As we gear up for the launch of PlayStation 4 and the fourth main installment in the Killzone series (not including Killzone Liberation for PSP and the excellent Killzone Mercenary for PS Vita) I felt it necessary to recap the backstory for those who need a refresher or may be new to the series.
The story of Killzone takes place hundreds of years in the future in a world that was half destroyed by nuclear warfare. The remaining governments on Earth formed one main government and bought other planets hoping to inhabit them. In their search the government ended up buying too many planets so they started selling them off. The Helghan Corporation bought two planets: Vekta which resembles earth and is green and full of life and Helghan which is full of natural resources but is much too harsh of an environment and therefore not suited for man to live on. People from the Helghan Corp. end up moving to Vekta and over the years successfully build a civilization on the planet that flourishes which does not go unnoticed by the main government back on Earth. The people of Earth invade Vekta and kick the Helghan people off and onto the planet Helghan. The Helghan people have a very difficult time adapting to the harsh environment but over time become resilient with the help of special breathing apparatuses built into their suits. The people of Helghan now go by the name Helghast.
The Helghast struggle but over time manage to rebuild a civilization on Helghan after being ousted from Vekta. During this deeply difficult time a man named Visari rises to power promising revenge on the people who wronged them. He promised to lead them to take Vekta back and that the Helghast would have a better life, a life he said they deserve. During this desperation the Helghast form up and under Visiari’s leadership they fly out to fight the ISA who are the military force on Vekta in hopes of reclaiming their planet back. You play as a man named Templar of the ISA along with your hot-headed sidekick named Rico. After a long battle the Helghast fail to overtake the ISA and leave Vekta and the remaining troops head back to Helghan. That’s the first Killzone.
During Killzone 2 you play as another member of the ISA named Sev and are accompanied by Rico. Your mission is to fly into Helghan in an attempt to capture the Helghast leader Visari. During the battle the Helghast manage to take out most ISA dropships including their main one called New Sun. While the New Sun was destroyed it also crashed into the main power grid leaving Helghan’s capital of Pyhrrus without any means of defending itself. It is then, with his daughter by his side, that Visari addressed the Helghast people via a video feed before he nuked the capital killing most of the ISA forces and a lot of Helghast ground troops. A small crew of ISA members were far enough away and managed to survive including Sev and Rico. They pushed harder now more than ever to get to Visari’s palace and against all odds are successfyl. Sev and Rico confront Visari and as you’re about to detain him Rico shoots him dead to which Visari’s last words are “The madness……begins.”
Killzone 3 takes place literally where Killzone 2 left off and you play as Sev with the goal of getting you and the other ISA members off of Helghan. As you can imagine, the Helghast are pretty pissed you killed their leader and make it difficult for you to leave. With Visari dead a power struggle brews between the new Helghast leader Orlock and a man named Stahl who heads the the weapons manufacturing in Helghan.
