New Killzone 2 Ad Is “Playable”

The newest tv ad for Killzone 2, built from the ground up in the game engine itself, is also coming in a “playable” version to PlayStation Network in March.

Remember three years ago when former PlayStation evil mastermind Ken Kutaragi said that the PlayStation 3 is “live” and that it existed in “4-D?” No, that was a different time than when he said that playing the PS3 would allow you to “jack into The Matrix.” Well, Kutaragi might be long gone, but his dream of four-dimensions may finally be coming true, or at least the people who’ve put together this new Killzone 2 TV spot would think so.

Unlike the infamous Killzone 2 target trailer from E3 2005, the ad was built entirely from the ground up in the Killzone 2 engine. “The idea for the commercial centered on telling the story of war on Helghan – up close and very personal and to use the game’s engine to show it. No voodoo, no heavy metal soundtrack: just the true representation of the in-game graphics,” Scott Steinberg of Sony said.

The ad pulls a Stranglehold as the camera follows the trajectory of a bullet from a rifle into the head of an unsuspecting Helghast, after which the log and tag line – “WAR. PERFECTED.” – show up in big old letters. It certainly looks like the real thing, and pulls out all the stops in the graphical wizardry department: tons of particle effects, a conveniently placed puddle of water to show off how awesome KZ2‘s water reflection tech is.

To prove that it’s for really for real and not CG this time, Sony is making the ad playable, kinda. “To offer you some insight into the technology behind this game, we will release a playable version of this in-engine ad vignette on the PlayStation Network coming in March,” Steinberg explained. “You’ll be able to control the camera and hear director commentary on how the production was completed using only the game’s technology.”

And what’s Sony’s codename for this entire project? “Killzone In 4-D.” Ken Kutaragi, wherever he is right now, has his arms crossed and is leaning back in his chair, smiling.