Killzone 2 versus Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare

Its been a little over a week now, and we’ve seen all the reviews and read all the comparisons of Killzone 2 versus Gears, Gears 2, and HALO, but where is the three hundred pound elephant in the room. Where’s Killzone 2 versus Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and is Killzone 2 better than Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare? In my opinion you can only compare Killzone 2 and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare because there both first person shooters, other than that they are completely different games. I feel Killzone 2 is much better than Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, but everyone is entitled to their own opinion and it may differ from mine, so I would like to compare the two games and pose the question, “whether or not Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare ruined the first person genre.”

Let’s take a look at the two games Killzone 2 and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and compare them from their four key elements that make up the game. Graphics, Sound, Gameplay, and Multiplayer.

• Graphics

The graphics of Killzone 2 can’t be matched by any other game on a console, but to be fair Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare had somewhat of the same graphical success upon its release. It’s funny because at the time when Activision showed Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare at E3 in 2007 there wasn’t any negative feedback from the fans saying, “All it is, is pretty graphics.” I wonder if a lot of the negative comments from fans had to do with the fact that Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare was a multiplatform title and Killzone 2 is a Sony exclusive? A fair question, being that the console war that we are in the middle of has blinded many fans with favortisim of their particular console.

The sound, gameplay, and multiplayer features of the two perspective games are a matter of opinion by the player so. I will give you a fair comparison of my opinion of the two games and leave room for you to form your own opinion if you haven’t already.

• Sound

I personally think the sound in Killzone 2 is more dynamic than Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. It feels as though I am truly on the battlefield. Killzone 2 is much more immersive than Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and the graphics play a large part in that. The dialogue from the characters feel and sound grittier and really give you the player a sense of someone in the military in the middle of a war. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare in retrospect feels like a censored war type atmosphere to me. If my adrenaline was pumping from being in the middle of a war, having bullets shot at me daily, and shooting at my most hated enemy my dialogue would sound much more mature than what was presented in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. That’s just my opinion.

• Gameplay

The gameplay for both games are solid, but I perfer the gameplay of Killzone 2 more than the gameplay of Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, because it adds much more detail and realism to the game. This comparison along with the multiplayer is why I feel Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare ruined the first person shooter genre. Whether you prefer Killzone 2 or Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare one should be able to differentiate the two games. The gameplay style of Call of Duty is a run and gun feel while Killzone 2 is much more tactical. You can’t run around like you can in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and get twitch kills, Killzone 2 is a much more real percise shooter. The cover system was hyped a bit much in my opinion, but it comes in handy during the campaign and makes a lot of sense. “How is it possible to be running around on the battlefield like a chicken with its head cut off and survive?”

The control button layout is identical on both games, the main comparison between Killzone 2’s gameplay and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare are the controls (feel). You can’t play Killzone 2 like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Your character in Killzone 2 is weighted from all the military gear and weaponary he is carrying which gives it a true sluggish feel. Don’t expect to run around like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare with an assault riffle, sub machine gun, or SAW, hold down the trigger, not get any recoil, and remain accurate. You need to burst fire your weapon. There is heavy feedback and recoil in Killzone 2 which adds to the gameplay tremendously. I don’t know about you, but finally having rumble and to really feel like I’m firing a weapon adds to my gameplay experience. The campaign is by far in my opinion better than Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare from graphics to sound to gameplay. The story itself was more telling and allowed for a wider variety of gameplay, from healing your fallen comrades, to experiencing different vehicles and using different weaponry. It didn’t take a way from the gameplay, but I felt that Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare had a slightly better flow through its campaign because Killzone 2 opted to not have an install which resulted in mini loading frames throughout the game. What would have been best would have been to give the consumer the option whether or not to install.

• Multiplayer

This is the juggernaut and speaking of juggernaut that is one of the most ridiculous perks in Call of Duty 4. I wont go through some of the other ridiculous perks because this comparison article is long enough as it is. Is Killzone 2’s multiplayer better than Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare? In my opinion, “Hell Yeah!” I’m going to go down the list and give you reasons on why I feel it is a superior multiplayer experience and some things that I feel Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare still holds the crown at.

1. Connectivity- For me, the biggest component to any online multiplayer game is, how is the connectivity and how well does your game run online? There is no comparison Killzone 2 is way better than Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Its smoother, without lag, errors are a minimum, and no Host Migration.
2. Variety- I think a first person shooting online multiplayer game should allow the player to play various different ways if he or she chooses. I find that there is more variety in how one can choose to play the Killzone 2 multiplayer versus the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare multiplayer. The different classes to choose from with their special abilities in Killzone 2 allows for a much wider range of gameplay versus the different weapons and perks you can select from in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare.
3. Lobby System- The lobby system is a key component to an online game because its how one links up with their friends to enjoy the game. Killzone 2 has a nice lobby system, but I feel that Call of Duty4: Modern Warfare still holds the crown in that department. Even though it doesn’t function properly from time to time, the Party Invite feature is golden for gathering your friends together. Other than that I would say that they are pretty much the same.

I feel that the multiplayer and the game in general for Killzone 2 is greater than Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. That’s a good thing, because to many first person shooters have come out since Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare and the general census has been, ” its not as good as Call of Duty.” That’s something we don’t want to hear as gamers, from the stand point we want to see an evolution in our games. I also feel that Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare ruined the first person shooter genre because every shooter has to play exactly like Call of Duty. We have been presented a great tactical shooter and it seems the majority of fans can’t appreciate it for what it is. Killzone 2 is its own game yet you have everyone complaining it doesn’t play like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Its not Call of Duty and I don’t expect or want it to be. Its better. Killzone 2 is much more intense and has a more realistic feel than Call of Duty 4. A lot of people may say, “no its not and just wait till Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2.” I can say this, “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare 2 will be a nice game, but if they don’t address the issues that plague the Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare game it will be a nice runner up. Also I highly doubt that Call of Duty 4; modern Warfare 2 will surpass Killzone 2 graphically because its a multiplatform title, unless they have to separate teams working on each individual console.”

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