KILLZONE MERCENARY

Killzone: Mercenary is an upcoming first-person shooter video game for the PlayStation Vita. Developed by Guerrilla Cambridge, it is the second hand-held title in the Killzone series of video games, and fifth overall. It is scheduled for a September 2013 release. It is the first installment to not be developed by Guerrilla Games directly.

Plot

Starting just after the ending of the original Killzone, and revisiting many of the events from the Killzone trilogy, the game puts players in the rugged combat boots of a mercenary named Arran Danner. Danner is a former UCA-soldier who has no qualms about taking on paid contracts from the ISA as well as the Helghast.
When a seemingly routine mission to evacuate the Vektan Ambassador and his family in Pyrrhus goes awry, Danner discovers that the outcome of the war could very well depend on the fate of the Ambassador’s young son. With both sides going through increasingly desperate lengths to get hold of the boy, he begins to wonder whether the price of victory is really worth the paycheck.

Gameplay

For the first time in a Killzone campaign, players will be fighting alongside Helghast forces as well as ISA specialists, carrying out missions that regular soldiers can't. As a mercenary, players are free to decide which tactics and loadouts they'll use to fulfill their contract; employers will reward players with weaponry and money if successfully completed. The game will utilize PS Vita's touch screen and rear touch panel to some extent.

Development

At gamescom 2012, it was revealed that the title is Killzone: Mercenary. The game utilizes a modified version of the Killzone 3 rendering engine, allowing volumetric lighting and smoke, high-res environment textures, gleaming metal, and realistic-looking shadows. It is slated for a September 2013 release. Unlike the previous Killzone installments, Mercenary was not developed by Guerrilla Games, but instead, their sister studio, Guerrilla Cambridge (formerly SCE Cambridge Studio). In comparison to previous installments, Mercenary will apparently offer "the series’ biggest weapon loadout yet". Due to the larger weapon loadout, it accommodates a wider variety of play styles than in past Killzone games. Because of the refined damage model, the weapons apparently "feel slightly more powerful" than those in previous installments.
Sign-ups for the multiplayer closed beta began on July 12, 2013. Candidates had until July 17 to sign-up. The beta will provide players with a diverse range of weapons, grenades, armor, and special VAN-Guard devices enabling them to customize their multiplayer load-out slots. This customization supports the tactical element of the game; allowing players to go in like a tank, or take a more precise approach and assassinate enemies stealthily.