Killzone is long overdue a comeback - do it Sony, you cowards

Sony, it’s about time you brought back the Killzone series already. So what are you waiting for? You cowards!

Developed by Guerrilla Games, the studio now known for the Horizon series, when the original Killzone was released for the PlayStation 2 in 2004 it was infamously dubbed the “Halo killer”. It was Sony’s attempt to place its stronghold in the FPS genre, to not only take on Microsoft’s Halo: Combat Evolved, but also offer an alternative to the upstart Call of Duty and Medal of Honor.

Check out the Killzone trilogy trailer below!

In stark reality, Killzone didn't even get close to being the “Halo killer” that both Sony and its legion of fans had hoped. Let’s also not forget that during this generation, Sony was a market leader in the world of consoles, with Microsoft being the new kid on the block and Halo: Combat Evolved being its shiny new toy.

At launch, Killzone received mixed reviews. Despite being an intriguing contender to Halo: Combat Evolved, Killzone suffered from framerate issues, bland-grey visuals, and overly awkward controls. On Metacritic, it scored 70 from critics and 7.4 from users. Yet, killing the Nazi-inspired villains collectively known as the Helghast was a lot of fun for the most part. Sure, the original game might not have been a massive critical success, but it most certainly helped set the foundation for what was to come.

By the time the series arrived on PlayStation 3, it was in a much better state and fans were finally getting a taste of its potential with Killzone 2 and Killzone 3 releasing in 2009 and 2011 respectively. In particular, Killzone 3 offered a vibrant cinematic campaign, tight FPS gameplay, lovely visuals as well as a reasonably compelling multiplayer.

So when Killzone: Shadow Fall was released in 2013 as a PlayStation 4 launch title, expectations were through the roof and fans hoped that the promise of this game once dubbed a ‘Halo killer’ nearly ten years prior would finally be the culmination of everything that came before. Unfortunately, Killzone: Shadow Fall fell way below the expectations of fans and critics alike.

Sony/Guerrilla Games (Killzone: Shadow Fall)

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed my time with Killzone: Shadow Fall. Its campaign was somewhat fun, there wasn't all that much wrong with its gameplay, it certainly looked stunning and arguably still holds up today and its multiplayer was decent. Yet, I can’t quite pinpoint it exactly, but it was missing that spark and its once upward trajectory had seemingly halted.

To end the series with Killzone: Shadow Fall is a saddening prospect, and while the series isn't entirely dead, it’s a worrying sign for fans that the last game arrived nearly a decade ago. Looking from the outside in, it does seem that both Sony and Guerrilla Games are reluctant to revive this series. If there was ever a Sony property in desperate need of a remake or reboot, it's Killzone. Until such time as a revival is announced, the Killzone series will remain a property that promised so much, but fell just short of its true potential.

Topics: Sony, PlayStation, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Guerrilla Games