UK, September 1, 2008 - The first screenshot of the cloak suit from Killzone 2 has just plopped from Sony's loins and it's starting to get us excited about the forthcoming multiplayer beta. The pic shows a group of Helghast troops running along a darkened corridor – no surprise there – but the solider nearest the camera appears to be dissolving. It's the first time we've seen the game's active camo suit in action and players who choose the Scout class in the beta (and indeed the final game) have this cloak suit at their disposal, meaning they're incredibly difficult to spot in the middle of a firefight.
Here's how it works: with the camo suit equipped, players who remain motionless are practically impossible to see, appearing only as a visual glitch much like the Predator suit in the classic '80s movie. When you move the effect lessens somewhat depending on your speed, although you'll still be partially concealed if you walk slowly through the shadows,
The Scout also has a secondary ability that enables them to tag all on-screen enemies with a hidden marker, broadcasting their coordinates to team-mates.
Sony has also lifted the lid on the other classes that will appear in the Beta, which is currently in internal testing and is scheduled to go live over the PSN later this year. First up is the Rifleman, who's the default troop type in the game. They start with a variety of primary and secondary weapons, including grenades, and bigger and better guns can be unlocked as you progress through the ranks. Then there's the Engineer, whose primary skill is the ability to set up an automated turret that targets the enemy, plus they can repair ammunition dumps, mounted guns and turrets that have been damaged in battle.
Although not a natural first choice to Beta players, the Medic can revive downed team-mates if they get to their bloodied bodies quickly enough, plus they can throw health packs which can be collected by other players. The Assault trooper is the heavy weapons guy and it kitted out with thick armour that can take twice as much punishment as a regular Kevlar vest. His secondary ability is a temporary speed boost that enables him to get stuck into a firefight in double-quick time, or run in the opposite direction if you're low on health.
The Tactician is the captain of the group and can drop coloured smoke grenades throughout a level, which serve as spawn points for the rest of the team. This skill proves essential on the bigger maps in the Beta as it allows for a steady flow of friendly troops on the front line. Tacticians can request air support too, calling in a sentry bot that fly low and tear through the enemy.
Finally there's the Saboteur, who can infiltrate the opposition by assuming the guise of a random enemy player and is also equipped with sticky proximity-activated C4 charges – perfect for lobbing near the enemy spawn point once you've crept through their ranks!
Here's the really interesting bit though - the classes in Killzone 2 aren't as rigid as those in other games, so if you choose to play as a Scout you're not necessarily limited to just those skills. Instead you're free to mix and match to some extent, taking a class's primary ability and mixing it with another's secondary. So, for example, if you choose to be a Scout but take the engineer's secondary skill it's possible to slowly sneak over to the enemy base without being seen, thanks to the cloak suit, and then place a sentry gun that makes mincemeat of the bad guys as soon as they appear.
Since both ISA and Heghast factions will have the same class types and abilities available to them, albeit with slight variations in the specific weapons and gear set-ups, it's pretty much an even playing field. However, with so much scope for playing around with the skills there really is every incentive to be as creative as you can, to get that much-needed advantage over the enemy.
We'll be bringing you an in-depth preview of the Killzone 2 multiplayer beta in the coming weeks so be sure to keep your field radio tuned to IGN.
