Killzone: Shadow Fall is the first major exclusive title for the Playstation 4. So it has to serve as a demonstration of the console's graphics and game- play and be good enough to justify buying Sony's console. No pressure, so.

Verdict: very impressive, if not quite a classic. So we’ll have to settle for a game that’s merely dazzling in appearance and immersive to play.

Following a devastating war, the Helghast – who look like futuristic goths – are forced to live in a delicate truce alongside human, their former enemies. Like the best sci-fi, there are recognisable elements from real life; refugees, genocide and even a wall dividing communities. You play Lucas, a young soldier on the trail of a pitiless terrorist.

Killzone: Shadow Fall is best seen as a showcase for PS4's graphics. There's an endless unfurling of stunning locations: space-stations, forests and various urban landscapes, from the shimmering metal and glass facade of the humans city to the slummy, Blade Runner-style Helghast one. It's a triumph of design.

The new PS4 controller gets a good workout. It’s more substantial than the previous one, and the touch-pad is a treat. Swiping the space in the middle helps you command Lucas’s airborne robot companion. The built-in speaker adds authenticity: As characters’ audio logs emerge from your controller, it feels like you’re holding an abandoned recording device in your hands.

Killzone: Shadow Fall is a slick, satisfying first-person shooter with snazzy trimmings added to quite traditional gameplay. As well as a terrific campaign, there's a lively (if not hugely innovative) multi-player. It's a very good game in its own right, as well as a tantalising demonstration of the PS4's capabilities.
killzone.com