable.

[callahan09]

Wow, blindmonkey. That crispygamer review is really something else. First time I'd seen it (thanks for the link).

The reviewer says this:
"It's not really OK in the year 2009 to make an FPS that includes C4-planting and sniper rifle-finding, and valve-turning."

Uh.... why not? What's wrong with any of that stuff? Are you telling me that suddenly in the year 2009 you've always got a sniper-rifle with you? No need to find one, cuz you've always got it! Or that nothing could require a planted charge of C4 to properly demolish? Get real. These are perfectly fine conventional gameplay mainstays.

Then he says: "Killzone 2's greatest sin isn't its lack of imagination and use of clichés; it's that coolness and spectacle are important while common sense and credibility are not."

Uh... why don't you guys just focus on the fun factor. Is the game fun? Yeah? (He even goes into how much fun he was having on the last page of his review, how great he thought some of the gameplay moments were) ... Well, if you are having fun, then the GAME SUCCEEDED. I don't demand Isaac Asimov levels of Sci-Fi Realism in my videogames, I just want to have fun.

[king dong]

cod4 and waw's single players are a joke! play them on veteran and you'll see what i mean. if you use cover, you become a grenade magnet, even when hidden they still seem to know exactly where you are, and the grenades land with pin-point accuracy. the enemies respawn, so even if you sit there and pick them off, there's still the same amount as there was five minutes before. with waw being even worse than cod4. it's only the online that makes cod4 so good.

anyway, as usual, it's the same fanboys(above and below in this thread) that line up to attack halo. pathetic, but what do you expect on n4g???

after reading the reviews, it's clear that kz2 does bring anything new to the genre(like halo), yet, every sony fanboy is going on like it's the second coming. although it sounds like the multi-player is good(again like halos), it certainly doesn't re-invent the wheel(dare i say again like halos).

just grow up people. be a gamer not a hater.

[BattleAxe]

@ King Dong

I should have been more specific. I was talking more about the online play. With HALO and Resistance theres alot more running around out in the open and jumping around ect... With CoD 4 and WaW you can't take as many shots before you die, so playing a little smarter and using cover plays a larger role.

I don't think HALO is any worse then Resistance. I used to own both Resistance 1 and 2 and I couldn't stand the online play, it was redicilous. People jumping around, running around all over the place, flying around on those big fans that blow you up into the air. Not to mention the amount of shots it takes to kill a guy, its just not my cup of tea. HALO, Resistance and Unreal Tournament 3 are in the same class. CoD 4 and 5 are just a different play style.

[atttentionshore]

are there any other games you haven't played yet and still want to compare?

[MeatAbstract]

Not many people liking this post, huh?

I am getting quite worried that I am about to get a lot of crazy gamers in here ready to tear me limb from limb for what appears to the gaming equivalent of sodomizing their most antcipated game/favorite game.

What you think? Should I remove this before it gets any worse?

[Elvfam511]

If you want to keep your credibility then take it off if not it be a weird discussion when it get's approved

[Kyur4ThePain]

"for what appears to the gaming equivalent of sodomizing their most antcipated game/favorite game."

And that was exactly what you wanted to achieve, wasn't it?
At least you have the balls to admit your motives.

Needless to say I am very excited about KZ2, having been a big fan of the story behind KZ1. The gameplay was acceptable, while I needed the online aspect at the time to get me out of my SOCOM cycle.

[Kushan]

Anyone that's focusing on the fact that you haven't played either game has missed the point entirely of what you're saying.
I agree with the gist of your argument - both are good games, both have a huge following so there MUST be something to it and there's no need to get all hot and bothered just because someone happens to prefer a different game to you.

Really, I don't think the argument is KZ2 Vs. Halo, I think the argument is still PS3 vs. 360, just now there's 2 games that are almost similar enough that they can directly attribute to either console.
Nothing new, really, some people are simply so insecure that they need to constantly tell themselves that their e-penis extension of choice is the "best".

[Elvfam511]

Hated how Halo 3 ended finish the fight my a$$

[Sarcasm]

lol yeah

"Finish the fight... except if you beat it on legendary you get to see the secret ending where you don't finish the fight, instead you start a new one on a distant planet that nobody's heard of and leave the story open so that we can make Halo 4 on the next Xbox"

[Kushan]

I suppose TECHNICALLY he did finish THAT fight, but has just started another one =P

[LinuxGuru]

Sorry, you can't properly compare games without having played them.

[Ichiryoka]

Well Odion would like to have a word with you!

[TheColbertinator]

lmao

[LinuxGuru]

I bet he would, lol.

[Sarcasm]

Halo 3 looks "too clean"

:)

[onomix]

Halo 3 is probably the most hyped game in 2007, but doesn't come through in the clutch. With its lack of improvements and generic gameplay, the result is a game that putters across the finish line. The ending leaves fans unsatisfied and disappointed. Nothing new came about with the release of Halo 3...Wait a minute! Something did come about. Let's pay 100$ more for a helmet that would fit on my cat. That would leave a lasting impression. Halo 3 was a huge letdown in 2007. In development for a little over 2 years, the creators have only new maps to show for their "invention". You can't teach an old dog new tricks; the dog being the original Halo and the tricks being the new features put into the game.
What a way to end the trilogy.

[Reeperdotcom]

Im just going to play devils advocate for a little while...Halo 3 lacked improvement? besides graphics what else did it not improve on.

only new maps to show for their "invention"? really? have you played Halo 3? So Forge editing, great match-making, balanced gameplay and constant updates through live...yea your right, Bungie really messed up on this one.

And did you seriously buy the helmet with the intention to wear it? notice how it is a collectors item...usually that means that its for people who WANT to COLLECT items for a game that they like.

I swear some peoples thought process amazes me.

[Traveler]

Well, you might have a point, but then why do most of my hardcore Halo buddies prefer to play Halo 2?

Many hardcore Halo players still think Halo 2 has a better multi-player component.

I'm not saying that more people are playing Halo 2, because that obviously isn't the case. What I am saying is that many of my friends that are big Halo fans have told me that they prefer Halo 2, but play Halo 3 because that is where most of the players are at now.

[GiantEnemyCrab]

I am not going to sit here and defend Halo from the mindless haters. I will say that Halo is a proven franchise with sales, scores and fan support to back it up. KZ2 looks amazing but no reason at all to take a sh*t on the Halo franchise.

[Cerberus2125]

It is not about hating,all my friends are hardcore Halo fans,and we all agree that if Halo 3 did not have have halo 1 cementing the fan base,there is not way halo 3 could sell how it did.

[GiantEnemyCrab]

Any and all franchises built on their reputation that is nothing new. Are you telling me Halo 3 brought in no new fans? Sorry, even the author of this article will be new to the franchise with Halo 3. I know plenty of people who are brand new to Halo with 3, I school them often in Multiplayer hah.

Halo 3 Players Online:68,121Unique Players (Last 24 Hours):684,588Matches Logged (Last 24 Hours):1,347,656

The game has seen over 1.3 million matches in the last 24hrs and currently has 68 thousand people playing at this very moment.

Yes, mindless haters like post #1 in this very article.

"im more into intence badass games, not haylow kitty games. : / ouch"

haylow kitty games? I've had some intense and epic battles in Halo and because Bungie chose to use colors vs greys it's being needlessly bashed.

[BlindMonkey]

So you can only defend it's scores, fans, and sales? Why aren't you defending the slightly above average graphics or gameplay?

[GiantEnemyCrab]

Blindmonkey: Because both of those things you mention are completely subjective. Yes, you could say the scores are subjective as well but they offer what the industry thought about the game at the time of release. You can't dispute the numbers while if I think the game looks great and plays excellent you might not share that similar experience.

[Cerberus2125]

I'm not saying that Halo 3 brought in no new fans,I'm saying that it turn off hardcore fans,and that halo 1 was BETTER than Halo 3.
Don't give me numbers, they mean nothing to me,a lot of crappy games sell well.

PS. Don't feel up your insecurities with schooling noobs,that does not make you look good.

[Firstkn1ghT]

All your friends? Well my friends and I are also hardcore Halo fans and we all agree that Halo 3 is the best.

[bmatthews]

that is all to be said.

[James Vanderbeek]

Some people like apples and some people like oranges.. It all boils down to what you like...

Im not a big fan of the halo series so i will most likely like killzone 2 more.. Im more into shooters like cod4 and killzone 2.. has that realistic feel to them..

[Yomiro]

I don't know but I'm getting my Killzone 2 demo tomorrow

[BMS84]

Btw Halo 3 sucks , killzone is better;)

[MeatAbstract]

Thank for the people that have posted a comment. I know it is a stupid article and should probably be a blog (I wish I had posted it as one now) but please be assured I merely writing from what arguments have personally heard.

Yes, i have heard arguments of people saying that Halo is better then Killzone 2, depite that fact that Killzone 2 is not even out yet. What I am saying is the gamers have their own preferences. Let the chips fall where they may.

[dukadork2]

kz2 makes halo3 look like a kiddy ps2 game.
and that's what drives you so mad: the realization that the 360 is really the kinder garden platform and the ps3 is where it's really happening.

[JuJuRMJ]

After everyone plays Killzone 2 including the delusional "other" system owners, I bet many will say Halo who? KILLZOWNED!!!!

[Salta_nelas]

Comparing halo 3 graphics to KZ2 is like comparing a xbox game to a 360 one. LoL @ pics and big LoL to the "article" trying to downplay the simple awsomeness that KZ2 is, the is no contest whatsoever when it comes to game graphics, get a grip!

Huge Fail.

[kewlkat007]

Hey evereyone already know what the halo franchise is about. Whether good or bad, there is no denying, it has been the most popular shooter to date on consoles. KZ will never be as...no matter how you delusional some get and the art direction cannot be compared.

[Man_of_the_year]

Is it just me or is EVERY PS3 shooter ALWAYS compared to HALO 3? Let it go people. Halo 3 is in a league of its own. Sure there will be games that come out that are visually better and may have aspects in the game that out perform Halo3's like how COD4 brought in the ranking system to unlock guns and perks.

But Halo3 has EVERYTHING and although competitive - it is easy to pick up and play and enjoy yourself. It is FUN!!! Gameplay is key with the Halo franchise.

Sure other shooters are great, and fun, and you can immerse yourself in the game - but they don't achieve the formula that Halo3 was able too.

Games like Haze, R1 and R2, KZ2 - each has a certain "aspect" that stands out to try and make it different - Haze with the enhancing drugs - R1 with its gritty story combining aliens and WW2 - R2 with its 60 player online and 8 player Co-op, and now KZ2 with its superb graphics (and they are superb) - COD4 & 5 with their perk system and realistic environments and weapons...Each game has their own little niche but Halo3 will always be the All around game that every fanboy, and writer will compare their new Shooter to.

[ar]

Anyone who has played the full version of KZ2 raise your hand.
Otherwise you're not entitled to claim anything about the game. Neither for nor against.

[Traveler]

Well, how about if a person has played the beta? That obviously gives some pretty strong indications of what to expect from basic gameplay mechanics, graphics, etc.

I also think that with the nearly unanimous acclaim that has been the reaction to Killzone 2, we can be pretty certain that the game is going to be in the general realm of "GREAT".

How great? I guess we will find out come the end of this month.

[MeatAbstract]

Or tomorrow when the demo comes out. Can't wait.

[thehitman]

I played halo 1 2 and 3 and have friends who were like halo geeks... and Halo "3" is and will always be overrated trash. From story to multiplayer. Even my halo geek friends who couldnt put down halo 2 for years admitted that halo 3 was a failure. Overrated games recieve no respect from me.

However I havent played KZ2 yet but will be the day it comes out so all I can say for now is will see all the haters so far etc are just as I said haters.

[redsquad]

Why the "my console/game is better than yours" arguments?

Simple: Humans have an in-built 'pack mentality' that originated back when we were cavemen. We have to 'belong' to something that makes us superior in order to feel safe. Those that don't 'belong' are threats. Can't beat human nature... It causes everything from wars all the way down to 'console flaming'.

No real mystery.

[kelvin22]

Halo 3 I loved it I am a 360 fanboy but common ps3 got the upper hand but we shuld not let his get down halo wars is comin. Killzone 2 in my opinion is a graphically superior game to gears of war and halo to say its not that shows our weakness as xbox 360 fanboys to not excpet the fact that somethin is better...

[Firstkn1ghT]

Halo 3 : 94%

Killzone 2: 93%
Resistance 2: 87%
Haze: 55%

The ps3 still doesn't have a FPS as good as Halo 3!!

:)

[Microsoft Xbox 360]

Killzone 2 and Halo 3 in the same sentence? Please don't do it again. Halo 3 is the most overhyped crap ever.

[Ldubbz]

The big dawg...Halo. The very word sends shivers down the spines of so many. That Halo 3...whatta game. 9 Million copies and counting.

But wait! It looks TERRIBLE! Hahaa...you mean all of the HDR? Halo 3 still sports some of the best lighting effects in any game period. Funny that they would preview such a terrible looking game at the IMAX of all places. Not to menton all of those sweet screenshots that come straight from the game. The scope? Halo 3 is easily much bigger in scope than any of the other FPS mentioned. People are quick to forget Halo was so innovative by taking the fight out of the corridor, and onto all sorts of levels and terrains.

No FPS even comes close to Halo's vehicles. Thats not even up for argument. Weapons...all I gotta say is Gravity Hammer...or Plasma Sword. MP? Speaks for itself. Not to mention 4-Player co-op btw.

Story? Possibly the best in the biz. Best selling books, tons of fan-created websites, PETER JACKSON for chrissakes! When you got WETA building life-size, functioning Warthogs, thats saying something.

And just to reiterate about Halo 3's 'bad' graphics, this is what IGN had to say back in 07....

"Despite a few moments of slowdown, this is a gorgeous game, especially considering the demands of the replay function. And it's to die for in 1080p."

from 1UP...

"Subtly beautiful, rich and lush graphics..."

And Gamespot, a very in-depth look at Halo's looks...

"Halo has always had a very strong artistic vision, and the graphics have always been just good enough to convey the necessary imagery without becoming huge technical powerhouses. That's not to say that the game isn't technically impressive, because it maintains a smooth frame rate throughout, and looks very sharp overall with plenty of great lighting and other nice effects. But the visual design overpowers its technical side and really stands out. Given that the game takes place in a wider range of locales than the previous two games, you'll see a lot of different, colorful environments, including deserts, snow, jungle settings, great-looking building interiors, and more. The enemies, many of which are returning from past games, also look great."

[Firstkn1ghT]

Yeah most of the people that complain about Halo 3 are the sony fans. The graphics is amazing and the lighting effects is the best I have ever seen in a game. Not every game has to look like Resistance, Gears, or KZ. What Halo 3 beats KZ2 is in creativity and imagination. KZ2 has basic enemies, basic weapons, and basic maps. Like you said the gravity hammer, Covenant sword, or my personal favorite... the Spartan Laser scream creativity. The maps? Straight out of science fiction heaven. KZ2? Same war torn street maps. The story? One of the best science fiction stories in gaming. The Spartan program, the covenant, the Halo, the brutes, the civil war, the flood, the prophets, the arbiter, grave mind, etc...

[xg-ei8ht]

I love all the new names appearing on here.

OOPS i meant all the same people making new accounts.

[kelvin22]

Culdnt agree more halo 3 is so hyped though and that's why we hav a problem wit the defective 360 cuz of halo

[ktchong]

Halo 3 is more than a year old. That's a long time in the video game industry. It's an old game already.

[Boraki]

I bought an XBOX 360 Arcade edition nearly three months ago with Halo3 and Gears of War copies included, played and finished both. Halo 3 was a great breakdown for me with its pokemon style stupid enemies and extremely overrated graphics. Only good points that attracted me were the lead character (master chief) and its story. However Gears of War was a great game (but has a weak story) and I think regarding to graphical, technical and gameplay point of views, it is far better than Halo3. I have been playing Gears 2 for a week and it is also great (but do not observe any major differences from graphical or gameplay points of view than its previous version).

So, I do not understand why the journalists or critics keep comparing Killzone 2 or other FPS titles with Halo 3 while there are so many titles in the market with better quality. Is it because of "Microsoft has only Halo3" as a console exclusive FPS but not any ?!?! I also have a PS3 and I can say easily that the Resistance : FOM itself can beat Halo3 easily. At least, it does not have any stupid 5 year old style enemies.

Today, when the Killzone 2 demo is released, I will try and see if it is something great where all the reviews keep saying. So it is not suitable to comment on a non-played game with Halo3 or any other titles that are in the market. Bu for technically and graphically, it is obvious (from actual gameplay footages or other videos) that Halo3 cannot even nominated for a competition with Killzone 2.

So take Mass Effect (only with graphics because it is a RPG), Gears of War 1-2, COD 4-5 or Crisis for comparison but not Halo. Unfortunately, Halo series are a waste IP with its artstyle, graphics and other technical aspects. A great story can only be destructed in such a way. Shame !!!