Engaging and Action-Packed Online Gritty Warfare Whets PlayStation®2 Fans' Appetite With the Arrival of Killzone™ This Holiday Season

Futuristic Sci-Fi Shooter Puts Players Into Intense Militaristic Warfare

PRNewswire
FOSTER CITY, Calif.
11/02/2004

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. announced today the launch of Killzone™, the highly anticipated and critically acclaimed squad-based, first person shooter, available exclusively for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. Developed by Guerrilla, in conjunction with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe and Sony Computer Entertainment America's Santa Monica Studios, Killzone draws inspiration from classical military conflicts of the 20th century, demonstrating a unique graphical style that captures the grit and realism of intense military warfare. Killzone allows players to battle through the trenches, endure city sieges, sweat through jungles and encounter guerilla combatants. Featuring online broadband gameplay via the Network Adaptor (Ethernet/modem) (for PlayStation®2) with voice-chat capabilities via the USB Headset (for PlayStation®2), Killzone boasts a unique online experience, making it one of the most interactive and dynamic squad-based first-person shooters on the market.

"Killzone will provide PlayStation 2 owners with a premier first-person shooter that offers a completely robust online experience," said Barbara House, senior producer, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "Developed by Guerilla in Amsterdam, Killzone is a game that delivers an engrossing storyline, amazing graphics, great characters, and a remarkable armory of 27 different weapons spread out over 11 intricately detailed environments."

In online mode via broadband, up to 16 players can join the battle to take out their opponents with every man for himself in Deathmatch mode, or as a team in five different fully customizable squad-based multiplayer modes (Team Deathmatch, Domination, Supply Drop, Assault and Defend & Destroy). Team Deathmatch is similar to Deathmatch, except it places an ISA Squad versus a Helghast Platoon. Domination is decided by which team controls several key switches. Supply Drop is a team battle that takes place over containers strategically placed throughout the map. Teams need to capture these containers and bring them back to their base for points. Assault is a game where one team defends a designated area from another team. Defend & Destroy is a variant of Assault where both teams guard their objectives from their opposing team.

The storyline behind Killzone occurs sometime in the near future on the nearby colony of Vekta, one of the interplanetary colonies that humans have established outside of Earth. An invading militaristic separatist faction called the Helghast has set out to decimate the ISA forces and colonize the planet. The only thing standing between the colony's survival and complete destruction is an elite squad of human ISA forces. Players can select between four ISA troops -- each with special abilities and weaponry to accommodate their playing style -- and battle through 11 intricately detailed environments that showcase the harsh setting of a war-ridden planet. Additionally, players can equip themselves with 27 different unique weapons. In particular, there are 21 first-person weapons that the player can carry, five emplaced weapons and hand grenades.

Killzone employs a highly advanced artificial intelligence technology that allows Helghast enemies to calculate threats, maintain squad directives and adhere to self-preservation tactics to determine a unique course of action. Killzone also features an original score performed by the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus.

The independent Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has rated Killzone "M" for "mature". For more information about the ESRB visit www.esrb.org.

About Guerrilla

Guerrilla specializes in the creation of videogames for leading platforms. Formally known as Lost Boys games, the company was founded at the beginning of 2000, as the result of a merger between three established Dutch game developers. By combining experienced staff with outstanding technology and innovative game concepts, this studio was launched with the vision of becoming one of the top 10 independent developers in the European games industry. Guerrilla is part of the Media Republic group and is based in central Amsterdam, the Netherlands. For more information, visit www.guerrilla-games.com.

About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® game console and the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. The PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system is set to revolutionize the home entertainment market, offering the most compelling interactive content and the capability to be used as a network terminal in the coming broadband era.

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation game console and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PlayStation game console and the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif., Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Visit us on the Web at http://www.us.playstation.com/ .

SOURCE: Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

CONTACT: Ryan Bowling, +1-650-655-3657, or
ryan_bowling@playstation.sony.com, or Ron Eagle, +1-858-824-5585, or
ron_eagle@playstation.sony.com, both of Sony Computer Entertainment America

Web site: http://www.guerrilla-games.com/

Web site: http://www.playstation.com/