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PS3 | Action | Resistance 2

Boxart for Resistance 2
Resistance 2 20 screen shots
  • AVG USER SCORE 3.8
  • AVG CRITIC SCORE n/a

Feature: Resistance 2 vs Killzone 2

Feature by Tracy Erickson | 01/30/2008 | 15:39:42 PM PST

It's a Dual Shock-shooter showdown! We load you up on all the details on two of the PlayStation 3's biggest titles of 2008.

Master Chief may have pwned 2007, but he's about to get trounced by two heavyweights. Resistance 2 and Killzone 2 are slated for a fall release, priming 2008 to be the banner year for shooters. Even better, PlayStation 3 should see a big boost due to the exclusivity of these games to the console. Both are gunning for the spotlight, but it will be up to gamers to decide which comes out in the lead. We dissect both shooters, giving you a heads-up as to what you can expect from two of this year's most anticipated titles.

Weapons

Resistance 2

Walk lightly, and carry a big Rocket Launcher

Walk lightly, and carry a big Rocket Launcher

A shooter isn't a shooter if it doesn't have cool weapons. Resistance had them in spades, which isn't surprising given Insomniac's track record of packing tons of awesome weapons in its Ratchet and Clank games. The company has remained quiet on what firearms will populate the sequel's arsenal, but we're fairly certain everything from the original will make a return.

Standards like the M5A2 Carbine and L23 Fareye sniper rifle fulfill the need for some real firepower; however, it's the experimental weaponry that gets our interest piqued. Hedgehog grenades better be returning in Resistance 2 so we can slice Chimeras to ribbons with needle-like shrapnel. Piercing through walls with the Auger rifle wouldn't half-bad either. Resistance worked so well because every weapon came with an alternate fire, which lent to an immense amount of variety and firepower. As long as Resistance 2 keeps to this formula it'll surely be a winner.

Killzone 2

Realism is the name of game in Killzone 2. Every weapon has been modeled after a real-world counterpart, some even exactly (like the bazooka). Differences among the guns are less pronounced than those featured in Resistance, but that's part of what makes the arsenal so realistic in Killzone. Whereas the Chimera equip weapons completely different from humans, the Helghast essentially hold counterparts to their human opponents. For example, the M-82 Assault Rifle barely differs from the Helghan StA-52 LAR Assault Rifle. This supports the realistic feel of Killzone 2 even if it means not including cool experimental guns.

Edge: Resistance 2

The choice is clear: Resistance 2. Better, more diverse weapons and each carries an alternate firing mode. Killzone 2 earns points for realism, yet it isn't as fun without any creative experimental mods to mess around with.

Atmosphere

Resistance 2

Although both games possess a washed-out military look, there are key differences between the war-torn America of Resistance 2 and perpetual darkness of Killzone 2. Distinctions between the two games make each experience unique, particularly in the face of so many shooters. Resistance 2 manages to do this by reworking American history. Chimera forces move from Europe to a United States still deep in a depression. Sepia tones characterize a nation tired of economic woes and weary from defending its coasts from invasion. Hale's mission to preserve American freedom is urgent--do or die. Humanity's bleak outlook can easily be felt in the visuals.

Killzone 2

The eyes are the windows to atmosphere

The eyes are the windows to atmosphere

A good argument can be made for Killzone having survived an onslaught of harsh criticisms thanks to a gritty visual style. Practically devoid of color, the graphics instill a sense of hopelessness and desperation. It's uncomfortably believable, as is its story. The plight of human colonists transforming into hideously deformed figures on the toxic planet Helghan creates a moral dilemma--do you feel sorry for these outcasts or hatred for their vengeful campaign to dominate humanity? This is a serious shooter, one that carries a heavy weight not felt in Resistance.

Edge: Killzone 2

Aiming less for exacting realism and more a believable science-fiction fantasy, Killzone 2 gains the edge with a dark, brooding style. No other game captures the same brooding look and feel.


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