''Killzone 3'' is a 2011
first-person shooter
First-person shooter (FPS) is a sub-genre of shooter video games centered on gun and other weapon-based combat in a first-person perspective, with the player experiencing the action through the eyes of the protagonist and controlling the pl ...
video game for the
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
, developed by
Guerrilla Games
Guerrilla B.V. (trade name: Guerrilla Games) is a Dutch First-party developer, first-party video game developer based in Amsterdam and part of PlayStation Studios. The company was founded as Lost Boys Games in January 2000 through the merger of ...
and published by
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), formerly known as Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), is a multinational video game and digital entertainment company wholly owned by multinational conglomerate Sony. The SIE Group is made up of two legal co ...
. It is the fourth installment in the
''Killzone'' series, the first game in the series to be presented in
stereoscopic 3D
Stereoscopy (also called stereoscopics, or stereo imaging) is a technique for creating or enhancing the illusion of depth in an image by means of stereopsis for binocular vision. The word ''stereoscopy'' derives . Any stereoscopic image is ...
, and the first to include motion controls using the
PlayStation Move
is a motion game controller developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Initially released in 2010 for use with the PlayStation 3 home video game console, its compatibility was later expanded to its successor, the PlayStation 4 in 2013, its Pla ...
. It is a direct sequel to ''
Killzone 2
''Killzone 2'' is a 2009 first-person shooter developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the second main installment in the ''Killzone'' series, following 2004's ''Killzone''.
Similar ...
''. It was released worldwide in February 2011
to positive reviews.
Plot
In the climax of ''Killzone 2'', Emperor Scolar Visari is assassinated by ISA forces, triggering a full-scale attack by the Helghan First Army. Overwhelmed, ISA commanders order a full withdrawal, leaving thousands of their own soldiers to die on Helghan. With the Helghast now driven to seek revenge for Visari's death, the survivors must join forces to find a way home.
Story
After failing to save Visari's life, Sgt. Tomas Sevchenko and Rico Velasquez regroup with Captain Jason Narville outside the imperial palace. With Helghan cruisers preparing to attack their fleet, they are forced to fight their way through the ruins of Pyrrhus, sacrificing most of their remaining armor and manpower in order to reach an
extraction point
In military tactics, extraction (also exfiltration or exfil) is the process of removing personnel when it is considered imperative that they be immediately relocated out of a hostile environment and taken to an area either occupied or controlle ...
near the edge of the city. Admiral Orlock, commander of the First Army, is pressured by Jorhan Stahl, the chairman of arms manufacturer Stahl Arms, to either ensure the total destruction of the ISA or turn over control of the army to him. Meanwhile, Rico receives a transmission from Jammer, a sniper whose platoon has been cut off by the Helghast. Against Narville's orders, he goes to assist them. The rest of the force attempts to link up with the fleet, but enemy interference leads to several ships being shot down, forcing the remainder to leave without Narville's men.
Six months later, Stahl calls for a vote in the Helghan Imperial Senate to remove Orlock for incompetence, but his request is denied. Furious, Stahl ends his company's cooperation with the First Army and organizes his personal guard to hunt down the ISA, who have set up a base in a remote jungle near one of their destroyed cruisers. While working to restore the base's communication uplink, the soldiers learn that the UCN has agreed to a ceasefire with the Helghast, effectively abandoning them. The transmission is intercepted by Stahl's men, who subsequently attack the camp and kill everyone aside from Tomas and Narville, who are taken captive.
Rico and Jammer's platoon, now calling themselves the Raiders, ambush the convoy and free Tomas. They carry out several attacks against Helghan facilities in the area, eventually reaching the main campus of Stahl Arms. Learning that Stahl plans to publicly execute Narville, Tomas and Rico don Helghast uniforms and rescue him and his fellow prisoners. Accessing the company's mainframe, they discover that Stahl has built his own armada armed with weapons powered by irradiated Petrusite, powerful enough to tear living organisms apart. Believing himself to be Visari's rightful successor, Stahl intends to win the favor of Helghan by conquering Earth itself.
Fed up with Stahl's arrogance, the senate grants Orlock the title of Autarch, giving him Visari's throne instead. Stahl is ordered to surrender his ships to the First Army's fleet above Helghan so they may be used to attack Earth. The ISA comes under attack from a massive Helghan assault mech, and though they manage to defeat it, their numbers are reduced to just 60 men. Nevertheless, they deactivate the perimeter defenses around Pyrrhus's spaceport, allowing them to access the imperial orbit command center.
Aware of Orlock's plans to murder him after securing his weapons, Stahl double-crosses and kills him before launching an attack on the First Army, giving the ISA a desperately needed opening to steal several Helghast transports. Stahl orders his flagship to
warp
Warp, warped or warping may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Books and comics
* WaRP Graphics, an alternative comics publisher
* ''Warp'' (First Comics), comic book series published by First Comics based on the play ''Warp!''
* Warp (comics), a ...
to Earth, but Tomas manages to destroy its warp coil, causing the ship to plummet towards Helghan's surface. A direct nuclear strike ordered by Narville obliterates the vessel, causing it to drop its Petrusite arsenal on Helghan. The resulting fallout destroys what remains of the Helghast, leading Tomas to comment on how many innocent lives must have perished as a result of their actions. With the war over, the last of the ISA returns to Vekta.
Around the same time, two Helghast soldiers recover an escape pod from Stahl's ship. Though the occupant's identity is not revealed, it is implied that Stahl is still alive, which is confirmed by the sequel.
Characters
*
Andrew Bowen as Sergeant Tomas 'Sev' Sevchenko. The main protagonist, Sev, along with Rico and Narville, lead the resistance against the Helghans.
*Charles Everett as Sergeant Ricardo 'Rico' Velasquez. Rico, along with Sev and Narville, helps lead the resistance against the Helghans and forms his own squad with Jammer, the Raiders, while stranded for six months on Helghan after being separated from Sev and the other ISA forces.
*
James Remar
William James Remar (born December 31, 1953) is an American actor. He has played numerous roles over a 40 year career, most notably Ajax in '' The Warriors'' (1979), Albert Ganz in ''48 Hrs.'' (1982), Dutch Schultz in '' The Cotton Club'' (1984 ...
as Captain Jason Narville of the stranded ISA forces on Helghan.
*
Brian Cox as Scolar Visari. The dead Autarch of Helghan. Though absent in the game, he is seen and speaks during the intro (as in every game) in a scene which occurred before the nuclear explosion during ''Killzone 2''.
*
Ray Winstone
Raymond Andrew Winstone (; born 19 February 1957) is an English television, stage and film actor with a career spanning five decades. Having worked with many prominent directors, including Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, Winstone is perha ...
as Admiral Orlock. One of the two main antagonists, Orlock is the hot-tempered and strict
commander in chief of the Helghan military and soon becomes its autarch.
*
Malcolm McDowell
Malcolm McDowell (born Malcolm John Taylor; 13 June 1943) is a British actor, producer, and television presenter. He is best known for portraying Alex DeLarge in ''A Clockwork Orange.'' He was born in the Horsforth suburb of Leeds and raised in ...
as Jorhan Brimve Stahl. One of the two main antagonists, Stahl is the CEO of Stahl Arms, a weapons company, he seeks to become Helghans new autarch as he believes Orlock is a nothing more than a miserable excuse of an officer. He also holds little respect for the Helghan military as he looks at the soldiers as "fat", "lazy" and "careless" oafs among other qualities.
*
La'Myia Good
La'Myia Janae Good–Bellinger (born September 27, 1979) is an American singer and actress. Good is best known for her voice work in the blockbuster PlayStation 3 game ''Killzone 3'' as the voice of Jammer and her work with R&B group Isyss. Goo ...
as Jammer. A resourceful female ISA soldier.
*
Mac Brandt
Mac Brandt is an American actor best known for his roles as C.O. Mack Andrews on the Fox crime drama ''Prison Break'' (2005–06), and as Mac Sullivan on the Audience Network sports drama '' Kingdom'' (2014–17).
He is a native of the Lombard ...
as Kowalski. An ISA soldier who helps Sev through the Kaznan Jungle.
* Mark Engelhardt as Hooper. A rookie ISA soldier who helps in take down Stahls cruiser before the nuke is dropped on it.
* Rob Brownstein as Bradshaw
Gameplay
The gameplay strongly resembles that of ''
Killzone 2
''Killzone 2'' is a 2009 first-person shooter developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the second main installment in the ''Killzone'' series, following 2004's ''Killzone''.
Similar ...
'' albeit with several tweaks and changes. Similar to the first ''
Killzone
''Killzone'' is a series of first-person shooter video games for Sony Interactive Entertainment's (SIE) video game consoles. The main series and the PlayStation Portable (PSP) installment were developed by Guerrilla Games, a subsidiary of SI ...
'', the game takes place in various harsh environments such as Arctic landscapes, a lethal alien jungle, nuclear wastelands as well as space battles rather than only the city-scape environments which were present in ''Killzone 2''. Another notable new feature is the ability to use
jet pack
A jet pack, rocket belt, or rocket pack is a device worn on the back which uses jets of gas or liquid to propel the wearer through the air. The concept has been present in science fiction for almost a century and became widespread in the 1960s. ...
s in the game, which were also used in ''
Killzone: Liberation''.
The game also features a revamped close combat melee system (called Brutal Melee) which includes new brutal melee attacks as well as the ability to string together multiple attacks in a combo. A new weapon called the WASP has also been added, which acts as a multi-firing rocket launcher firing in spiral formation.
Multiplayer
Online multiplayer of ''Killzone 3'' supports three different game modes: Guerilla Warfare, Warzone, and Operations. "Guerilla Warfare" is a classic team death match style game that supports up to 16 players per map for each map that supports this mode. "Warzone", returning from ''Killzone 2's'' multiplayer, is an objective based game (seven objectives: "Body Count", "Capture and Hold", "Search and Retrieve", and two rounds of "Assassination" and "Search and Destroy" respectively) that supports up to 24 players per map for each map that supports this mode. What sets "Warzone" apart from other games in the genre is the way that each objective is used. Rather than having each game type be its own separate mode, the objectives cycle randomly during the course of gameplay without ever interrupting the match. Each game type comes up with a timer, and when the timer ends or the objective is completed the winning team is awarded that "round" and the match continues until all 7 rounds have been completed. Each warzone match is decided in a "best of 7" manner and since players continue to play and fight for control of strategic points on the map, there is a substantial continuous metagame of territory control present throughout every match. This is exemplified further by the addition of "Tactical Spawn Areas" in Killzone 3 (a change from the spawn grenades of Killzone 2) where certain spawn locations need to be fought over and are better for some of the objectives than they are for others so a teams tacticians must decide which ones are needed for the current objective, as well as weighing the possibility of what future objectives may come up and the risk involved with capturing and maintaining them.
"Operations" is a new game mode that features cinematic scenes and supports up to 16 players per map for each map that supports this mode. In Operations, the ISA and the Helghast battle for control of specific objectives – the ISA on the offensive and the Helghast on defense. The best players are featured throughout the match in cutscenes depicting their successes.
''Killzone 3'' also supports offline split-screen co-operation for two players, which allows two players using the same console to play the campaign of ''Killzone 3'' offline. This is a feature not present in ''Killzone 2''. This is the only mode that supports offline split-screen multiplayer in ''Killzone 3''. There is also an offline multiplayer mode named 'BotZone' in which players can play against computer bots.
There are a total of eight multiplayer maps on the disk, including Corinth Highway, Pyrrhus Crater, Bilgarsk Boulevard, Turbine Concourse SE-6, Frozen Dam, Akmir Snowdrift, Mawlr Graveyard, and Kaznan Jungle. Guerilla Warfare mode is supported on the Pyrrhus Crater, Bilgarsk Boulevard, Frozen Dam, Akmir Snowdrift, and Kaznan Jungle maps. Warzone mode is supported on all maps except the Kaznan Jungle map. Operations mode is supported on the Frozen Dam, Akmir Snowdrift, and Mawlr Graveyard maps.
A new feature to ''Killzone'' multiplayer for ''Killzone 3'' is the ability to use vehicle-like mechanisms: the jet packs and Exos (each available on one game disc map respectively). The jet packs are exclusive to the Turbine Concourse SE-6 map while the Exos, as well as the WASP rocket launcher created by the Engineer, are only available on the Corinth Highway map. Another new feature is the ability to use Mortar Beacons, which can be used if a Tactician captures a tactical spawn point from which the Mortar Beacons are found. Mortar Beacons are featured on the Corinth Highway, Pyrrhus Crater, Bilgarsk Boulevard, Frozen Dam, and Mawlr Graveyard maps. Miniguns can be created by the Engineer on the Pyrrhus Crater, Bilgarsk Boulevard, and Turbine Concourse SE-6 maps. A snowstorm is featured on the Akmir Snowdrift map and a crusher (which the player can control) is featured in the Mawlr Graveyard.
There are a total of five classes for players to choose from: Marksman, Engineer, Field Medic, Tactician, and Infiltrator. Each class has his own special abilities and weapons, such as disguise for the Infiltrator or cloaking for the Marksman. Unlike ''Killzone 2'', players may choose any class from the start, however, they must earn Unlock Points to upgrade the abilities and to gain more weapons for each class (Unlock Points are awarded by ranking up). Each class's abilities can be upgraded twice, and they can unlock two additional primary weapons, one or two additional secondary weapons, and/or one heavy weapon (e.g. rocket launcher) depending on class. Other abilities, such as armor or silent footsteps, are earned based on obtaining a certain rank in multiplayer and can be used on any class. Ribbons (e.g. Faster Reload, Faster Aim, Double XP, etc.) are earned in-game based upon a certain achievement required by the ribbon and only apply to that particular match and must be re-earned each match.
The points system has also been updated where one kill equals 100 points, as opposed to one kill equaling 1 point in ''Killzone 2''. Other updates to the points system include Assist kills (25 points), destroying Bots (50 points), Explosive kills (150 points), objective based points (e.g. 600 points for completely assassinating the assassination target in Assassination), Double and Triple kills and kill streaks (3, 5, 10, etc.).
Players can purchase a standalone version of ''Killzone 3''s multiplayer from the PlayStation Store which includes all online multiplayer game modes, all original maps, and all DLC maps, as well as BotZone.
The online servers for the game were closed down on March 29, 2018.
Development
The game was unveiled by
Sony Computer Entertainment
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), formerly known as Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), is a multinational video game and digital entertainment company wholly owned by multinational conglomerate Sony. The SIE Group is made up of two legal co ...
on May 24, 2010, through the
PlayStation.Blog
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divis ...
.
The game was leaked on May 21 through an early release copy of the June issue of gaming magazine ''
GamePro
Gamepro.com is an international multiplatform video game magazine media company that covers the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software in countries such as Germany and France. The publication, GamePro, was originally la ...
'' alongside a leaked screenshot. Rumors about a new entry in the ''Killzone'' series have been around shortly after the release of ''Killzone 2''. On March 20, 2010, Sony confirmed that they were working on'' Killzone 3''. President of
Sony Computer Entertainment America
Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), formerly known as Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE), is a multinational video game and digital entertainment company wholly owned by multinational conglomerate Sony. The SIE Group is made up of two legal co ...
,
Jack Tretton
Jack Tretton is a member of the advisory boards for Genotaur, an artificial intelligence startup, and LifeApps Digital Media, a digital publisher of products and services focused on health, fitness, and sports topics. He is best known for being t ...
, confirmed its development in an interview with
GameTrailers
''GameTrailers'' (''GT'') was an American video gaming website created by Geoffrey R. Grotz and Brandon Jones in 2002. The website specialized in multimedia content, including trailers and gameplay footage of upcoming and recently released v ...
, but at that point of time could not yet say when the game would be announced.
Guerrilla's managing director, Herman Hulst, has stated ''Killzone 3'' would use close to 100% of the PlayStation 3's power. The rumors of the intervention of
Naughty Dog
Naughty Dog, LLC (formerly JAM Software, Inc.) is an American first-party video game developer based in Santa Monica, California. Founded by Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin in 1984, the studio was acquired by Sony Computer Entertainment in 2001. Gav ...
in the development were denied by Guerrilla: "Guerrilla is working on ''Killzone 3''s graphics engine all on its own, confirming Naughty Dog has no hand in its development". The first teaser trailer for the game was released on June 3 and features the new brutal melee combat system. The cinematic trailer shows Sev battling a Helghast ending with him taking the Helghast's helmet and putting it on himself. The single player demo reveals that this is part of the game as Sev and Rico dress as Helghast to infiltrate a Helghast facility at Stahl Arms.
On June 11, on Killzone.com and the U.S. PlayStation Blog, Guerrilla Games released a pre-E3 gameplay video. Guerrilla said the gameplay video is made of gameplay footage from the game's fourth mission called "Frozen Shores". At E3 2010, it was confirmed that ''Killzone 3'' would support the
PlayStation Move
is a motion game controller developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Initially released in 2010 for use with the PlayStation 3 home video game console, its compatibility was later expanded to its successor, the PlayStation 4 in 2013, its Pla ...
and would be released in February 2011. A pre-alpha code gameplay video was also shown at E3 in 3D; a special screen was lowered and the audience had 3D glasses available to them. The E3 gameplay video featured the jet packs as well as the player riding on a craft using a turret.
Guerrilla Games game director, Mathijs de Jonge, has been chatting about the merits of swearing in games, and with ''Killzone 3'' he feels the studio have got just the right amount. "In ''Killzone 2'' we ended up with too much of it, ''Killzone 3'' swearing 'a lot more impactful'." he told Edge. Tommy de Roos, principal programmer at Guerrilla Games, who headed development for
Move
Move may refer to:
People
*Daniil Move (born 1985), a Russian auto racing driver
Brands and enterprises
* Move (company), an online real estate company
* Move (electronics store), a defunct Australian electronics retailer
* Daihatsu Move
Gov ...
with ''Killzone 3'', has said that he thinks "Most
irst-person shootergames will be played with motion control in a few years."
''Killzone 3'' takes up a full dual-layer Blu-ray disc. This is due to the duplication of level texture files for faster disc streaming and also the presence of video files in multiple languages.
According to Guerrilla Games, ''Killzone 3''s story is more light-hearted compared to its predecessor, which Guerrilla felt suffered from an overly serious and dark story which was one of the major complaints of the original, though they mentioned that it would not be too light-hearted as it is still a war. In addition, Guerrilla Games hired an external writer to focus on only writing the storyline so as to give a fresh perspective to the story as well as hiring a lot more Hollywood actors to elevate the level of storytelling within the dialogue of the game (such as
Malcolm McDowell
Malcolm McDowell (born Malcolm John Taylor; 13 June 1943) is a British actor, producer, and television presenter. He is best known for portraying Alex DeLarge in ''A Clockwork Orange.'' He was born in the Horsforth suburb of Leeds and raised in ...
voicing Jorhan Stahl and
Ray Winstone
Raymond Andrew Winstone (; born 19 February 1957) is an English television, stage and film actor with a career spanning five decades. Having worked with many prominent directors, including Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, Winstone is perha ...
voicing Admiral Orlock).
Guerrilla Games stated that the game's story would be an integral part of the game with dialogue and character development being greatly improved from its predecessor.
In addition, Guerrilla Games stated that they are curtailing the swearing in ''Killzone 3'', which many felt was unnecessary in the dialogue of ''Killzone 2''. They mentioned that the dialogue in the game should be focused on advancing the story rather than "gratuitous" swearing.
Beta
The ''Killzone 3 Multiplayer Closed Beta'' began on October 12, 2010, for select participants of the ''Killzone'' community. The ''Killzone 3 Multiplayer Open Beta'' began on October 25, 2010. A limited 5,000
PlayStation Plus
PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...
subscribers from SCEA and 10,000 PlayStation Plus subscribers from SCEE could gain access to the beta by downloading the ''Killzone 3''
XMB
The XrossMediaBar (pronounced "cross-media bar" and officially abbreviated as XMB) is a graphical user interface developed by Sony Computer Entertainment. The interface features icons that are spread horizontally across the screen. Navigation mov ...
theme (released on October 13 and 19, 2010 for SCEE and SCEA respectively). Selected participants were notified by email with a redeem code to access the beta. This beta was to test gameplay only and did not support PlayStation Move or 3D capabilities.
The
Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
page for ''
Killzone
''Killzone'' is a series of first-person shooter video games for Sony Interactive Entertainment's (SIE) video game consoles. The main series and the PlayStation Portable (PSP) installment were developed by Guerrilla Games, a subsidiary of SI ...
'' selected 300 Twitter subscribers (150 from SCEE and SCEA territories respectively) to participate in the open beta between October 19 and 22, 2010. On November 7, 2010, the beta was expanded inviting 5,000 more PlayStation Plus subscribers from SCEE and SCEA territories. Instead of email distribution, these redeem codes were sent out via
PlayStation Network
PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...
messages. This beta ended prior to the end of 2010.
On January 21, 2011, it was announced that the ''Killzone 3 Multiplayer Open Beta'' will be available for download on the
PlayStation Network
PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...
on February 2 in North America and February 3 in Europe through February 14, 2011. On February 1, however, it was announced that the North American open beta was delayed until February 3 and "to make it up", Sony ran a sweepstakes to giveaway 60 ''Killzone 3 Limited Helghast Editions'' (not sold in stores) to U.S. players who participated in the open beta from February 4 through February 6.
The Beta offered early access to the 'Frozen Dam' multiplayer level, including all three online multiplayer modes – Guerrilla Warfare, Warzone and Operations – as well as the offline multiplayer mode, Botzone.
On February 9, 2011, it was reported that over 58 million kills have been made, 10% of that being Brutal Melee kills, with 350,000 games already played.
Due to the high response of the first ''Killzone 3 Limited Helghast Edition'' sweepstakes giveaway, Sony ran another sweepstakes, giving away 60 more ''Limited Helghast Editions'' from February 11 through February 13, 2011, in the U.S., with five Canadian participants also chosen.
Demo
The ''Killzone 3'' single player demo was released in North America on February 15 and in Europe on February 16, 2011 (with early access for PlayStation Plus members on February 8 and 9 in North America and Europe respectively). It is available as two separate downloads from the
PlayStation Store
The PlayStation Store (PS Store) is a digital media store available to users of Sony's PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 game consoles via the PlayStation Network.
The store offers a range of downloadable content ...
: one in 2D and one in 3D. The 2D version features splitscreen co-op, which is not supported in the 3D demo. Both versions of the demo are
PlayStation Move
is a motion game controller developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Initially released in 2010 for use with the PlayStation 3 home video game console, its compatibility was later expanded to its successor, the PlayStation 4 in 2013, its Pla ...
-enabled and both versions of the demo take place on a modified version of the "Icy Incursion" level.
3D support
''Killzone 3'' includes a mode that supports
3D gaming. The ''Killzone 3'' 3D mode is optional and requires a
3D ready TV The first impressions of the 3D showed some glitches; with three-dimensional visual effects, the game became blurry, imprecise, and disorienting. In alpha version, 3D sacrificed things like sharpness, speed, a feeling of orientation and a lot more aliasing. Jagged edges as well as some ghosting of interface elements are reported to occur.
At E3 2010, it was revealed that ''Killzone 3'' was built with 3D support from the ground up. In praise of the game's 3D capabilities,
GameTrailers
''GameTrailers'' (''GT'') was an American video gaming website created by Geoffrey R. Grotz and Brandon Jones in 2002. The website specialized in multimedia content, including trailers and gameplay footage of upcoming and recently released v ...
awarded the title Best 3D Graphics of E3 2010, although officially, it did not have any nominations at E3 2010. The E3 2010 trailer resolution is half the horizontal resolution of the 2D game, with the whole image (including HUD) scaled up using the PlayStation 3 hardware scaler and render the vision of a single eye.
Release and marketing
''Killzone 3'' was released on February 22, 2011, in North America, February 23 in Europe, and February 25 in the United Kingdom.
7-Eleven
7-Eleven, Inc., stylized as 7-ELEVE, is a multinational chain of retail convenience stores, headquartered in Dallas, Texas. The chain was founded in 1927 as an ice house storefront in Dallas. It was named Tote'm Stores between 1928 and 1946. A ...
offered downloadable content for ''Killzone 3'' in exchange for
Slurpee
Slurpee is the brand name for carbonated slushies sold by 7-Eleven and its subsidiaries A-Plus and Speedway. The brand first originated in 1966 when 7-Eleven made a licensing deal with The Icee Company to sell slushies in 7-Eleven stores.
...
purchases in stores in the U.S. which ran from February 2011 to the end of March 2011. 7-Eleven also featured ''Killzone 3'' themed Slurpee cups, in addition to a ''Killzone'' flavor, "Battle Fuel" (a chilling orange flavor). Each Slurpee cup bore a unique code, allowing a download for ''Killzone 3'' content (and other Slurpee rewards), such as content for
PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home was a virtual 3D social networking, social gaming platform developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London Studio for the PlayStation 3 (PS3) on the PlayStation Network (PSN). It was accessible from the PS3's XrossMediaBar (XM ...
(the Helghast "Capture Trooper" and "Jason Narville I.S.A." costumes and a "Slurpee Machine"), the Retro Map Pack, the "Unlock and Load Pack", two PS3 XMB Themes (standard and Dynamic), a PC wallpaper, and a behind-the-scenes video.
Early copies of ''Killzone 3'' (including both the standalone and ''Helghast Editions'') included a redeemable voucher for the multiplayer beta of ''
SOCOM 4: U.S. Navy SEALs''.
Walmart
Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...
hosted a midnight launch event. The first 20 players who purchased ''Killzone 3'' received a limited edition ''Killzone 3'' poster and a voucher for the Retro Map Pack. Select Walmart stores also hosted tournaments where players could win a copy of ''Killzone 3'', a limited edition Cloaking Helghast Marksman action figure, and collectible ''Killzone 3'' bags. GameStop also had a midnight launch event.
A limited edition ''Killzone 3'' PlayStation 3 bundle was released on February 22, 2011, in North America, which includes a 160GB PlayStation 3 and a copy of ''Killzone 3''.
On February 28, 2012, to celebrate ''Killzone 3''s one-year anniversary, Guerrilla Games released a standalone version of ''Killzone 3''s multiplayer on the PlayStation Store titled ''Killzone 3 Multiplayer''. It includes the Guerrilla Warfare, Warzone, and Operations game modes, as well as the original ''Killzone 3'' maps and all ''Killzone 3'' DLC maps. Users can also try it for free until they reached the rank of Sergeant I. Players who purchase ''Killzone 3 Multiplayer'' are also granted a 24-hour double XP bonus, three unlock points, the ability to set up clans and custom games, and access to the Botzone mode, as well as the addition of four exclusive trophies.
Retail editions
Alongside the standard edition of the game, there are several other versions of the game exclusive to certain countries and/or regions around the world. All of the special edition versions of the game are sold in limited quantities and contain a copy of the game as standard or special packaging.
The ''Helghast Edition'' was released in North America, Europe and Australia.
The ''Helghast Edition'' for North America comes with a "Helghast Helmet" replica, which contains an art book, a copy of ''Killzone 3'', and the Super Voucher in the ''Killzone 3'' game case, and a "Cloaking Helghast Marksman" action figure (6.5" tall with multiple articulation points and will not be sold at retail; created by DC Unlimited). The art book is a 100-page hardbound art book featuring imagery from the ''Killzone'' universe. The ''Helghast Edition'' for Europe and Australia includes all of the content of the North American version, however, the Super Voucher is replaced with the PSN Voucher and the copy of ''Killzone 3'' is in a SteelBook ''Collector's Edition'' case.
Both the Super Voucher and the PSN Voucher include all of the same content. Both vouchers include the ''Killzone 3'' soundtrack, ''Killzone 3 Behind the Scenes'' (bonus video content giving a look at the making of the game), an exclusive PS3 dynamic theme, the "Retro Map Pack: Reclaimed Territory", double
XP for the first 24 hours of multiplayer gameplay, and full access to all weapons and abilities during the first 24 hours of multiplayer gameplay (the 24 hours begins upon redemption of voucher and counts down regardless of player being online or offline).
The ''Collector's Edition'' was released in Europe and Australia. The ''Collector's Edition'' of ''Killzone 3'' came in a SteelBook case packaging, which is also included in the ''Killzone 3 Helghast Edition'' for Europe and Australia. The limited ''Collector's Edition'' was available only through pre-order. It included a PSN voucher code to access the Retro Map Pack, a ''Killzone 3'' dynamic theme, and the ''Killzone 3'' soundtrack. It also included another PSN voucher as a pre-order bonus, which either unlocked all weapons and abilities, gave double XP (both for first 24 hours of multiplayer gameplay), or 3 Unlock Points to use on any weapon or ability.
In the Netherlands, players could purchase the ''Collector's Edition'' for the price of the standard edition if they pre-ordered from Game Mania stores.
Limited edition
The ''Killzone 3 Limited Helghast Edition''
was not sold in stores and was available in North America. 450 have been made, 125 of which were given away in the multiplayer open beta from February 4 through February 6 and 11 through February 13, 2011. The ''Limited Helghast Edition'' contains all the same elements as the retail version of the ''Helghast Edition'', but features a replica Helghast Helmet with illuminated LED eyes, simulating Helghasts' glowing mask.
On March 10, 2011, ACIDplanet.com announced a sweepstakes that ran from March 10, 2011, through April 21, 2011. In this "Killzone 3 Remix Contest", players could remix the track "Stahl Arms Battle" from the ''Killzone 3'' soundtrack. At the end of the contest, Joris de Man chose one grand prize winner who received the ''Killzone 3 Limited Helghast Edition'' as well as Vegas Pro software, ACID Pro software, Twenty Loop Libraries, and a Sony MP3 Walkman. Second place runners-up received a copy of ''Killzone 3'', ACID Music Studio software, and Ten Loop Libraries. The grand prize was won by composer/producer Christopher K. Lee under the username Blizzard1mage.
On March 24, 2011, Guerilla announced the "March for Helghan II Sweepstakes" where they gave away 10 ''Limited Helghast Editions'' each day (170 total) from March 25 through April 10. Players needed to play the ''Killzone 3'' multiplayer for a chance to win.
Pre-order bonuses
The download packs contained in the Super Voucher (excluding the soundtrack) were also available as pre-order bonuses for the Standard Edition of ''Killzone 3'' from select retailers in North America. Europe and Australia did not receive pre-order bonuses from select retailers, but instead, they have the ''Collector's Edition'' which contains the pre-order bonus content of North America.
GameStop
GameStop Corp. is an American video game, consumer electronics, and gaming merchandise retailer. The company is headquartered in Grapevine, Texas (a suburb of Dallas), and is the largest video game retailer worldwide. , the company operates 4,5 ...
offered the "Guerilla Pack" which contained a voucher unlocking all multiplayer weapons and abilities for the first 24 hours of multiplayer gameplay.
Best Buy
Best Buy Co. Inc. is an American multinational consumer electronics retailer headquartered in Richfield, Minnesota. Originally founded by Richard M. Schulze and James Wheeler in 1966 as an audio specialty store called Sound of Music, it was rebra ...
offered the "Fast Starter Pack" which contained a voucher allowing players to rank up faster as they earn double XP for the first 24 hours of multiplayer gameplay.
Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc. ( ) is an American multinational technology company focusing on e-commerce, cloud computing, online advertising, digital streaming, and artificial intelligence. It has been referred to as "one of the most influential economi ...
offered the "Unlock and Load Pack" which contained a voucher allowing instant access to 3 Unlock Points to use on the weapon or ability of the players choice. If players pre-ordered ''Killzone 3'' from Amazon.com via
PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home was a virtual 3D social networking, social gaming platform developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London Studio for the PlayStation 3 (PS3) on the PlayStation Network (PSN). It was accessible from the PS3's XrossMediaBar (XM ...
, they also received an "Helghast Jetpack" for their Home avatar in addition to the "Unlock and Load Pack".
GameStop, Best Buy, and Amazon.com each offered the Retro Map Pack with their respective pre-order bonus. Other participating retailers offered the Retro Map Pack and the ''Killzone 3'' PS3 Dynamic Theme.
PlayStation Home
From January 27, 2011, until February 24, 2011, in the PlayStation 3's social gaming network
PlayStation Home
PlayStation Home was a virtual 3D social networking, social gaming platform developed by Sony Computer Entertainment's London Studio for the PlayStation 3 (PS3) on the PlayStation Network (PSN). It was accessible from the PS3's XrossMediaBar (XM ...
, the "Central Plaza" (North American Home's central meeting point) was redesigned as "the last remaining ISA stronghold" in celebration of ''Killzone 3''
(European users could also access the Central Plaza; a special ISA Dropship was available in the Home Square, Europe's central meeting point, that teleported users to the Central Plaza). There was a mini-game in the Central Plaza called "Killzone Plaza Defender" which was a ''Killzone''-themed first-person shooter mini-game where players shoot down enemy Helghast airships, ground vehicles, and infantry units or assist gunners by collecting and delivering ammunition, repair kits, and first aid. The mini-game had three waves for users to complete, each with three challenges (such as completing each wave, assisting other players in each wave, completing Wave 1 with full health, completing Wave 2 with a certain accuracy, and completing Wave 3 with a perfect score) with an unlockable ISA uniform (Rico's uniform, plus a helmet) for the users Home avatar. Completing all of the challenges for all three waves granted three Unlock Points, which could be redeemed for new weapons and abilities in the ''Killzone 3'' multiplayer. Users could also pre-order ''Killzone 3'' from Amazon.com at a special kiosk in the Central Plaza (or from the "Killzone Plaza Defender"'s menu screen). Pre-ordering by this means granted users an "Helghast Jetpack" for their Home avatar in addition to the other pre-order bonus from Amazon.com (pre-order was unavailable for European users). In addition, users could also obtain a "Helghast Capture Trooper" and "Jason Narville I.S.A." costume for their Home avatar as well as a Slurpee Machine for their personal spaces from the 7-Eleven promotion for 2 Slurpee points each.
Other
In the PlayStation 3 game ''
LittleBigPlanet 2
''LittleBigPlanet 2'' is a puzzle-platform game that features user-generated content. The game is developed by Media Molecule, published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3. It was released in January 2011. The game was released in ...
'', a "Killzone 3 Minipack" was released as DLC on July 12, 2011. This pack includes costumes for players to dress their Sackboy like a ''Killzone 3'' character.
On November 15, 2011, in the PlayStation 3 game ''
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception'', a DLC pack was released titled "Multiplayer Accessory Pack #1 (''Killzone'')" which includes the "Capture Trooper Skin", a "Helghast Helmet" and an "ISA Helmet", which can also be purchased individually (free for "Fortune Hunter's Club" members).
Downloadable content
The first
downloadable content
Downloadable content (DLC) is additional content created for an already released video game, distributed through the Internet by the game's publisher. It can either be added for no extra cost or it can be a form of video game monetization, enablin ...
(DLC) for ''Killzone 3'' is the "Retro Map Pack: Reclaimed Territory" which consists of two of the most popular maps from ''Killzone 2''. The maps are the "Salamun Market" and "Blood Gracht" maps, which have been updated for ''Killzone 3''. "Saluman Market" features the Warzone game mode (as well as Exos and placements for the WASP to be constructed by the Engineer) while "Blood Gracht" features the Guerilla Warfare game mode. This pack was made available to purchase from the PlayStation Network on February 22, 2011. The map pack was also available as a pre-order bonus from various retailers and could be obtained from 7-Eleven's promotion of ''Killzone 3'' for 10 Slurpee rewards points. It was also included in the ''Helghast Edition''. The map pack includes seven trophies; two map specific trophies for each map respectively, and three non-map specific trophies.
Edge
Edge or EDGE may refer to:
Technology Computing
* Edge computing, a network load-balancing system
* Edge device, an entry point to a computer network
* Adobe Edge, a graphical development application
* Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed by ...
and
Schick are offering specially packaged shaving gel and razors for three PS3 exclusives; ''
Gran Turismo 5
is a 2010 racing video game developed by Polyphony Digital and published by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was released for the PlayStation 3 on November 24, 2010 in Europe and North America, and November 25, 2010 in Japan and Australasia, and ...
'', ''
Infamous 2
''Infamous 2'' (stylized as ''inFAMOUS 2'') is an action-adventure video game developed by Sucker Punch Productions and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for PlayStation 3 video game console. It is a sequel to the 2009 video game '' Infa ...
'', and ''Killzone 3''. The special ''Killzone 3'' packages include a redeemable voucher for the Retro Map Pack or three Unlock Points.
On February 24, 2011, the second DLC map pack, "Steel Rain", was announced. Steel Rain features the maps "Junkyard" and "Stahl Arms" which feature the game modes Guerilla Warfare and Warzone respectively. "Junkyard" also features both the Exos and Jetpacks and "Stahl Arms" features a placement for a minigun to be constructed by the Engineer. Steel Rain was released in Europe on April 6, 2011, and in North America on April 12, 2011 (free for PlayStation Plus subscribers). This map pack includes seven trophies: two map specific trophies for each map respectively, and three non-map specific trophies.
A third map pack, titled "From the Ashes", was announced on June 17, 2011, and includes four maps: two new maps and two retro maps. "Lente Missile Base" is a Warzone map that features a missile launch environmental hazard, similar to the nuclear explosion from the ''
Killzone 2
''Killzone 2'' is a 2009 first-person shooter developed by Guerrilla Games and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 3. It is the second main installment in the ''Killzone'' series, following 2004's ''Killzone''.
Similar ...
'' DLC map "Southern Hills" (any players caught in the underground exhaust vents will be killed by the missile's engine blast). "Mobile Factory" is a Guerilla Warfare map set on the mobile factory from the campaign with scrap metal shredders below the base (killing players who step off of this moving map, similar to the "Wasteland Bullet" DLC map from ''Killzone 2''), and also features two portable miniguns. From the Ashes also features "Radec Academy" (a Warzone map featuring two constructible miniguns and a destructive environmental hazard) and "Tharsis Depot" (a Guerilla Warfare map featuring jet packs) from ''Killzone 2'', and was released on June 21, 2011, for US$4.99. This map pack includes thirteen trophies: two map specific trophies for each map respectively and five non-map specific trophies.
Simultaneously announced and released with the third DLC map pack is the "Killzone 3 Map Pack Bundle" featuring all three DLC map packs ("Retro Map Pack: Reclaimed Territory", "Steel Rain", and "From the Ashes") for US$9.99. A "Triple-XP Weekend" (points gained are tripled at the end of the match) was hosted the weekend of June 24–27 to celebrate the release of "From the Ashes" and the "Map Pack Bundle". There have also been three "Double-XP Weekends" (points gained are doubled at the end of the match). The first two "Double-XP Weekends" were for the return of PSN from the
PSN outage
The 2011 PlayStation Network outage (sometimes referred to as the PSN Hack) was the result of an " external intrusion" on Sony's PlayStation Network and Qriocity services, in which personal details from approximately 77 million accounts were compr ...
– the first for Europe and North America's return and the second for Japan's return – and the third was for ''Killzone 3''s one-year anniversary.
Soundtrack
Like ''Killzone 2'', the soundtrack for ''Killzone 3'' was composed by Joris de Man. It was released both as downloadable content via the ''Killzone 3 Helghast Edition''
and ''Collector's Edition'' (SCEE territories),
and as a stand-alone digital release, on February 22, 2011. Later, it was released to purchase on the PlayStation Network on March 8, 2011.
Novel
A novelization of ''Killzone 3'', titled ''Killzone: Ascendancy'' and written by Sam Bradbury, is available from
Penguin Books
Penguin Books is a British publishing, publishing house. It was co-founded in 1935 by Allen Lane with his brothers Richard and John, as a line of the publishers The Bodley Head, only becoming a separate company the following year.[PlayStation.Blog
is a video gaming brand that consists of five home video game consoles, two handhelds, a media center, and a smartphone, as well as an online service and multiple magazines. The brand is produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment, a divis ...]
post, "the author delved deep into the game's story to answer... questions" about the game, such as what drives Sev and Rico's actions.
Reception
''Killzone 3'' received "generally positive reviews", according to
review aggregator
A review aggregator is a system that collects reviews of products and services (such as films, books, video games, software, hardware, and cars). This system stores the reviews and uses them for purposes such as supporting a website where users ...
Metacritic
Metacritic is a website that review aggregator, aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted arithmetic mean, weighted average). M ...
.
The first English review of the game was published by ''
PlayStation Official Magazine (UK)
''Official PlayStation Magazine'' may refer to one of several magazines:
*''Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine'', a U.S. magazine by Ziff Davis
*'' PlayStation: The Official Magazine'', a U.S. magazine by Future Publishing
*''PlayStation Official ...
'', which gave the game a 9/10. The review stated "on a visual level, as a 3D breakthrough, this feels like a watershed moment in a revolution affecting all of gaming". The review also stated on gameplay terms, "''
Black Ops
A black operation or black op is a covert or clandestine operation by a government agency, a military unit or a paramilitary organization; it can include activities by private companies or groups. Key features of a black operation are that it i ...
'' is the only
irst-person shooteron PlayStation 3 that can match this". The voice acting, however, was criticised as not being perfect, thus lacking "emotive punch" and the reason for not receiving a perfect 10/10.
IGN
''IGN'' (formerly ''Imagine Games Network'') is an American video game and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa distri ...
gave the game an 8.5, praising the atmosphere, graphics and multiplayer.
Destructoid
''Destructoid'' is a website that was founded as a video game-focused blog in March 2006 by Yanier Gonzalez, a Cuban-American cartoonist and author. Enthusiast Gaming acquired the website in 2017, and sold it to Gamurs Group in 2022.
History
' ...
gave the game a perfect 10/10, with reviewer
Jim Sterling
James Stephanie Sterling, also known as Jim Sterling, is an English-American freelance video game journalist, critic, pundit, YouTuber, and professional wrestler. Before becoming independent in September 2014, they were the review editor for ...
stating: "I don't think the PlayStation 3 has ever had quite such a rounded, satisfactory package as this, with this level of polish, refinement and pure, simple, unpretentious action". PlayStation Lifestyle awarded it a 10/10 as well, calling the game "the ultimate ending to a new form of sci-fi epic".
GamesTM
''GamesTM'' (styled as ''gamesTM'') was a United Kingdom, UK-based, multi-format video games magazine, covering video game console, console, handheld game, handheld, PC game, PC and Arcade games. The first issue was released in December 2002 and t ...
was generally positive and gave the game 7/10, although was critical over the storyline and when comparing it to ''Killzone 2'' said the game "takes inexplicable backward steps in almost every department".
Game Informer
''Game Informer'' (''GI'', most often stylized ''gameinformer'' from the 2010s onward) is an American monthly video game magazine featuring articles, news, strategy, and reviews of video games and associated consoles. It debuted in August 1991 w ...
, who scored the game a 9/10, however, praised the story saying "
'Killzone 3''sshocking and abrupt campaign ending serves as a suitable wrap to Guerilla's extended war-themed trilogy. Even if it is a conclusion of sorts, ''Killzone 3'' stands on its own."
They also praised its intuitive use of the
PlayStation Move
is a motion game controller developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Initially released in 2010 for use with the PlayStation 3 home video game console, its compatibility was later expanded to its successor, the PlayStation 4 in 2013, its Pla ...
as an optional controller.
Sequel
Before ''Killzone 3''s release, Guerrilla Games already had a "lot of ideas" for the next installment. In an interview with ''
PlayStation Official Magazine'' (UK), Mathijs de Jonge said: "We're looking at new projects, there's a lot of ideas already floating around the company to put in a new ''Killzone''." On November 18, 2011, ''
Edge
Edge or EDGE may refer to:
Technology Computing
* Edge computing, a network load-balancing system
* Edge device, an entry point to a computer network
* Adobe Edge, a graphical development application
* Microsoft Edge, a web browser developed by ...
'' reported that Guerrilla Games is making a new ''Killzone'' game. ''Killzone 2'' and ''3'' senior producer Steven Ter Heide is reportedly game director. Guerrilla studio recruiter Adrian Smith is quoted as saying "we've got to continue the ''Killzone'' franchise." Earlier in the week ''Edge'' reported that one of Sony's studios had stopped PlayStation 3 development and moved onto its successor. The unnamed developer is also apparently involved in building the graphics technology for Sony's next system. Alongside ''Killzone'', the studio is also working on a new IP, ''Edge'' reported, led by former ''Killzone'' game director Mathijs de Jonge.
On February 20, 2013, a sequel, ''
Killzone: Shadow Fall'', was shown at the PlayStation Meeting 2013, announcing the
PlayStation 4
The PlayStation 4 (PS4) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Announced as the successor to the PlayStation 3 in February 2013, it was launched on November 15, 2013, in North America, November 29, 2013 in ...
with ''Shadow Fall'' as a launch title.
References
External links
Official ''Killzone'' website
{{Authority control
2011 video games
First-person shooters
Killzone games
Multiplayer and single-player video games
PlayStation 3 games
PlayStation 3-only games
PlayStation Move-compatible games
Propaganda in fiction
Sony Interactive Entertainment games
Video games developed in the Netherlands
Video games scored by Joris de Man
Video games set in outer space
Video games set on fictional planets
Video game sequels
Video games with stereoscopic 3D graphics
Video games using Havok