Review: Killzone: Liberation (PSP. Guerilla Games, Sony)

Killzone was to be PS2's next big thing and exclusive killer-app. Early buzz was that it would be PS2's 'Halo-beater,' when the reality was that it was actually a very polished, competent shooter, but lamentably no Halo. On PSP, Guerrilla have scrapped the first-person perspective for an isometric, overhead view, lending the game a slower-paced, tactical bent. It works where previous PSP attempts at the FPS have failed. Efforts like Coded Arms and Medal Of Honor: Heroes have tried to map FPS controls to the PSP's face buttons and analogue nub with little success. Verdict: FPS games simply don't work on PSP, so adapting Killzone for PSP in this way proves an inspired decision and the perfect solution. For veterans of the PS2 original, its war-torn environments, weapons and characters will be instantly familiar. Also returning are the sinister, bellowing orange-goggled Helghast, led by the ruthless General Metrac. It's your job to stop Metrac and his brutal Helghan forces by any means. At your disposal are the usual ISA and Helghan weapons as well as ISA hovercrafts and Helghan tanks to pilot. Making their debut here, the vehicles are fun to control and offer an enticing glimpse of what we can expect to be driving in Killzone 2 on PS3.

Duck, hunt…
Once you get the hang of the duck and cover tactics, getting to grips with timing your offensives, knowing when to pop-up and shoot, it's then that you'll get into what Killzone: Liberation has to offer. Thinking like Patton is the key here; on occasion managing your team to the best effect and masterminding the best strategy is the crux of Liberation. Rushing headlong into a firefight, taking bullets to the chest isn't a viable option here. Using cover is integral and the only way to effectively play Liberation. Guerrilla are to be saluted for taking a gamble by transforming their FPS into an overhead third-person blaster, when conventional wisdom would have predicted PSP Killzone would be a lazy, rehashed FPS cash cow. Thankfully, it works fantastically well. The levels are well designed; the difficulty is pitched just right, making it accessible for Killzone newbies and seasoned veterans alike. Factor in the myriad of longevity-increasing extra challenges and game modes including multiplayer and Killzone: Liberation is a package that represents great value. Additionally, Liberation is well-structured, able to be played in flawlessly paced, bite-sized chunks well-suited to the PSP. Our sole criticism? Well, there has to be one. Duck, wait, rise, shoot, repeat…can sometimes get a little repetitive, however there’s almost never sustained periods where you’re doing this, which means that it rarely, if ever grates.
Killzone: Liberation is one of the select few titles that are truly essential for PSP and the perfect way to whet your appetite for Killzone 2 when it finally breaks cover on the PlayStation 3. Will Killzone 2 be the ‘Halo-beater’ the Sony faithful have been waiting for? Watch this space. For the time being however, Killzone: Liberation is the best way to while away the months until Killzone 2 arrives.
In the zone: 9/10