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Feature

Moments: Killzone 3’s Epic Climax

by Josh Straub on Aug 08, 2012 at 06:55 AM

The word epic is often overused in gamer culture, but it is the only word that fits the climactic battle near the end of Guerilla Games’ newest Killzone installment.

SPOILERS AHEAD

WARNING: MATURE CONTENT

Throughout the entire Killzone series, the Helghast are portrayed as the most ruthless force in the galaxy. Their threat is made even more frightening by their full-body suits of armor, malevolent glowing eyes, futuristic killing technology, and their seemingly never-ending numbers. In Killzone 3, the player takes on the role of an ISA soldier tasked with eliminating the Helghast threat permanently by assaulting their home planet, Helghan. Throughout the campaign, developer Guerilla Games makes the player feel every impact and explosion. The immersive graphics and sound design submerge the player in a relentless battle that reaches its apex with the fight against the ultimate Helghast ground weapon, the Mawlr. This mammoth robot dwarfs anything in Killzone 3 so far, and the player must destroy it by any means necessary.

To do this, you must take a swarmer missile launcher and play a lethal game of hide and seek with the towering mech, targeting its heat vents as the Mawlr dodges in and out of buildings, all while contending with the swarms of Helghast foot soldiers deployed to help eradicate the ISA forces. Once this is done, the Mawlr falls to the ground, presumably to rise no more. But as soon as the ISA turn their backs, the monstrosity is up again and wreaking havoc on the retreating soldiers. The players must then fight their way to a high enough vantage point to be picked up by the ISA raider ships so that they can then take control of the ships’ guns and fight the Mawlr in the air. All throughout this entire two-part mission, the lead never stops flying and the panic never lets up as Guerilla Games makes clear just how formidable the Helghast are.

Part 1

Part 2