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There was recently an article posted here on N4G that Killzone 3 has been selling less than what Killzone 2 (KZ2) did around its launch date ( http://n4g.com/news/729292/... While the validity of the exact numbers can be disputed at this point, the general statement is likely true.
So this is where the main point of my blog comes in, but first a little background. I bought Killzone 2 a little late in its lifespan (the summer of 2010) and thoroughly enjoyed the single-player and its gritty presentation and graphical prowess. But of course, the hook of most FPSs these days is the multiplayer. I can easily say that while I don’t spend much time with it anymore, it’s one of my favorite multiplayer FPSs. The main draw for me was the nature of the controls. Some called it sluggish, but I relished at the opportunity to master my skills and best my opponents. It truly took practice and skill to down enemies. The semi-realistic recoil and bullet spread encouraged burst firing over long distances, as opposed to the ability to full-auto an assault rifle across a map and kill a player instantly (Call of Duty). Even, in my opinion, the most noob-friendly weapon ever conceived, the shotgun, took precision and care.
That being said, I very much looked forward to the Killzone 3 public beta (really a demo). I was impressed with the crisp visuals and the stealth kills were very satisfying to pull off. But of course, something near and dear to me was missing, but I knew it was coming. That’s right; the weighty feel that many bashed the game for had been nerfed. I don’t know about you guys, but that weight for me was a signature of Killzone 2. It added much to that sense of brutality that made the title so deserved – Killzone. I appreciate Guerilla Games’ (GG) efforts to appease the community, but I feel this was also their biggest fault. I very much do believe that this was a vain attempt to appeal to a larger crowd and thus, boost sales. But what’s this? It apparently has not.
It seems the very people who whined and complained about the “problems” of Killzone 2 didn’t even come back for the third entry, despite GG’s willingness to “fix” the game for them. So what did this essentially do? For gamers like me – those who appreciated the masterpiece that was KZ2 and dedicated time and practice to the game are met with (if you’ll pardon my phrasing) noobified gameplay. I do understand that GG tried to find the best of both worlds with KZ3, but to me, it was a transparent attempt to bring in the ADD kids who couldn’t be bothered with playing and learning how to play a game that’s actually different from the rest.
I’m not bashing Killzone 3. I thought the demos were fun and still contained that visceral violence that the series has become known for. But I can’t keep myself from thinking: How long will it be until developers stop trying to appease people who don’t even appreciate the work they put into their games? How long will it be until developers are confident enough in their product to stand up and identify the true fans and stop stressing over the random people who trash the game just because it doesn’t play the way they demand it to? Developers, please take note of this. Any true Killzone 2 fan would know that the weight was the icing on a beautiful product, and it certainly could have had a place in the already-great Killzone 3.
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