It's hard not to get caught up with the furore surrounding Killzone 2, with the raving Sony vs. Microsoft fanboy-ism and some suspiciously ornate-looking screenshots from early in development causing unnecessary friction (and very welcome publicity). It's a game with much weight on its shoulders for many reasons - but how does it actually play?

Upon booting up Killzone 2 for the first time, it's equally as hard not to simply get carried away by the visuals. Apparently there is a story tucked away somewhere but noticing it soon becomes a problem when, instead of listening to your fellow allies, you are too busy ogling the gorgeous scenery. It really is mesmerisingly beautiful... wait... what was I saying? Oh yes... the story. You take on the role of Sev, an Interplanetary Strategic Alliance Sergeant, who is a part of the counter attack on planet Helghan, the distant home world of the Helghast. Along with his Alpha Squad buddies, Sev is on a mission behind enemy lines to secure the capital of Pyrrhus. At this point you'd be forgiven for a few pre-emptive grumblings about how clichéd this all sounds but before you get the chance, the game throws you into the thick of it - and, unsurprisingly, that's where Killzone 2 performs at its best.

Things start off at a leisurely pace when you are introduced to your overtly-macho, soldier stereotype buddies and undertake your first objective. Progressing in a linear fashion, with a point-to-point, A to C via B approach, Sev and his foul-mouthed cohort (you'll soon see why!) dredge deeper into the hostile Helghan wastelands. This linearity never really wanes throughout the game's duration and, when coupled with a curious lack of variety in enemy types, is more than a little worrying at first. Fortunately, the game cleverly avoids monotony, largely due to its interesting and varied level design, with many areas feeling a lot larger than they actually are. Additionally, the AI is well above par, with the few brands of Helghast that you do meet proving to be worthy and purposeful adversaries who utilise their surroundings well to eke out any advantage - ducking, diving, flanking and even pulling a knife and charging at you, should they feel desperate. So, whilst you might be fighting your thousandth Helghast soldier, the chances are that he's behaving quite differently to the last and generally doing well to avoid the usual 'hiding behind a crate only occasionally popping up to reel off a few shots' routine that many similar shooters tend to fall prey to.

Sadly, the same can't be said for your allies, who seem to prefer standing out in the open, shouting things like "come on, take them!" and, perhaps most amusingly, "find some cover Sev!" before keeling over in a hail of bullets. When they do fall, it's your job to resuscitate them by means of an electric gun - but fear not, they will no doubt repay your generosity shortly after by standing in your way and getting you killed. And when you do go down, they won't return the favour. In seriousness though, this is an acceptable decision, requiring you instead to simply spawn back at the nearest checkpoint - just don't rely on your allies in a fraught situation. The way they act isn't the only problem, either; although suitably gruff and macho at first, their use of expletives soon begins to grate - the idiom 'swearing like a trooper' doesn't quite cover it. Should all of these four letter words have been replaced with meaningful dialogue then the game experience would probably have been better for it, perhaps allowing you to appreciate the characters more and really drive the plot forwards, rather than leaving it fleeting overhead.

But did I mention the graphics? It's hard to write at length about Killzone 2 without taking some time to rave about the way it looks. For a game that involves primarily battling across grimy, rusting, industrialised wastelands, it looks astonishing. Each area is brought to life with razor sharp detail and barely a jagged edge to be seen. It has an almost impervious atmospheric quality throughout, with the hostile Helghan climate of near continuous wind, rain and lightning only worsened by the shouting of comrades, foreboding musical score and perpetual cracking of gunfire. Interiors are naturally a little less impressive but avoid generality with appealing lighting effects and, of course, keeping you busy with the ups and downs of their design. Enemies look bold and are easily spotted in the darkest, dankest corridor thanks to the deep orange glow of their goggles. As console games go, Killzone 2 really has that 'wow factor' the first time you see it in motion, an experience whose impact I can only liken to the original Gears of War.

It's not just about looks though; Killzone 2 controls well, too - at least once you get used to its system. As with many platform exclusives, it has a tailor made control system, but it lacks that punch and responsiveness of the likes of Resistance 2. Instead, the game adopts a more 'realistic' and weighty approach to movement, one that, following the recently released demo, gave many gamers cause for concern. It certainly does take some getting used to but at the same time it adds quite a lot to the unique feel of the game, tying in well with the atmospheric qualities already mentioned. There is a great 'lean and peek' cover system too, which is thankfully entirely first person, allowing you to fire from relative safety without breaking the flow of the game, which, incidentally, is dictated by another great device: the waypoint system. A single press of the up button on the d-pad reveals the rough direction in which you should be headed; a welcome addition with the diverse and unobvious terrain that a Helghan battlefield can present.

The selection of weapons is refined without being limiting but it's also strangely terrestrial, considering the futuristic setting, with good old fashioned bullet firing sniper rifles, sub machine guns and shotguns. The exception is the ridiculously powerful lightning gun that you encounter in the second half of the game, which can clear an entire area in no time at all. As with many other modern FPS games, you can only carry one main weapon, with a sturdy pistol at the ready if you find yourself out of ammunition. Perhaps the most curious addition is that of a knife, which seems a little redundant given the time that it takes to equip it when you can simply slam your enemies around the head with the butt of your gun.

Few first person shooters can survive on the merits of their single player alone though (with BioShock and Half-Life 2 proving notable exceptions) and here we are with an incredible game engine, a fresh graphical look and a futuristic setting, all of which is more than suitable for a superb multiplayer experience. In fact, despite the solidarity of its single player campaign, the importance of Killzone 2's multiplayer, named Warzone, can't be overstated; this is after all a game about shooting first and asking questions later.

One thing that immediately stands out is the alternating game types within a single match. The host can choose one or more of these types from a pool of five, from a straightforward deathmatch-style Bodycount mode (where the team with the most kills wins the round) to Capture and Hold or Assassination. While relatively run of the mill at their core, each mode's objectives are incorporated into the maps well and seamlessly flow between each, with no pause in the action. Naturally, Killzone 2's multiplayer inherits the rest of the game's chief characteristics, though some translate better than others. It's apparent that little compromise has been made with regards to the visuals, which remain as effortless as they are stunning. Grenades explode with vigour and send unsuspecting players flying with the same satisfying ragdoll physics as witnessed in single player, and should you meet an enemy at a blind corner in a dimly lit corridor then there's the refreshing touch of telltale shadows to add both an additional glint of realism and the need for tactical consideration. The lean and peek mechanic however has been chopped, in order to help avoid any tedious stalemates and lend matches a more get up and go feel; that's not to say it feels particularly fast paced though, with an enforced nine-second respawn timer and large, sprawling maps creating a slower, more teamwork-intensive experience.

Progression through the game's twelve ranks is slow but steady as you gain XP and unlock abilities, weapons and the classes themselves. There are seven reasonably well defined classes to choose from: Rifleman, Medic, Engineer, Tactician, Assault, Saboteur and Scout, each with a primary and secondary ability. While the primary abilities remain unique to each class (such as the Medic's ability to resurrect fallen teammates and the Scout's invisibility cloak), it is in fact the blending of each of the secondary abilities that makes the system truly intriguing, effectively allowing you to create your own customised class. Coupling the Assault class's primary body armour with a Medic's health packs result in the perfect front line warrior, for example, while those who like to play defence might combine the firepower of the Engineer's stationary turrets with a Tactician's air support drone. Each class has a finite selection of weapons (except the initial class, Rifleman, who trades depth for breadth), with Scouts employing their trusty sniper rifle and the Assault class's trademark rocket launcher often proving effective at breaking through enemy positions (possibly a little too effective!)

There are a few irritations; headshots seem too easy to come by, double kills are curiously common and the weighty controls feel somewhat clumsy when the cinematic single player experience is replaced by the twitchy pace and unpredictability of multiplayer, where enemies can and will attack from every angle. Are any of these criticisms enough to overshadow the multiplayer entirely? Far from it - it's just a pity that, ultimately, it doesn't play quite as good as it looks. Give Warzone a chance though and you will be rewarded with a satisfying, skill-based online mode.

In the context of other PS3 first person shooters, Killzone 2 serves as the ideal compatriot to Resistance 2, providing us with a more grown up - and arguably more polished - experience, as well as spoiling us rotten with yet more multiplayer goodness. Once you get past the graphics-induced shellshock and push the underwhelming plot to the back of your mind, there is a worthy first person shooter that simply demands to be played.

Reviewed by Martin Oddy for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).