Killzone Has the Opportunity to Make PlayStation a Prominent FPS Publisher Once Again
Once dubbed the “Halo killer,” Killzone was the gritty sci-fi shooter that thrust players into a brutal conflict between the peoples of Helghan and Vekta and put PlayStation’s first-party FPS ambitions on the map. While the original Killzone for the PlayStation 2 launched to middling reviews and financial success, Killzone 2 on the PlayStation 3 was The Wrath of Khan to the original’s Star Trek: The Motion Picture. I know, my geek is showing. But my point is that these are both instances where the sequel is unmistakably an incredibly crafted work that wildly overshadows its mediocre predecessor. And while Halo is still going strong, Killzone’s incredible legacy has exposed the existing void it left behind in the PlayStation first-party lineup.
It’s strange to think that for an entire console generation (PS3), Sony had actually established itself as a serious purveyor of first-person shooters with the Killzone and Resistance properties alone. Both series found success among PlayStation fans. Though, after developer Guerrilla’s hard shift over to the Horizon series, the lights from these two FPS franchises have since faded. Following the release of Killzone: Shadowfall, which was a launch title for the PS4 in 2013, PlayStation hasn’t even so much as flirted with a focused, single-player first-person shooter. But that all could change with the latest rumblings of a Killzone revival in the works.
A Return To Killzone Seems Imminent
Earlier this month, MP1st reported a claim that PlayStation has a new Killzone game in production. Reportedly, the game is in the early stages of development and could likely still be a few years away. With Guerrilla still busy with the Horizon franchise, they are not developing this potentially new era of Killzone. While the studio behind the series is currently unknown, the report indicates that it will be a contracted developer outside of Sony’s first-party options. People Can Fly (Bulletstorm, Gears of War Judgment) is suspected to be the developer tapped for the project, though there is no official confirmation. Guerrilla will allegedly be offering support and guidance, but will have no hand in actually creating the final product.
This is great news for both fans of the series and for those hopeful that Sony will finally break free from its 13+ year status as a third-person action-only platform, at least as far as first-party offerings are concerned. At this stage, Killzone would feel fresh and new, even if the original PS2 title were to be remade from the ground up. It’s a perfect way to re-engage Sony’s interest in a genre beyond its established PS4/PS5 action-adventure comfort zone.
Killzone Could Be the Start of Something Bigger for Sony
The best way for Sony to dip its toes back into the proverbial FPS pond is by using a familiar, well-established IP like Killzone. After all, Sony is likely a little gun-shy (no pun intended) given the great Concord failure and the struggles Sony and Bungie have endured fiscally with the performance of Destiny 2 and Marathon. The best way to test the waters is to bring a tried-and-true franchise back into the fold.
Now the key is for Sony to simply let Killzone be Killzone. With a potential new title (or remake/reboot) in the works, it’s important for both the development team and Sony to understand what made Killzone so attractive to fans to begin with. The games of the past should absolutely inform the future. We don’t need more Call of Duty. And we certainly don’t need another Halo. Killzone took on its own identity, and that should not be compromised. If this is done well, a new Killzone title can absolutely succeed. And if that happens, we could see Sony experiment further with the FPS genre beyond Killzone. This is the future that I believe many PlayStation fans have been longing for. The Last of Us, God of War, Uncharted, Spider-Man, Ratchet & Clank, and all the other third-person action-adventure titles are great. But Sony shouldn’t recoil from its recent failures and remain “safe.” I truly believe that fans want more.
So, What Makes Killzone So Great?
Killzone truly is an incredible series with a fascinating narrative foundation. The world of Killzone centers around the conflict between the Helghast and the ISA, two factions of humanity that colonized two very different planets. Over years of astropolitical turmoil and war, many fled the ISA (Interplanetary Strategic Alliance) and its hold over several colonies, including the Earth-like planet Vekta. These people alongside the remnants of a corporation mining an inhospitable planet named Helghan, attempted to survive on the planet. While many died, others survived and, over generations, mutated and adapted to the harsh Helghan climate. The Helghast Empire would eventually be established with a militaristic goal. Helghan soldiers would don trench coats, dome-like helmets, and carry flags with the Imperial symbol in stark red, white, and black hues clearing evoking the despotic Nazi regime. The hatred that has brewed between the Helghast and the ISA has fueled a conflict that will never cease. Killzone lore is rich and extensive, which heightened the intrigue fans had for the games in the series.
Unlike the fast, frenetic action of Call of Duty, Killzone gave its characters a weighty feel in combat. This was deliberate to simulate the real weight of movement with all of the gear, armor, and physics at play. Believe it or not, critics and fans alike praised this choice as it made Killzone a different beast altogether. It gave this sci-fi epic a raw appeal. The weapons in Killzone often felt potent and impactful. There was a satisfaction to the shooting animations coupled with the audio that many other first-person shooters haven’t been able to replicate. This “hard” design of the weaponry felt like an extension of the weighty movement mechanics. My favorite Killzone gameplay feature was the ability to lean into cover, move alongside it, and peek out of the side or from the top to fire. Many shooters use some type of cover system. But this version, from the player’s first-person perception, mimicked the very act of taking cover and trying to find that opening. Everything about Killzone felt immersive. It’s perhaps the series’ best quality.
I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to see PlayStation leave the last decade behind and bring back an FPS that feels distinctly its own. At the end of the day, gaming fans want to be delighted and surprised. We don’t want the same hero-shooter rehash or another game-as-a-service that will have a 50/50 chance of survival. Just give us something different. If these reports are to be believed, Sony is on the way to doing just that. And I truly wish for the best possible outcome when Killzone sees the light of day once again in the next few years.