Nazis in Space

When ideas grow old and repetition gets tiresome, when all hope seems lost, there's only one thing left to do: turn to the infinite void of space to spice things up a little. It worked for Super Mario, and it works for World War 2. Instead of invading Nazi-occupied Europe, you're invading the planet Helghan. The large battleships that stormed Normandy turn into Vekta cruisers. Instead of landing on enemy soil in a wooden boat, you do so in a flying tin can. The 'take out the anti-air turret' mission becomes the 'take out the lightning cannon' mission. The 'lower the bridge' mission becomes... well... I guess there's no real reason for bridges to be any different on other planets.

Consequently, putting the game in a futuristic space setting also allows for...

Better Weapons

It goes without saying that the ISA and the Helghast have better weapons than we did during World War 2. Sleek, innovative weapons with a real sense of power can go a long way in first person shooters, and a lack thereof is often what stops fans of the genre from buying World War 2 games. Killzone bypasses this hurdle with its Nazis in space setting, and offers some truly great weapons. What would you rather do? Shoot your enemy with a rifle made of wood, or fry him with a gun that shoots lightning?

Speaking of enemies...

You can actually tell enemies from allies

In traditional World War 2 games, you run alongside your American buddies, who all wear brown uniforms and round helmets, and you shoot Nazis, who wear brown uniforms and round helmets. No, it is not the exact same brown, but it's still a pain in the ass, especially if you're colorblind like me (yes, I'm colorblind. yes, that is one of the reasons why I post my articles in yellow against a black background. If you don't like it, then please turn your bitchy comments into useful tips on N4G). Killzone 2 solves this problem by giving your enemies big red eyes that glow in the dark (sort of like gamers). Not only can you tell your enemies from your allies, but you can also tell when said enemies are dead since their bright red eyes stop glowing.

You get to kill the great dictator

Instead of letting the great dictator off himself, you get to meet him face to face. This is a lot more engaging, more personal, and offers a much better sense of closure then the final events of World War 2.

Open Ending

The thing with regular World War 2 games is that you already know how they end. The Americans save the world from impending doom, giving Europeans a reason to be their friends for a few more years. We learned about it in History, read about it in books, and heard about it from the billions of brave Frenchmen that were in the resistance (which somehow manages to grow bigger and bigger every year). With Killzone, however, the story is completely open. No one knows what's going to happen next. This both increases the curiosity of the player and gives the developers more creative freedom. Not to mention room for a sequel.

All in all, if you are tired of killing the same old Nazis, I suggest you give Killzone 2 a try. The gameplay is great, the graphics are beyond awesome, the multiplayer sets the bar higher than anything before it, and its subtle take on Nazis in space is quite refreshing.