The Killzone franchise has always been caught in a struggle against early expectations. The first game fell short of its "Halo killer" billing, and the next console outing had to match a lofty pre-rendered "target" -- while it came close, it couldn't silence sharp-eyed critics. With Killzone 3, developer Guerrilla has no new benchmark to beat except for the one it already set for itself: be better than Killzone 2.

Critics, myself included, praised that last game, even though a few turn-offs still slipped through. Killzone 3 systematically addresses every complaint voiced: the graphics have become more colorful, the story has been greatly expanded, and the controls have been tweaked to feel less sluggish. But reactionary development doesn't always work. Fixated on correcting what wasn't necessarily broken, Guerrilla has forgotten to focus on what really matters: making the game fun.