Killzone: Mercenary

The PlayStation Vita may be about to get a new lease of life with the launch of the PS4, but that doesn't mean it will be consigned to the status of just another peripheral. It's still a decent handheld console in its own right, and what better way to show that off than with another Vita version of Killzone?

Killzone: Mercenary puts you in the boots of Arran Danner, a former UCA soldier turned mercenary. The story centres around the Vektan ambassador and his family, and a mission to evacuate them that goes badly wrong.

For veteran Killzone players, it's a new take. There's no blindly following orders here; you're a mercenary and with that comes choice. You decide how best to meet your mission goals and objectives and, when you complete them successfully, you'll get a nice wedge of cash for your bank account. And in true mercenary style, you can fight alongside the ISA or the Helghast; you're not fussy as long as they're paying.

There’s a nine-mission campaign to work your way through, which at first – and second – glance appears very short. And it is, until you take into account the new contracts mode that adds a whole heap of new goals to meet.

Online, you can play in games of up to eight players as you navigate through game types such as free-for-all mercenary warfare, team-based deathmatch guerilla warfare, and the mission-based war zone.

The hardware in the Vita means you get extra controls, such as the touchscreen for execution moves, but it can also feel a little clunky at times. The Vita doesn’t have quite the same power as the PS3 when it comes to graphics, which can lead to some stuttering moments.

Overall, it's a solid shooter for the Vita, even if there are some improvements that could be made. killzone.com