If you were to compare a movie with a video game, several years ago almost everything would be different. In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if you said that the video game graphics of the 20th Century resemble untidy square pixels. So scrappy you wouldn’t be able to make out the difference between a face and a bag. Therefore its safe to say compared to what we see now, there has been a huge change.

Today, you’ll have to be a sufficient gamer to tell a game apart from a blockbuster movie. It doesn’t help with the huge advances in technology available to video game companies like Guerrilla Games, the developers of the Killzone series.

Killzone 2 is Guerrilla Games’ latest game. The game has been designed for Sony’s Playstation 3, and is described as Sony’s Halo-beater. More than 135 developers in the Netherland’s are working on the game, which is rumoured to have a budget of over £20 million ($40million), comparable to a small-budget Hollywood picture. With the game’s huge 2GB level’s translated into 20 different languages, Bungie Studios’ Halo 3 has certainly met its match. It is therefore absolutely essential that both giant rival’s; Sony and Microsoft, promote their games with as much aura and quality as possible, hoping for a grasp of pre-eminence on the console war.

Just as movie trailers have become a crucial element in any film’s marketing campaign, trailers for video games have become part of a new battleground to win the hearts and minds of gamers. Both Halo 3 and Killzone 2’s trailers and screen shot’s have been discussed, debated and agonised over. With more and more gamers online forming video gaming communities such as Video Game Chat, greater access to trailers and screen shots is possible. This revolution is all due to the average 21st Century gamer would rather see what they are going to play, rather then look at magazine reports and screenshots.

The lengths that gamers and gaming websites such as VGC go on to analyse trailers is startling for video game producers. The ‘prefect’ game trailer is therefore apprehended. Halo 3 and Killzone 2 are disputed whether or not they have succeeded in creating this trailer. Many angry fans showed disappointment towards Guerrilla games after it was discovered the action within the first Killzone 2 E3 trailer was not genuine in-game footage. Bungie Studio’s didn’t escape either. In 2004, the trailer’s for Halo 2 raised expectations for the game, leaving some players disappointed when they finally got their hands on the title.

Only time will tell if the trailers succeed. The debate of which game will be better will continue right up to release day. Xbox’s Halo 3 is set to hit the stores on 25th September 2007, while Killzone 2 makes its appearance on the Playstation 3 in early 2008. Today’s video games have certainly closed the gap between what Hollywood has to offer and their trailers. One question however only remains; will video games overtake films for 21st Century entertainment dominance? The increasing budget’s video games are experiencing suggest it’s possible.

Tags : Guerrilla Games : Killzone : Killzone 2 : PlayStation 3

Comments

By: Dragonfly On: 11:21 Jul 17th, 2007 Online	My honest thought? Killzone was always conceived in an attempt to be a Halo beater. It lacks it's own real identity, and so far, it's gameplay has failed to match the same level of refinement as Halo's. This will be a battle easily won.

By: dragongee On: 01:56 Jul 18th, 2007 Offline	Yeah I would have to agree with you on the elder Halo games verses Killzone 1, but this is a new game with a budget which currently surpasses �20 million. Maybe there is a chance Killzone 2 could cause a shock to Halo 3. Anything can happen now-days in the Video Game Market...