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Killzone 2: Unlocking the Power of the PS3

The team behind Killzone 2 released a trailer at E3 2005 which created a lot of hype for the game, but the programmers on the project did not disappoint. The sequel to Killzone is even better than the first, packed with stunning graphics, great online interaction, and a fun-filled campaign to play through. If you’re looking for a First-Person Shooter to waste time on, this is the game to get.

The Killzone 2 team took advantage of the PS3′s fantastic Cell Broadband Engine, which is essentially 8 small computers packed into one chip. This allows for each small “computer” in the chip to focus on separate things, such as Artificial Intelligence or Physics, which creates a parallel programming effect. This use of the PS3′s CBE makes the game intelligent, smooth, and fun to play.

The team also used a rendering technique called Deferred Rendering, where you separate drawing the geometry from drawing the lighting. They started out drawing the entire screen, an unlit version of a scene, and added the lights in later. This allowed the team to do more shadow casting, search lights, and more interactive content. Without this effect, Killzone 2 would have looked like a completely different game.

So what did Killzone 2 accomplish in the future of gaming? Their game is a lot more interactive than those you see on the market today. The AI are smarter, and the environment is more reactive to what’s happening in the gameplay. The next step in the world of gaming is to have completely interactive environments, where things can be knocked over, moved, etc.

Killzone 2 definitely takes a step in the direction of interactivity, but there’s a lot more to come in the future. All in all, if you’re looking for a great looking game with fun gameplay and astonishing graphics, pick this one up.

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