EDGE’s End: Killzone 2 Beaten by HotD Overkill? Er…
Filed under: Game Reviews and Opinion 12 Responsesby Ravi Sinha
On very close reflection, Guerrilla Games’ Killzone 2 (PS3) and Headstrong Games’ The House of the Dead: Overkill (Wii) have lots in common. Both put extreme polishing of content over revolutionary design. Both are first person perspective action games. Both have non-stop action culminating in bloody shoot-outs of macabre proportions. However, just because they do many of the same things, doesn’t necessarily mean Overkill is better just because EDGE says so.
But before you assume this is another rant on how wrong EDGE is, think again. EDGE, for all intents and purposes, expressed an opinion they believe in, and they’re sticking by it. It’s far more preferable than seeing them crawl, begging for the fans’ forgiveness.
However, to assume that a logical, statistical quality-based comparison between Killzone 2 and Overkill is even possible, is ridiculous. How is a game that’s been in development for the past several years, gone through several evolutions and currently boasts the best graphics of any console game to date, comparable to an on-rails light-gun game for the Wii? I haven’t played Overkill but I have played House of the Dead and it’s a known fact that Sega has been milking this undead cow long before Killzone 2 was even conceived. Was the latter more enjoyable than any light-gun game I’ve played? Definitely.
No offense meant to Headstrong Games but while it may be nice to rant how one publication rated you higher, you need to (a) look at the total gaming media critique as a whole, and (b) identify the number of copies sold. As it stands, every major and reputed publication other than EDGE – IGN, Game Informer, CVG, Gamepro, Eurogamer, 1UP – has rated Killzone 2 higher than Overkill. Killzone 2 currently holds more than a million pre-orders. Overkill may be fun but exactly how many Wii Fit maniacs and families, who outnumber the actual hardcore gamers, would be interested enough to elevate it to blockbuster sale status?
I have great respect for EDGE being, as they rightfully are, one of the most elite gaming magazines around – which is why I stayed mum on their initial Killzone 2 review controversy. We should all recognize this Overkill versus Killzone 2 comparison for what it is – yet another attempt by some publicity hungry devs to hog the limelight – and nip it in the bud. I don’t need to recommend a game I enjoyed because every one already feels the same, but for all intents and purposes, Killzone 2 still warrants a play-through more than any title currently on the market, including more high-profile titles like F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin.
12 Responses to “EDGE’s End: Killzone 2 Beaten by HotD Overkill? Er…”
Killzone 2 is overhyped. HoTD is a pleasant surprise. Every expects KZ2 to be the next coming. Everyone expects HoTD to be another Wii cashin. I thought the first KZ was OK, but it wasn’t really special. Great graphics. Psh. I’ll go for over the top fun and silliness anytime. I’m sure both games are good. Who even cares if they rate higher or not? Like you said they’re not really comparable games.
This is nothing but a fanboy rant with nothing but personal opinion to back it up. Mainly written out of ignorance. Doubtful they’ve played either game but they instantly know that one is better because it was in development for 4 whole years… Which really means “it’s on the PS3 and as a PS3 fanboy I already know it is the greatest game ever simply be being on the PS3 and exclusive”.
Yes only your opinion is right and edge and others are completely wrong for daring to think of things differently than you do..I can sit here and think of plenty of legit reason for it to have a higher score but you will not see any of them.
Yes other sites have rated Killzone 2 higher.. They also gave higher scores to Overkill in some cases. You are trying to play down a game you have never played as if it completely sucks and should never be compared to killzone2, but who is really doing the comparison? Nobody but upset PS3 fanboys who want to make an issue out of something that really isnt one.
A light gun on rails shooter being rated higher than a FPS means nothing. There are puzzle games out there rated higher than Killzone. RPG’s rated higher than Killzone. All those higher ratings mean is that they were better over all RPGs, Puzzle games or whatever than Killzone 2 was at being just another FPS in a time filled with FPS and not so many on rails shooters.
There’s only one reason I ever read EDGE’s reviews. To get a good laugh. Once in a while they give a game a score it deserves like LittleBigPlanet but most of the time they’re way off. And no, this is nothing to do with PS3 versus 360. I check their scores once in a while and see if they agree with me. Most of the time they’re way off from what I think. So I don’t read EDGE for reviews. Once in a while I buy it on the newsstand for the cover story.
its not only killzone that got 7, Halo Wars got that too, i really wonder what is wrong with them, an 8 would have been acceptable, but 7 :S that harsh
I played the kz2 demo at CES and I didn’t like it one bit. The gfx that everyone seems to talk about didn’t impress me at all. The texture and other graphical details aren’t that big of a deal. The gameplay is still generic and is still copying much better games who truly revolutionized the fps genre. It’s true that some of the much better games that kz2 is copying also took elements from other games but it’s how they executed those elements that made it revolutionary. kz2 just copied and copied and pasted and copied and pasted and the final result of the game came out as a mediocre game..nothing more. It is better than kz1 but to me it’s still shit with more stuff to blow up, kill, etc. Bottomline: shit with a little more shit in gfx than its first game is still shit. The end
EDGE never said anything about HotD: Overkill being a better game than Killzone 2…
They (along with most reviewers) judge games based on their expectation and the technological standards of the platform they are being released on.
If HotD: Overkill had as much hype as KZ2 and was released on Ps3 in it’s current form, it would of got a much lower score than KZ2.
Great games are not about how much work was put into the graphics or how long the game was in development or even whether or not an IP has been milked. It about how fun it is, how accessable the game is. After you finish the game would you play it again? I personally at one point in my time gaming actually enjoyed my GBA more then my xbox, ps2 and gamecube. Why? because of advanced war. In a lot of way it was one of the best games at the time, it was no graphical powerhouse and I doubt it toke nintendo years to make it and it is a milked IP. I find this article to lack any substance as to why HOTD:OK can’t be better then KZ2. To add to this the author did not play both games to compare (probably a SONY fanboy).
Edge gives Halo 2.5 a 10 and Killzone 2 a 7…………..i think they’ve already lost all credibility.
Fear 2 is more high profile than Killzone 2? What have you been smoking and where can I get some!
reviewers at edge need to be fired. killzone 2 deserves at lest a 9/10
graphics- 10/10
sound/ voice acting- 9/10
game play/ replayable10/10
multiplayer online- 10/10
controls 8/10
overall- 9.4
Voiceofreason
Being a PC gamer I can only laugh at your ‘fanboy’ comments. Due to the way to slate the author I can only come to the conclusion that you’re a Xbox 360 fanboy yourself, am I correct? If so then for you to slate a PS3 fanby is a joke. Xbox fanboys are the most pathetic bunch of idiots who bombard sites like N4g with their anti Sony trash and basically bore the shit out of me due to their repetition. If however, you’re not a xbox 360 fanboy then I apologize…..it’s just the tone of your post that makes me think so.
@Drak:
Whoops.
Meant to put “similar high-profile games”. Sorry. On that note however, you know those kindergarten teachers who always told you to never sniff the glue? They’re your hook-up. 
@Voiceofreason:
Well, yes. This is my personal opinion. Thanks for noting that so easily.
“A light gun on rails shooter being rated higher than a FPS means nothing.” True. Which is I said, “We should all recognize this Overkill versus Killzone 2 comparison for what it is – yet another attempt by some publicity hungry devs to hog the limelight – and nip it in the bud”.
“Yes only your opinion is right and edge and others are completely wrong for daring to think of things differently than you do.” Which I did not say. “EDGE, for all intents and purposes, expressed an opinion they believe in, and they’re sticking by it,” and, “I have great respect for EDGE being, as they rightfully are, one of the most elite gaming magazines around – which is why I stayed mum on their initial Killzone 2 review controversy.”
But the rhetoric-shoving doesn’t stop there!
“Doubtful they’ve played either game.” Hmmm…I said I didn’t play Overkill (but I did play enough of the series as a whole, including that guilty pleasure Touch the Dead for the DS to know what to expect). However, I played Killzone 2 and wrote a lengthy review on it.
http://www.split-screen.com/2009/02/02/killzone-2-a-unique-experience/
“Yes other sites have rated Killzone 2 higher.. They also gave higher scores to Overkill in some cases.” Is that so? Because I have so far found no other publication that rated Overkill higher than Killzone 2.
“You are trying to play down a game you have never played as if it completely sucks and should never be compared to killzone2.” Once more, your perception alone. Whether you like to admit it or not, games are built on either critical acclaim or commercial success. As stated, “you need to (a) look at the total gaming media critique as a whole, and (b) identify the number of copies sold.” Grim Fandango sold negligible number of copies for the PC but it was and still is widely acknowledged as a classic. 50 Cent: Bulletproof sold lots of copies but was widely acknowledged as the most expensive coaster you could buy at the time of it’s release.
“I can sit here and think of plenty of legit reason for it to have a higher score but you will not see any of them.” You’re right. I wouldn’t. Especially if it contained as large an amount of contradictions to reality as your comment did.
@Map1213:
I know they didn’t literally say that. Just trying to put across the point that just because one publication says something, doesn’t mean it’s always true.
@notwhiteVSwh’ites:
Several colleagues I’ve talked to have told me they liked Killzone 2 but didn’t believe it to be the greatest game ever made. At least one said he didn’t like it at all, going as far as to call it boring. Hell, along with a positive review, I wrote a feature detailing Killzone 2′s lack of originality in many departments. Just because you don’t like the game that much doesn’t mean it’s the end of the world – in the same way that loving the game lots doesn’t mean we’re ushering in a new gaming renaissance.
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