Post-respawn jaunts to most mission objectives can quickly become dull in The Park and The Penthouse maps, but it’s not too long before players need to start shooting in any given scenario. Map variety is good enough to last most players through to the first batch of DLC, and the wide and empty maps are as much an asset in group play as they are a detriment in single-player. Multiplayer is definitely Shadow Fall’s chief attraction, and it has the balance and variety to back that up. It throws a bit of a screwball against the rather standard difficulty curve, but it remains an optional accessory throughout most of the game, beyond a few mandatory zip-lines. Far more responsive than I expected, the OWL droid becomes an excuse to add a bit more strategy to all of the running and gunning. Swiping along the four primary directions turns the droid into a zip-line, a one-way shield, an attack decoy, or an EMP blast, and this is by far Shadow Fall’s most interesting addition to the Killzone’s single-player campaign. Brief exploratory segments in zero gravity also refreshingly changes up the pace between gunfights.Įnlisting as Shadow Marshall Kellan also equips players with an OWL droid, a utility bot controlled largely through the PS4 controller’s touchpad. Multitiered missions objectives are more a method to showcase the size of the various areas and levels than anything else, although you will spend a pleasurable half hour early on finding higher and higher places from which to use your zip line. Movement in and out of cover is as smooth as ever as well. The expected arsenal of rifles, shotguns, handguns, and explosives returns, with the hyped assault/sniper rifle hybrid being more useful as a crowd-control weapon you can’t swap out for other guns (too bad it’s not more versatile). remains competent if not particularly clever, and mercifully, they are still the least prone to grenade spamming than the baddies from comparable shooters. While the first half of the campaign is a collection of straightforward shootouts, it’s not too long before more varied level layouts and less straight-forward enemies bring back the level of polish that has come to be expected of the Killzone series. ![]() Image Credit: Sony Computer Entertainment America The audio design’s flaws are minimal and often hidden well enough to the side, leaving a prominent, booming orchestra of destruction at the forefront.Ī showcase for Killzone’s technical strengths The voice acting ranges from passionate and precise from the lead cast and audio logs to disingenuous and stunted in background conversations. ![]() Rain effects can go from barely audible to nonexistent depending on the scene, but mechanical groans and shattering glass produce an admirable effect. The sound is also a high point, with background noise ranging from muffled conversations to explosions with equal depth. The filtered lighting effects in both indoor and outdoor environments, the strong and solid shadows, and the glimmer of wet roads or grated walkways sell the idea of “next-gen visuals” better than any press release has before. Areas are cluttered almost to the point of interfering with gunfight visibility, and loose papers and crates flutter and scoot along the floor with a believable weight. The combination can be truly stunning most of the time. ![]() The early levels burst with lighting dancing through treetops and rushing rivers, placing most of the action near a skybox or massive overlook of a city to emphasize the effect. ![]() NPCs shout orders at you next to the open side of a military aircraft flying over the pristine metropolises of Vetka, star Lucas Kellan’s home planet, just as they deliver impassioned speeches on rising cargo lifts conveniently astride the most gorgeously devastated portions of Helghan, former home of the enemy Helghast army. Guerrilla Games’ in-house Umbra3 engine is put to some serious stress tests here, with a story packed with explosions and scenic vistas. Like most set-piece-based shooters released over the past five years, Shadow Fall knows exactly how gorgeous it can be.
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