Killzone Shadow Fall Multiplayer Strategic Preview

Guerrilla Games will set quite the standard for multiplayer shoot-em-up fun on PlayStation 4.

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Over the past few years, Guerrilla Games has taken the Killzone franchise from its attempted “Halo killer” start to its own fresh take on the first-person genre,  this year’s noteworthy PS Vita release Killzone: Mercenary. As Bachman Turner Overdrive once said, though, “You ain’t seen nothing yet.”

Killzone: Shadow Fall, the next long-awaited entry in the franchise, makes its debut alongside the PlayStation 4 next month, and promises plenty of thrills between a new, prolonged single player campaign and plenty of action-packed multiplayer. We were recently invited to go hands-on with the mode to see how much has changed – and how players can look forward to the return of other features.

First off, each round will allow 24 players and their drones – a total of 48 in all – to take part in matches. This means no shortage of competition, though you can always set up private matches through the return of Warzone. If you prefer, you can enlist certain friends to go up against or, like in Killzone 3, set up “bots” with a certain challenge level, in case you feel like you need some practice before logging in for real combat.

The classes have been simplified. There are now only three general ones to choose from – Assault, Support and Scout. While Assault may seem like the most likely choice to more aggressive players, there are various options available for the other two classes – so don’t be so hasty.

Support class, for instance, is able to place Spawn Beacons on locations throughout the map, where the other two cannot. This makes it simpler for certain soldiers to get back in the action, though, if there’s a “camper” nearby, it also puts them at risk of being immediately killed if they aren’t careful. Those in the Support class will want to be careful in terms of where to put these.

If you do go with the Assault class, you’ll not only have a bevy of weapons available for your loadout, but you’ll also have access to Nano Shields. These enable you to guard from incoming gunfire for a limited time, while also having the ability to shoot through it, hitting whomever you have targeted. They’re great if you’re trying to get to a certain checkpoint on the map, but take a great amount of time to charge. Use them carefully, as you won’t have access to another one until it’s finished.

Finally, the Scout class has been simplified. Along with being able to cloak and sneak up on enemies without being suspected, they’ll have access to a number of secondary abilities, such as the Tactical Echo, which shows all enemies and items in range; an Emergency Teleport that sends them to a safe point on the map; and a Stun Drone, which attacks an enemy and leaves them wounded long enough for you to finish them off.

On top of general weapons – including assault rifles, pistols and a knife for “close encounters,” players can also attach secondary tier items to their arsenal for effectiveness. These include grenade and rocket launchers that produce a rather big bang for anyone within their range. Just be prepared – what goes around comes around, and you’re just as vulnerable to explosions as your prey.

Getting back into the Warzones, players can customize matches however they please here, setting up “bot” soldiers and perimeters on each of the available maps. In addition, they’ll also have access to new challenges, similar to the ones set up in Killzone 3. By completing these, players will be able to open up new maps, along with other goodies.

As far as weapons go, Guerrilla Games has stated that everything will be open right off the bat when you first start up Killzone: Shadow Fall’s multiplayer. That means you won’t have to worry about leveling up, and you can just hop right in and choose whatever loadout suits your fancy. You can still rank up and increase your skills accordingly, so don’t worry about not being rewarded for your efforts.

Guerrilla Games has also streamlined the multiplayer experience so that it’s leveled out. That means rookies stand a better chance of staying in the action, while not being “fragged” constantly on the battlefield, thanks to good skill matching. Meanwhile, experts can find friends at their level of expertise and get ready for an all-out battle. From what we played in the match we tried out, it feels like multiplayer goes at just the right pace. Furthermore, the consistently shifting Warzone challenges are a blast as well, giving us the lowdown on our objective without getting in the way of the match’s flow.

In addition to competitive multiplayer, Killzone: Shadow Fall will also introduce a brand-new horde mode that can be accessed by picking up the Season Pass. In it, up to four players can take part in a mission to eradicate all their enemies in waves, and unlock three arenas in which to do it. Though we didn’t get a chance to try this out just yet, it sounds promising – especially to those who prefer to stick together as a team.

With the Warzone options we first saw in Killzone 3 remaining intact, more opportunities for players to jump in with better balancing, and a slew of weaponry at their fingertips, Killzone: Shadow Fall could redefine just how great multiplayer shooting can be on the PlayStation 4. We’ll find out when the game releases alongside the system on November 15th. 


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Prima Games Staff
The staff at Prima Games.