Killzone
A first-person shooter series set in a 24th-century galactic war.
Killzone is a first-person shooter franchise released on Sony’s PlayStation consoles. The main series and the PlayStation Portable game were created by Guerrilla Games, a Sony-owned studio, while the PlayStation Vita title was handled by Guerrilla Cambridge. The series includes six installments, starting with *Killzone* on PlayStation 2 in November 2004 and ending with *Killzone: Shadow Fall*, a launch game for PlayStation 4, in November 2013.
The story takes place in the 24th century, focusing on a galactic conflict between the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance (ISA) and the Helghan Empire. The war spans ISA colonies on Earth and the Helghast homeworld, Helghan. The main protagonists include Captain/Colonel Jan Templar (in *Killzone* and *Killzone: Liberation*), Sergeant Tomas “Sev” Sevchenko (*Killzone 2* and *3*), mercenary Arran Danner (*Killzone: Mercenary*), and Shadow Marshal Lucas Kellan (*Killzone: Shadow Fall*). The primary antagonist is Helghast Autarch Scolar Visari; after his death in *Killzone 2*, two successors emerge in *Killzone 3*: Jorhan Stahl and Admiral Orlock. Following Orlock’s death and the destruction of Helghan (now covered in petrusite), the Helghast live on Vekta, separated by a giant wall. The paramilitary group “The Black Hand” forms under Vladko Tyran, alongside Lady Hera Visari, Scolar’s daughter. By the end of *Shadow Fall*, Stahl is revealed to have survived *Killzone 3* but is killed by Vektan Security Agency director Thomas Sinclair.
Gameplay in *Killzone*, *2*, *3*, *Mercenary*, and *Shadow Fall* is first-person shooting, while *Liberation* is an isometric twin-stick shooter. Players can carry two weapons at a time, swapping ammo or picking up dropped weapons from enemies or the environment. In *Killzone 3*, a third weapon slot is reserved for heavy weapons like machine guns or rocket launchers. Online multiplayer supports up to 16 players in *Killzone*, 32 in *Killzone 2*, 24 in *Killzone 3* and *Shadow Fall*, and 8 in *Mercenary*. Warzone mode (in *Killzone 2*, *3*, and *Shadow Fall*) cycles through all game modes sequentially. *Killzone 3* adds Operations, a cinematic multiplayer mini-campaign, and Guerilla Warfare (Team Deathmatch). *Shadow Fall* has Team Deathmatch.
Quick Facts
- Title
- Killzone
- Developer
- Guerrilla Games · Supermassive Games · Guerrilla Cambridge
- Publisher
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Genre
- First-person shooter · Third-person shooter
- Platforms
- PlayStation 2 · PlayStation Portable · PlayStation 3 · PlayStation Vita · PlayStation 4
- First Release Date
- 2 November 2004
- Latest Release Version
- Killzone Shadow Fall
- Latest Release Date
- 15 November 2013
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The series is set in the 24th century, depicting the galactic war between the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance (ISA) and the Helghan Empire. The conflict takes place on both ISA Earth colonies and the planet Helghan, the home planet of the Helghast. The main antagonist was originally Helghast Autarch Scolar Visari; his death in Killzone 2 brought about the rise of two new antagonists in Killzone 3: Jorhan Stahl and Admiral Orlock. After Orlock's death and the destruction of Helghan, the Helghast live on Vekta with a giant wall dividing them from the Vektans. By the end of Killzone: Shadow Fall, it is revealed that Stahl survived the events of Killzone 3, but is dispatched by Vektan Security Agency director Thomas Sinclair.
Reader's Guide
The Killzone series is notable as a flagship first-person shooter franchise for Sony Interactive Entertainment, developed primarily by Guerrilla Games. It spans six games across multiple PlayStation platforms, from the PlayStation 2 to the PlayStation 4, with Killzone: Shadow Fall serving as a launch title for the PlayStation 4. The series features a consistent narrative of war between the ISA and the Helghast, with four main protagonists across the games. Gameplay varies from first-person shooters to the isometric twin-stick shooter Killzone: Liberation. Online multiplayer modes include Warzone, Operations, and Guerilla Warfare, with player counts ranging from 8 to 32 depending on the title. Killzone and Killzone 3 are the only games to feature offline split-screen co-op, and Killzone is the only game with offline split-screen multiplayer in Botzone mode. The series is recognized for its cinematic presentation and its role in showcasing the capabilities of each PlayStation console generation.
Did You Know?
- Killzone: Shadow Fall was a launch title for the PlayStation 4 in November 2013.
- Killzone 3 is the only game in the series to feature PlayStation Move support and utilize 3D gaming.
- Killzone: Liberation is presented as an isometric twin-stick shooter, unlike the other first-person shooter entries.
- The series features four main protagonists: Jan Templar, Tomas 'Sev' Sevchenko, Arran Danner, and Lucas Kellan.
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