http://www.psxnation.com/news/news [...] ber=001385
 
After months of speculation and rumour, the wait is finally over. Killzone... is here.  
August 1, 2003. The day that shall forever be remembered in the annals of history as the day Sony finally unveiled a legend in the making. Thanks largely in part to our early coverage, internet sites around the world have been abuzz for months speculating about the Guerrilla (formerly Lost Boys games) developed title, Killzone. It is therefore with great delight that Sony Computer Entertainment Europe earlier this morning were pleased to announce that the title will hit European stores in Fall 2004. As we've mentioned previously, Killzone has not been picked up for North American distribution, but it's a no-brainer that SCEA gets this one under contract as soon as possible. Something this impressive doesn't come along very often...  
 
Developed in Amsterdam and supporting advanced online gameplay, the PlayStation 2 exclusive Killzone takes inspiration from various major 20th century theatres of war, with the trenches of the Somme, the street fighting of Stalingrad and the guerrilla warfare of Vietnam being prime examples. Killzone is very much an epic war game where you are finally at the centre of a totally immersive experience. Previous PS2 titles have failed to accomplish what Killzone has achieved in that respect.  
 
The storyline behind Killzone is also mouth-watering for fans of these types of games. Set in the near future, in a period of planetary colonisation... Killzone revolves around a savage conflict between forces that are still loyal to Earth (the ISA) and a separatist, militaristic faction who call themselves the Helghast (it's believed online play will allow you to choose between the two parties). The game has you choosing from a squad of four elite soldiers on a suicidal mission behind enemy lines, as you fight to undermine and defeat the Helghast commando forces following their devastating Blitzkrieg attack on the human colony. The player is given a choice on which character he/she would like to use for the entire length of the game, making the 3 remaining units your squad-based backup throughout the adventure. Each character you can choose from brings different abilities and situations to the table, giving Killzone 4 uniquely different playthrough experiences.  
 
But while the game is very much an single player game, the importance of your squad can never be underestimated as only together can you survive the Killzone? a term which is based on 20th-century warfare, which refers to a tactic used to force enemies into an area where they can be easily wiped out.  
 
Official Playstation magazine has had the opportunity to sit down and watch the title in it's majestic motion, and they had some amazing things to say afterwards.  
 
"Earlier this year OPS2 was shown a video of in-game action which seemed to confirm that the game will start with your squad trapped in a killzone. From what we've seen you're pinned down in a derelict building and surrounded by the Helghast. To make matters considerably worse, more stormtroopers abseil in from the Aliens-style dropship hovering overhead. Within seconds the bullets are flying and jaws are dropping. What really looks impressive about Killzone though - other than the teeth-rattling bark of the assault rifles and the lush, richly detailed environments - is the sense of being caught in the middle of a massive conflict. We watched soldiers wading through shallow rivers, coshing each other with rifle butts (just wait until you see the glorious reload animation as you slap another magazine in) and manning fixed machine gun emplacements. Oh, and the sniper scope looks particularly creamy, as do the diffuse lighting effects, originally pioneered by Ico."  
 
Excited yet? You should be. This is the title we've all been waiting for. The game that finally allow us to sit back and forget the fact that the Xbox has a little game called Halo. There are even gameplay similarities between the two projects... There will be a total of 21 weapons in the game - each of which will also have a secondary fire function ala Halo - including rocket-launchers, grenades, mini-guns and missile-launchers. In addition, there will be at least five turret-based weapons. Your heath meter will also work in a way similar fashion to that of Master Chief's... whenever damage isn't being taken, it gradually returns to full health.  
 
Guerrilla aren't stupid, they've been watching, listening, reading the comments from gamers like yourselves who know what it takes to make a great game for the PS2. And they continue to work tirelessly (when they're not hanging out on our forums, lazy buggars ) to improve an already fantastic-looking project. According to UK magazine Edge, in terms of environments, the current build of the game already features three playable levels set in a slum, a shopping mall and a river bed. And apart from the occasional drop in frame-rate (which is to expected at such an early stage), it's looking very promising indeed. Visually, it offers some of the most detailed and aesthetically pleasing textures on PS2.  
 
Killzone's structure is set around set pieces, of which there will be around two 'memorable moments' in each of the 26 levels. Set pieces unveiled so far include a gunship dispatching several abseiling enemy troops and another based around a collapsing bridge. The game will also support full online multiplayer games, although this mode has yet to be seen up and running.  
 
Well that's it. That's all we know for now. Edge will be out in a matter of days in the UK, and the issue supposedly features numerous images of the game in action that no one has yet seen, so keep a sharp eye on our forum discussion to catch the latest and greatest from Killzone in the coming days.

http://ps2.ign.com/articles/431/431611p1.html
 
Just as industry insiders expected (and just as we hinted in our rumor story Fact or Fiction II a few days ago), Sony Computer Entertainment Europe officially announced the eagerly anticipated Killzone just moments ago.
 
Released as part of a special agreement through the Official U.K. PlayStation 2 Magazine (in addition to an article to be published next week in Edge Magazine), the game formerly known as Kin has already made waves throughout the videogame world. Originally shown to the European press in April 2002, the super secret first-person shooter from Lost Boys (now known as Guerilla Games) has been kept under wraps via non-disclosure agreements for the past 16 months. Raved and rumored about for over a dozen or so weeks now, Killzone has quickly built into the most talked about shadow-ware in the industry.
 
Set in the not too distant future, Killzone tells the story of humanity's colonization of the galaxy. Suddenly and without warning, an interplanetary war breaks out between the splinter group known as the Helghast and an Earth-loyal squad called ISA. Opening with a focus on four ISA soldiers operating behind enemy lines, Killzone quickly jumps into the plotline as the quartet struggles with survival after escaping a deadly Helghast attack. In fact, it's this situation that gives Killzone its name. Opening with a sequence that sees the soldiers trapped in an abandoned building, the combatants are surrounded by Helghast and come under siege by Dropship-bound stormtroopers. They are, in effect, caught within a Killzone.
 
From there on out, the ISA will battle their way through 26 story-oriented stages with distinctive scripted "memorable moments" for every level. Of the confirmed moments so far, the kinds of events these scenarios will boast include dozens of troops being repelling from gunships and an all-out melee near a collapsing bridge.
 
All this action is illustrated with what was described as "the sense of being caught in the middle of a massive conflict", with scores and scores of soldiers partaking in tons of different group activities. Sloshing through shallow waterways, smashing each other with the butts of their rifles, and blasting off gunfire as if it were the sequel to Saving Private Ryan. Shown in video form behind closed doors, the environments are supposedly heavily populated with lush foliage and plenty of activity and will range from locales based in urban slums all the way to shopping malls and riverbeds.
 
While we're on the subject of how things look, the graphics are supposedly very impressive in motion. Combining the diffuse lighting of Ico with the powerful NURB technology, Killzone oozes cinematic influence. Combining the visual style of movies like Starship Troopers and Aliens, the amount of animation and movement onscreen at one time is supposedly unparalleled with fashion bits reminiscent of games like Rogue Trooper. Amazingly, the game isn't supposed to delve too far into its science fiction roots.  
 
In terms of gameplay, it will be squad-based, though players will only be in control of one particular solider (the other three characters are A.I.-controlled are will provide backup, cover fire, and assistance).
 
Much like the modern PC games of a similar vein, each character will also have special abilities and particular uses. Some warriors will boast heavy arms fire, while another specializes in stealth. And though the other two skill types have yet to be revealed, it has been confirmed that gamers can play through the game in upwards of four different times -- assuming the role of a different character each time.
 
Additionally, there will be a total of 21 different weapons and each will be equipped with secondary fire ability. Grenades, mini-guns, rocket launchers, pistols, and other such weaponry is but a few of the available firearms and there will be at least five "fixed-position" weapons.
 
Described as a cross between SOCOM and Halo, Killzone will also utilize a health meter eerily similar to Master Chief's hit point shield. Whenever damage isn't being taken, it gradually fills back up again.
 
Scheduled for a late 2004 release, Killzone has indeed come into the public eye. Though details on its purported online and multiplayer mode have yet to be released, they're gossiped to be some of the most impressive options the PS2 has yet seen. If the features can live up to all the hype that's surrounding the single player game, however, our social lives could be in trouble.

http://gamesradar.msn.co.uk/news/d [...] pagetype=2
 
While Sony today revealed the first basic details of their FPS, we've got the full lowdown courtesy of Edge  
 
 
Sony have today finally released the first official details of the highly-touted PS2 shooter Killzone. However, we can exclusively reveal a host of additional information courtesy of Edge magazine.
 
The game is squad-based and, although players only control one character, three more will provide covering fire. Each character boasts different abilities (one is handy with heavy weapons, for instance, while another specialises in stealth) and you'll be able to play through the game four times - each time with a separate character. Developers Guerrilla say that this will give the player different challenges and experiences.
 
There will be a total of 21 weapons in the game - each of which will also have a secondary fire function - including rocket-launchers, grenades, mini-guns and missile-launchers. In addition, there will be at least five fixed-position weapons.  
 
The player's heath meter works in a way similar to that of Master Chief's shield in Halo: whenever damage isn't being taken, it gradually returns to full health.  
 
The current version of the game already houses three playable levels set in slums, a shopping mall and a river bed. Apart from the occasional drop in frame-rate, it's looking very promising indeed. Visually, it offers some of the most detailed and aesthetically pleasing textures on PS2.  
 
Killzone's structure is set around set pieces, of which there will be around two 'memorable moments' in each of the 26 levels. Set pieces unveiled so far include a gunship dispatching several abseiling enemy troops and another based around a collapsing bridge. The game will also support full online multiplayer games, although this has yet to be seen up and running.  
 
The game, which is due to be released in autumn 2004, takes major 20th century theatres of war as its inspiration, from the trenches of the Somme to the street fighting of Stalingrad to the guerrilla warfare of Vietnam.  
 
Set in the near future, in a period of planetary colonisation, it revolves around a savage conflict between forces that are still loyal to Earth (the ISA) and a separatist, militaristic faction who call themselves the Helghast. The game follows your squad of four soldiers on a suicidal mission behind enemy lines, as they fight to undermine and defeat the Helghast forces following their devastating Blitzkrieg attack on the human colony.  
 
Adds Edge, "As the game takes place in the near future, you won't find any laser guns, aliens or warp holes. 'We wanted to come up with our own epic war,' says [commercial director at Guerrilla] Martin de Ronde. 'However, we drew inspiration from many 20th century conflicts because we wanted everything to be recognisable. To have weapons that fire green blobs may look nice as a special effect but it takes away from the gratifying aspects of war.'"  
 
For the full, exclusive Killzone feature, check out the September issue of Edge. Subscribers will be receiving their copies today (1 August) while the issue will be in shops from Wednesday 6 August.

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=52793
 
After months of net speculation about the title, which is being hyped to high heaven with a Halo on top in some quarters, Sony has finally announced that Amsterdam-based Guerrilla (formerly Lost Boys) is beavering away on a PS2 exclusive shooter called Killzone.
 
Killzone is evidently a very pretty shooter, or so the two screenshots Sony distributed seem to suggest. Let's call them crates and troopers. 'Crates' shows us that the game is capable of some very nice lighting effects, a decent draw distance and lots of detail - certainly more than the average PS2 owner is used to - and 'troopers', if it hasn't been touched up or isn't a CG moment or something, demonstrates a nice depth of field effect, and an almost Source engine-esque level of detail on the individual soldiers' uniforms.
 
We're told it's a single player game with a squad management element, in which four troopers from the Earth loyalist group ISA are sent on a "suicide mission" behind the lines of a separatist, militaristic faction called Helghast, which just struck humanity with a blitzkrieg-like attack.
 
We're also told that it has "full online gameplay", and that it draws inspiration from major 20th century theatres of war, from the trenches of the Somme past the street fighting of Stalingrad and into the jungles of Vietnam, and that it's "very much a war game where you are at the centre of a totally immersive experience".
 
Undoubtedly Killzone will reveal more of itself sometime closer to its Q3 2004 European release date, but to our minds this announcement is surprisingly low-key for a game that's being treated with reverence usually reserved for the likes of Doom, Halo and Half-Life.

http://uk.playstation.com/news/new [...] nktype=MPC
 
Killzone finally breaks cover. See the screens, read the details and start psyching yourself up for the most explosive shooter on PS2.  
 
Finally, the phoney war is over. For over a year now we've been sworn to secrecy. Forced to bite our lips as the rumour mill went into overdrive. As far back as April last year, we knew that Guerilla Games (then known as Lost Boys Games) was working on an apparently groundbreaking shooter with the working title of Kin. Today we can confirm that the game is very much a reality. It's called Killzone. We've seen it. And it looks like the absolute bomb.  
 
Killzone is set in the near future. Mankind is busy colonising the galaxy when a vicious interplanetary war breaks out between the ISA (which is still loyal to Earth) and a militaristic faction know as the Helghast. Despite the sci-fi premise, we aren't expecting to see any outlandish aliens scampering across the battlefield. Killzone is based on 20th-century warfare, and the term itself refers to a tactic used to force enemies into an area where they can be easily wiped out.  
 
The single-player game tells the story of four ISA soldiers who are operating deep behind enemy lines on a near suicidal mission. It's thought that the game begins in the immediate aftermath of a devastating Helghast attack. Earlier this year OPS2 was shown a video of in-game action which seemed to confirm that the game will start with your squad trapped in a killzone. From what we've seen you're pinned down in a derelict building and surrounded by the Helghast. To make matters considerably worse, more stormtroopers abseil in from the Aliens-style dropship hovering overhead. Within seconds the bullets are flying and jaws are dropping.  
 
What really looks impressive about Killzone though - other than the teeth-rattling bark of the assault rifles and the lush, richly detailed environments - is the sense of being caught in the middle of a massive conflict. We watched soldiers wading through shallow rivers, coshing each other with rifle butts (just wait until you see the glorious reload animation as you slap another magazine in) and manning fixed machine gun emplacements. Oh, and the sniper scope looks particularly creamy, as do the diffuse lighting effects, originally pioneered by Ico.  
 
As for the visuals, there are several cinematic influences, with Starship Troopers and, inevitably, Aliens being the most obvious. Certainly the body armour worn by the ISA soldiers is instantly reminiscent of James Cameron's bug hunting epic. The gritty style also suggests the art team at Guerilla has been watching a lot of Black Hawk Down. We also reckon there must be a 2000AD fan at the Netherlands-based developer because there definitely seems to be a hint of Rogue Trooper too.  
 
As far as multiplayer modes go, there's no official word yet, but you can probably guess why we're so excited. You can expect a barrage of info on the game between now and its release. But for now, gaze at the first ever genuine screenshots. You're looking at the future.  
 
*Killzone will be released next year through Sony.

Jusque là peu prolixe quant au contenu de leur prochain titre, les têtes pensantes du studio Lost Boys nous en apprennent, aujourd?hui, un peu plus, sur le très ambitieux Killzone.  
 
Développée à Amsterdam, et disposant d?un mode « online », cette exclusivité PS2 aura pour source d?inspiration, ni plus ni moins que les lieux théâtres des grandes guerres du vingtième siècles ; au premier rang desquels figurent, les tranchées de la Somme, la guerilla du Vietnam, mais aussi les affrontements urbains tenus à Stalingrad. En ce sens, Killzone constituera, avant tout, un jeu de guerre, tout en prenant le pari d?immerger le joueur, au coeur même des affrontements ; et ce, afin de constituer une toute nouvelle expérience.  
 
En outre, d?un point de vue purement scénaristique, ce soft nous plongera dans un futur proche ; période à laquelle il est d?ailleurs question de colonisation planétaire. Pour faire court, l?intrigue du « soft » s?articulera donc autour d?un conflit ; querelle mettant aux prises les forces du ISA, toujours loyales à la Terre, à celle d?une faction indépendantiste, se faisant appeler Helghast. Dans ce contexte, il nous faudra suivre le parcours héroïque d?un groupe de quatre soldats, partis, sans peur, à l?assaut des lignes ennemies. Dans quel but ? Tout simplement empêcher le fameux groupuscule de perpétrer une guerre-éclair, face aux colonies humaines.  
 
Un synopsis alléchant au demeurant, et qui, en fin de compte, pourrait bien être propice à moult rebondissements. Bien sûr, disposer de telles bases n?est certainement pas une raison pour en délaisser son « gameplay » ; un secteur qui, lui non plus, ne devrait pas décevoir. Ainsi, il nous sera possible de prendre, au choix, le contrôle, de l?un des soldats, plongé, tous comme ses collègues, dans une atmosphère chaotique. Chemin faisant, nos comparses devront apprendre à coopérer ; autant dire, qu?une fois sous les balles, cette vertu fera partie intégrante de la jouabilité. Ajoutez à cela quelques 21 armes, et vous comprendrez aisément que lesdites empoignades ne devraientt pas manquer de piquant  
 
Tout un programme, et si autant de bonnes intentions ne peuvent qu?être saluées ; on attendra, avant tout, de voir si elles se verront servies par un travail de qualité. Si, sur ce point, le doute plane, soyez sûrs d?une chose, nous vous reparlerons très prochainement de ce projet. Allez? patience?  
 

SInon cest effectivement bo pour de la Ps2