Killzone, the PlayStation 2 exclusive shooter developed by Guerrilla Games in 2004, can be played on PC with a free port that runs at 120 FPS, allows aiming with a mouse, and adds widescreen support, something the game never officially had on PC, since its only re-release was the HD version that arrived on PS3 in 2012.
The project is called KillzoneRecomp and was published on GitHub by programmer drakolordx7, who recompiled the game’s original code to run as a Windows program, although it incorporates parts of the PCSX2 emulator to handle graphics and sound. While it is still in alpha stage, its version 0.1.3 is the opportunity to return to the first war against the Helghast with PC-focused controls, in a week when PS4’s Killzone Shadow Fall also received an unofficial port.
What the Killzone PC port brings
The most striking aspect is its smoothness, since the game runs at the monitor’s refresh rate, which translates to between 117 and 120 FPS on 120 Hz displays and between 130 and 140 FPS on 144 Hz displays, without the action speeding up, as the game’s internal clock continues to advance in real time.
Regarding the controls, mouse aiming works via a patch to the game’s engine, so it lacks the acceleration and dead zone typical of sticks, while all keys can be remapped and the controls operate with the original PS2 layout, in addition to an option so that running is activated with a tap rather than holding the key.
Graphically, the port allows up to eight times the internal resolution, to play in widescreen 16:9 and also in ultrawide 21:9 and 32:9 with the interface centered, plus anisotropic filtering, optional FXAA smoothing, and the possibility to choose between DirectX 11, DirectX 12 or Vulkan, although online mode is not included since its servers shut down years ago.
How to download and install Killzone on PC step by step
Before starting, it’s important to know that the port does not include the game, so you need your own ISO copy of the US version (NTSC-U), with the code SCUS-97402, which the launcher checks before letting you play.
- Go to the project’s download page on GitHub, look for the latest version (listed as alpha), scroll down to the Assets section and click the .zip file that starts with Killzone-PC.
- Create a new folder on your computer, for example C:GamesKillzone, and unzip the file there by right-clicking the .zip and choosing Extract All.
- Have the ISO of your Killzone disc handy, and if you own the original PS2 disc, you can create it with a DVD drive on your computer.
- Open the folder and double-click killzone.exe, and if Windows shows the warning “Windows protected your PC”, click More information and then Run anyway.
- In the launcher that opens, select the ISO file from your disc so the program can verify that it is the compatible version.
- Check the launcher’s tabs, where under Graphics you can choose the resolution, the renderer and the Aspect ratio option to play in ultrawide, while under Controls you can change Sprint to Press to toggle if you prefer not to hold the key to run.
- Launch the game from the launcher and, when creating your profile, type the name directly with the keyboard.
- When a new version is released, download the .zip and copy its contents over your folder, since your saved games (in the discmc0 folder) and your settings (in the killzone.ini file) are preserved.
The default controls are as follows.
- Mouse to aim, left click to shoot and right click (hold) to fine-tune aiming
- W, A, S and D to move, Left Shift to run and C or Left Ctrl to crouch
- R to reload, G to throw grenades and Q or the mouse wheel to switch weapon
- E or F to use items, Esc to pause and Tab to view objectives
What still fails in this alpha version
Being an early release, the author has verified startup, menus, profile creation and the first mission, while longer multiplayer tests are still ongoing, and in notes from recent builds warns that the game can freeze at level 2, near the second sniper, in addition to FPS drops and stuttering in the largest battles.
Therefore, if you encounter an error, the developer asks you to attach the killzone.log file in the project’s GitHub issue tracker, which helps refine the port in future versions while Killzone remains without an official PC version, more than 20 years after its release.