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6.0

'Killzone Mercenary’ Review - Switch Input

First person shooters have eluded the Playstation Vita ever since it’s release. Let me rephrase that: Good first person shooters have eluded the Vita. There was some optimism last year when ‘Resistance: Burning Skies’ and ‘Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified’ were slated to come out. Unfortunately, they were watered-down and quite frankly, boring. Both were developed by Nihilistic Software, which has since renamed itself nStigate Games and switched its focus to Android and iOS games. Guerrilla Cambridge is hoping to avoid that fate and deliver the first great FPS on the Vita.

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Goro4619d ago

Honestly, This game didn't meet my expectations.
There's no customization, it chooses your attachments for you.
The campaign is incredibly short (I won it in 2 hours & 44 minutes) with a mediocre story.
The MP is no doubt the best thing about the game but unfortunately the servers are very bad and it can take up to an hour to find a game, though once you do it's fantastic.

Overall i would have to agree with this review giving it around a 6-7 out of 10. Still the best Handheld FPS though but it's not like it had much competition.

Aceman184619d ago (Edited 4619d ago )

That's weird before each mission if I bought the weapons I could afford it would allow me to pick whatever guns I wanted to start with.

So far I'm really enjoying it. Also the story here is from the mercs perspective so its doing a pretty good job for me.

Pixel_Enemy4619d ago

lol I have experienced NONE of this. I am about 3 hours into the story and it is only just beginning. Multiplayer works well, haven't been kicked from a game yet, launches quickly and I have even played a party match with 4 other friends and got into a game without problems. It is a solid title for vita and I am really loving it. It will hold me over until Shadowfall for sure.

As for the customization, yeah you can't pick your attachments but you can fully customize your own loadouts with unlocks and vangards etc. Troll harder brah.

Goro4619d ago

3 hours into the story? and your only beginning? i doubt it, and i ain't trolling i'm just stating my opinion from what i've experienced so far.

PoSTedUP4619d ago

you can run through anygame in a short amount of time. it took me over an hour to complete the first mission on hard (and look for all the intel and rescue all the pows)
everything else is perfect, i connect to the servers and every game instantly with only one disconnect in 6hours of playing online. i think this guys connection is shit.

porkChop4619d ago (Edited 4619d ago )

I've had the opposite experience. I've spent maybe 2 hours or so but I'm only slightly into the 3rd mission, out of 9. Are you just running through guns blazing? I've been playing stealth the whole way through. So far I think the story is actually pretty good, it spans the entire Killzone franchise and fits in very nicely.

As for multiplayer, I find matches near instantly, and I haven't had a single instance of lag yet. The servers are fine, so I'm pretty sure it's your connection. You should double check your NAT type and make sure it's open.

Also, I'm not sure why you'd expect weapon customization. Killzone has never had any. Only loadout customization. Seems like a silly thing to complain about when the game was never meant to have any.

I'd give it a 9, minimum, so far.

Goro4619d ago

I must just be an absolute beast at the game then =D

Also, i've got NAT Type 2 with a 13MB Download Speed

admiralvic4619d ago

"I've had the opposite experience. I've spent maybe 2 hours or so but I'm only slightly into the 3rd mission, out of 9. Are you just running through guns blazing? I've been playing stealth the whole way through. "

I would wager you're doing it VERY slow or are doing the side missions. I was able to do all the missions on hardest in about 3 and a half hours. However, this person isn't considering the optional challenges that you can do to make the game longer. It's like saying a Pikmin 3 is a 3 hour game because you can ignore EVERY POSSIBLE SIDE THING and simply make it to the end. Sure it can be done, but that isn't the end of the single player.

porkChop4619d ago

Side missions? I've just been playing the game, watching enemy routes and taking them out silently, and grabbing intel whenever I see it.

admiralvic4619d ago

By side missions I meant the precision, covert and demolition runs.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 4619d ago
admiralvic4619d ago

"Honestly, This game didn't meet my expectations. "

I wasn't expecting much and this game met mine. Perhaps you were being a little unrealistic with your expectations? Having played the other 2 FPS games I can easily say this is the best of them... though that says very little.

"There's no customization, it chooses your attachments for you. "

There is customization, just no ability to change attachments. This might suck, but has never really been a big part of Killzone and I can't honestly say adding an 8x scope or silencer on my weapon would impact the game to a serious degree. Just simply use a gun that has the attributes that you find desirable.

"The campaign is incredibly short (I won it in 2 hours & 44 minutes) with a mediocre story. "

First off, Killzone has NEVER been a series renown for its story. This isn't like MGS, BioShock, or anything where the story is the selling point. The selling point for Killzone has always been graphics and gameplay, which you yourself admit is fantastic.

Furthermore, the campaign is about 3 hours long (I did it in about 3 and a half hours on hardest), but that isn't the "full" campaign. After the primary there is precision that has a number of restrictions / rules to follow. Then you can do the covert mission that requires yo to be well, covert. Finally you have demolition that requires you to play the mission yet another way. Sure you don't need to do them, but it's not like they didn't offer you different challenges to complete. Logically this bumps the single player up to about 12 hours and that is a solid number.

"The MP is no doubt the best thing about the game but unfortunately the servers are very bad and it can take up to an hour to find a game, though once you do it's fantastic."

Sadly this is an ongoing problem with Vita games, which will ideally be fixed in the future. I've heard using party chat to join works really well, but at least this implies that the game sold fairly well.

Goro4619d ago (Edited 4619d ago )

Agreed, I wouldn't say a 12 hour campaign though, it's just the same thing 4 times but you have requirements to meet the last 3 times.

Also i'm not trying to say this is a bad game or anything, it's far from it... I guess now that i think about it the MAIN reason it didn't reach my expectations is only due to the fact that the MP almost seems unplayable for me, i have a very good connection and have no problems in any other PS3/Vita game besides this...it takes about 90 minutes for me to actually get into a lobby

Clover9044619d ago

Rest your wireless router to factory settings, put in a password for your wireless network, and reconnect your Vita. You shouldn't have any trouble at all connecting. Killzone Merc multiplayer works just as fast as any console shooter.

I hope this helps. For a game focused so much on the multiplayer aspect it sucks that some people are having a difficult time playing.

Clover9044619d ago (Edited 4619d ago )

Completely reset your wireless router. I had a hard time getting into multiplayer games, but after resetting my router it takes no time at all. In the US btw.

For some reason I could play The Last of Us on the ps3 with no serious problems, but couldn't play Killzone Mercenary hardly at all. After the reset everything is working perfectly.

+ Show (2) more repliesLast reply 4619d ago
objdadon4619d ago

Loved the beta and still amazed im playing this on a handheld!

objdadon4619d ago

Yeah I confirm, you're trolling

370°

Guerrilla Announces Shutdown of Servers for Killzone: Shadow Fall and More

In August, online servers for several PlayStation games will shut down, leaving their multiplayer functions unplayable.

purple1011384d ago

whrere on earth is the next killzone, im soooOOO thirsty for some proper weighted, (but still fast when running/sprinting) fps gamplay, it felt sooso so good on ps3, with that, lets be honest, very small, quite uncomfortable sixaxis dualshock controller, that was just too small for western sized hands, ok for japanese kids i suppose was the point>??

now with PS5 controller, it would be totally masterfull.

ClayRules20121383d ago

I hear you. I want some NEW Killzone, especially on PS5, with the PS5 DualSense controller with that ever so impressive DualSense of an experience Haptic feedback!

Knowing how far Guerrilla has come since Horizon: Zero Dawn, Killzone can only benefit greatly from their ever growing talent!!

Bobertt1383d ago

I think Sony has given up on their exclusive shooters. They haven't released a remaster for the Resistance series or a new SOCOM game either. I don't think Guerilla is in a rush to make Killzone since they have Horizon now too :(.

1383d ago
Outside_ofthe_Box1383d ago

All I want is for them to build Killzone 2 with multiplayer included from the ground up, keep the gameplay the same, and I'll be happy.

GG with KZ3 and Shafowfall haven't been able to match KZ2 so I don't really have faith in another sequel.

Unfortunate that KZ2 came out during COD era where every game that didn't pay like Modern Warfare was deemed garbage. KZ2's multiplayer is definitely an all time great.

Michiel19891383d ago

since when was kz2 deemed garbage?

MizHDTV1383d ago

Right on dude
KZ2 was just a special game to me

sinspirit1383d ago

I'd love KZ2 multiplayer again. I also think they could easily incorporate a mode to compete with Battlefield style game modes

Seraphim1383d ago

KZ2 was one of maybe a handful of games I actually put time into online. What a blast!! And the campaign was excellent as well. I certainly miss that dark world. Still ashamed I never buttoned up that Platinum.

Storm231383d ago

A remake of Killzone 2 with the same grittiness and feel on PS5 would be f*cking incredible. The SP and MP were just perfect. I played the sh*t out of that game. Would happily pay a lot of money for that.

DarXyde1383d ago

Honestly, I don't like FPS games. They're not for me, but I do agree that there was something about KZ2 multiplayer that even someone like me enjoyed.

Sony really needs to get better about tearing down servers. I don't like that they shut them down.

shadowT1383d ago

agree, KZ2 was a masterpiece

Muigi1383d ago

KZ3 multiplayer was better imo.

Outside_ofthe_Box1383d ago (Edited 1383d ago )

@Michiel1989
"since when was kz2 deemed garbage?"

As with anything, things don't get the appreciation it deserves until way after it's release.

KZ2 got a lot of flak for it's weighty controls that many mistook for input lag. People didn't like that it wasn't a twitch shooter like CoD. You also had people saying things like "it feels like you're controlling a midget", "enemies take too long to die" (you can't pray and spray in kz2. You have to shoot in bursts for your shots to be more accurate), people complained about the sniping, etc.

This led to a lot of changes in KZ3 that turned the vets off like reducing the amount of variables for bullet damage, getting rid of spawn grenades, etc.

BISHOP-BRASIL1383d ago

@DarXyde

I don't think there's much Sony or any other company in that position can do much different about it... Keeping servers running simply cost money, these gomes don't generate none anymore, so eventually they need to pull the plug.

Astrokis1382d ago

KZ2 was definitely better then KZ3, but the third one still had strong suits. It’s been many years but I remember something about Shadow Fall being made by a team at GG that did NOT do KZ2 and KZ3 multiplayer which is why it felt different. I remember when I found that out it made a lot of sense about Shadow Falls multiplayer feeling so off.

+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 1382d ago
elazz1383d ago

Horizon zero dawn sold more copies than all of the killzone franchise combined including spin offs on handheld. I guess that's the reason why won't see killzone from guerilla soon. There is at least one more mainline horizon coming out and their second team is working on horizon VR I believe. So it's gonna be a while unless another studio takes over.

Profchaos1383d ago

I've been playing a lot of Killzone 2 on rpcs3 with a duelsense combined with the ability to remap controls to a modern standard and bump the game to 60fps it shows that we really need a remaster to probably the best killzone game to date although shadowfall technically beats it in the graphics department art style was so different that they are incomparable

MizHDTV1383d ago

I’d be happy with a release of KZ2

John_McClane1383d ago

Killzone went to the same place as Socom and Mag, more money in 25 hour single player games with no servers to maintain. Socom was literally the reason I bought a PS2, Resistance FOM the reason I bought a PS3, all gone now.

senorfartcushion1383d ago (Edited 1383d ago )

Killzone has never been weighted correctly, the jumping never worked.

A new properly-weighted shooter in the Killzone series would be great. More like Killzone 1 and 2 than SF.

I think the issue comes from the fact that the Helghast side is sympathetic while looking like Nazi stormtroopers. The Trump age has led artists to avoid this look entirely.

ironmonkey1383d ago

I feel something may be announced soon

ManMarmalade1383d ago (Edited 1383d ago )

The sixaxis felt fine in my hands since they're small, but the ps5 really made me feel the difference. So ergonomic.

+ Show (8) more repliesLast reply 1382d ago
Gardenia1383d ago

Killzone 2 was/is so good and it still looks good today. The multiplayer was fun as well. If they make a new Killzone I hope it is the style of Killzone 2.

Hauntedasylum81383d ago

I wish Sony didn’t abandon Resistance and Killzone. Those are some of my favorite series on PlayStation. If they’re not gonna make anymore, then maybe a remastered collection of each could be negotiated.

DefenderOfDoom21383d ago

KILLZONE 2 was my reason for buying a PS3. If a new KILLZONE or RESISTANCE was coming out in 22 I would try to buy a PS5 immediately.

Lightning771383d ago

SSOD2 would be big for Sony. The only reason they would be interested in it is if they can turn it into a live service game.

In which I can see that happening.

Hauntedasylum81383d ago

Hell yeah, brother. You and me both.

VanDamme1383d ago

For anyone trying to understand @Lightning77’s comment, they had a typo, this should clarify:

SOD2
Superoxide dismutase 2, mitochondrial, also known as manganese-dependent superoxide dismutase, is an enzyme which in humans is encoded by the SOD2 gene on chromosome 6.

Profchaos1383d ago

After 5 killzone games including portable Sony felt it needed a break I wouldn't say its abandoned however I believe we may randomly get a ps5 remaster with improved lighting to test the waters and eventually a full blown new game after all you can't just leave shadowfall on that ending

SeTTriP1383d ago

Horizon is priority now its a mega franchise for them maybe after Horizon they might revisit.

Imalwaysright1383d ago

I refuse to play for online play but there is one game that would make pay for it and that's Resistance Fall of Man. That's the only game that would make me throw my principles out of the window without feeling ashamed of myself.

jBlakeeper1383d ago

Remember in the mid 2000’s when nearly every developer started to do FPS or linear third person? Now nearly every developer wants to do open world exclusively because it’s the easiest type of game to leave things out and then expand upon the world with DLC.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 1383d ago
deleted1383d ago

So many fond memories of both Shadowfall and Mercenaries Vita online! Shadowfall's SP may have been weak, but the MP was still a ton of fun. I had a lot of time in both, and it's especially tough seeing the Vita's best mp experience get shut down.

RIP my old friends.

LoveSpuds1383d ago (Edited 1383d ago )

In my opinion, I thought the single player games was really decent too and was treated quite harshly by the critics, but then, I think the Killzone franchise as a whole was kinda under rated by the critics. I always enjoyed the story in these games and I liked the slower, more deliberate gunplay too.

I remember getting my PS4 on day 1 and the first game I installed was Killzone Shadowfall, my workmates and I would play it for hours on end, the mode whish switched between game modes was brilliant.

P_Bomb1383d ago

A world without Killzone Online. That it’s come to this…

Show all comments (73)
370°

Killzone: Mercenary multiplayer servers are back online

Over the weekend reports of the multiplayer servers for Killzone Mercenary had been shut down by Sony came out.  However, usually when Sony is going to shut down the servers of a game the company puts out an announcement through its game servers site, but it seemed that Killzone Mercenary’s multiplayer servers had been turned off with no notice to players, and it was not listed on the list on Sony’s server shutdown site.

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time2die2165d ago

Seriously does anyone actually still play a Playstation Vita...?

Abnor_Mal2165d ago

Yes, especially when I'm at an appointment sitting in the waiting room.

SonyStyled2165d ago

Yea, played 3mp games in Killzone mercenary last week. I haven’t played it in a bit otherwise. I still have Severed in my backlog but I’ve been chipping at the ps3 backlog this past year. Obviously there isn’t too many new games I’m interested in but frequently sales have games for under $1 so I’ll buy and play as things come up in the store

NecrumOddBoy2165d ago

I platinum'd Severed. It was super awesome!

Good-Smurf2165d ago (Edited 2165d ago )

Still play Killzone Mercenary and Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed on it.
But I mostly use it for browsing Pixiv.

IanTH2165d ago

Just to add to the chorus, "yes!"

Got it sitting in its charging cradle (alongside several other older handhelds) for whenever the mood strikes. It isn't a daily thing, but it still gets used. Great handheld that passed before its time.

UltraNova2164d ago (Edited 2164d ago )

It was criminally overlooked. It was the Switch before the Switch. A perfect storm of things against it at the time.

It's sad that Sony gave up on it and handhelds thereafter...

AnotherGamer2165d ago

Yep, I still play it. Your problem?

meganick2165d ago

You’re living in the past. Trade it in for a Switch ya schmuck.

Pughski2165d ago

Nope. I don't believe anyone that says so.

SegaSaturn6692165d ago

Playstation vita just had a very good n64 emulator released for it, and there's an upcoming dreamcast emulator.

Also just released was Noboru, a phenomenal manga/comic reader.

meganick2165d ago

This is why Sony handhelds fail, because people use them to play free roms and don’t actually buy software.

2165d ago
kayoss2165d ago

i do. Its a great handheld. unfortunately, Sony dont give it the support it should have deserved and the Remote play with PS4 is horrible. Especially with the button layout on the PS Vita for certain games that required all the buttons that are on the Dual Shock.

TheGamez1002165d ago

Great place for jrpgs, indies, and emulation. Remote plays great too. I can see many still playing or finally picking it up for the good library it has.

mynameisthumper2165d ago

Yep, and PSP too! I'll keep repairing them and playing them until I can't anymore. Also, isn't it kinda interesting that for a site full of PS love, most Playstation fans seem to hate Vita? They can't have ALL played it and decided it was bad...right? Just sounds like a group mentality of hate towards an amazing system. Such a shame :/

Profchaos2164d ago (Edited 2164d ago )

Own both loved my PSP easily the best handheld I've played but my Vita I used it mostly for remote play ultimately I was disappointed with the quality of the releases most of my legit gameplay was on PS1 emulation.

Only after homebrew did the vita become special with games like half life being playable

Profchaos2164d ago

Actually on the odd occasion I boot it up

Aghashie2164d ago

I still do.

Lots of cheap games on Amazon.

I have the first model that came with a SIM card. Still working like a charm. I just feel "incomplete" if I left home without it. Seriously.

+ Show (14) more repliesLast reply 2164d ago
cosmicjest2165d ago

Sony's *usually* good with providing notice way ahead of time for stuff like this. Still, I'm always surprised to fire up Mercenary and find people in surplus.

Rangerman12082165d ago

Same. Before Sony decides to turn off the servers, I'll be booting this game soon.

Majin-vegeta2165d ago

Someomes shirt got caught on the on/off switch😂

neutralgamer19922165d ago

What but but Sony is the baddest they turn off without notice where are all those with fake anger haha

I never got to play this game because I didn't have a vita I wish it was playable on ps3

2165d ago Replies(4)
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910°

PlayStation Quietly Shuts Down a Game's Servers With No Warning

"PlayStation has quietly shut down the servers of one of its games with no warning. More specifically, if you're wondering why you can no longer play an online match of Killzone: Mercenary on PlayStation Vita, it's because servers have been shut down. Reports of the servers being turned off began to flood in this morning, and we've since confirmed with PlayStation Support that the servers have indeed been shut off."

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2166d ago Replies(6)
Jin_Sakai2166d ago

Right after the last PS Vita owner was killed.

deleted2165d ago

"They may take our Vitas, but they'll never take... OUR FREEDOM! Alba gu bràth!"

cammers19952165d ago

Probably a protester somewhere.

Elda2166d ago

That's why I got rid of my Vita because Sony stop supporting it especially with first party titles. I love their home consoles but I won't buy another handheld from Sony seeing how they treated the Vita.

Sol4ris2166d ago

In a world where the Switch exits, there is zero need for a new handheld, especially one from Sony.

Elda2166d ago

There is always room for competition. Personally for me I won't buy a Switch because of my lack of interest of their exclusives. I'll stick to my home console of choice which takes care of my gaming needs.

jznrpg2166d ago

The Switch is a nicehandheld but Sony could easily make a superior machine spec wise and not go the proprietary card route and support it better and it could really do well. Now will they take that risk I’m not sure but I loved my Vita and hope they do. Id love to have remote play with a Sony handheld and PS5 .

King_Noctis2166d ago

“ Sony could easily make a superior machine spec wise and not go the proprietary card route“

Do you see the irony in your statement?

MeteorPanda2165d ago (Edited 2165d ago )

you mean the switch that has an aweful eshop setup, no bluetooth, having to use a phone for voice chat, controllers that are shoddy (expect the pro) horrible friend management and overly expensive games that never drop in price?

yeah lm sure this can't be challenged lol.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 2165d ago
blackblades2166d ago

There are still games coming to it, shouldnt abandon it just because 1st party.

Elda2166d ago (Edited 2166d ago )

When I buy a console I buy it because of 1st,2nd & 3rd party exclusives first & foremost,I don't buy a console solely for multi-plats knowing you can play them on other consoles & PC. My main reason to buy the Vita was because of Sony's first party support the games I was mostly interested in. Once they stopped my Vita just collected dust,so I traded it in for the SNES Mini which I happen to enjoy including adding more classics on the little box.

goldwyncq2166d ago

Sony truly did the Vita dirty.

JackBNimble2166d ago

And somehow Sony get's a pass and no one cares .
I personally own a vita and I do care . Sony fans are blind loyalist hypocrites.

rainslacker2165d ago (Edited 2165d ago )

@Jack

Sony got a pass because not enough people had the Vita to make it into a big deal. I have a Vita, and I do care that they dropped support too soon. Overall, I wasn't unhappy with the Vita, but that wasn't because of Sony's doing, but rather 3rd party support providing me with games that I was happy to play on the system.(I like the more niche Japanese games).

But, at least for me, there isn't a pass should I be in a position of having to decide to buy another portable from them. That isn't something I'd jump on board for, and I'd express that reluctance should that time ever come Sony wants to jump back into the market.

I will defend the fact that Sony did indeed support the system fairly well early on. I will criticize their decisions of the memory card, although I understand the reasons behind it. I'll praise how good the hardware actually is. And I'll criticize Sony for dropping 1st party support pretty early, and how much they neglected the system after the PS4 was a runaway success.

In the mean time, the people I see most upset about Sony's dropping of the Vita are the actual Vita owners. By a wide margin. The others that love to just criticize Sony seem hung up on other things as they try really hard to make Sony look bad in areas that they are more successful in, thus have more people that care about that stuff.

Nitrox2165d ago

@jackB
Who’s giving Sony a pass? Vita owners (like myself also) have been very disappointed and even pissed off with the fact that support and games seemed to dry up after the first couple years. I doubt Sony will make another go at handhelds for quite some time, if ever, but if they do you can bet it will be looked at skeptically by even the biggest PS fans.

Should we throw away our PS4s and boycot PS5 because they gave up on the vita? That would be stupid and doesn’t make someone a hypocrite.

Idiot fanboys on this site need to quit constructing straw men to make themselves seem more woke than other gamers...

DarXyde2166d ago

Persona 4 Golden in my opinion makes Vita totally worth it.

Elda2166d ago

Nice game but I'm not going to hold on to a Vita just for Persona 4 while no other games drop that I'm interested in.

Angrymorgan2166d ago

Plot twist...the ps5 is a handheld...dualsense doesnt have a touchpad.....its a screen 😳😳

rainslacker2165d ago

I feel the same. I'd probably want one either way, but Sony dropped support of Vita way too quick once the PS4 took off. They didn't see the point in trying to make Vita a thing when they could just make money off their home console, and that was kind of a kick in the balls for Vita owners.

Vita was a great machine overall, hampered by some poor business decisions. It actually did have quite a few good games from Sony it's first couple years despite what people said, but Sony stopped caring about 3rd party support before 3rd party support really got going. It's a shame really, because the sales of more niche games on the system was pretty high for a portable, despite it's install base.

If Sony puts out a new portable, I'll give it time to see if they'll remedy the mistakes they made with the Vita. Until then, it'll be low on my list of things to get.

+ Show (3) more repliesLast reply 2165d ago
Spurg2166d ago

hmmmm....the fact that the kill the last person who was using the vita and the killing of a server of a ps vita game. Could PSP successor be announced soon?

RazzerRedux2166d ago

"the fact that the kill the last person who was using the vita"

What?

monkey6022166d ago

It's a joke regarding the Last of Us 2 state of play that's going around

Profchaos2166d ago

Could always just be a mistake and they will come back. Sony normally gives a heads up

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