If one mentions Guerrilla Games, most modern fans will think of Aloy and the Horizon franchise. However, for many years, the studio worked tirelessly on Killzone, its popular FPS series. There were many strong entries in the series like Killzone Mercenary, which proved that the PS Vita was truly a device capable of delivering home console-style experiences. Unfortunately, due to the low sales of the PS Vita, not many people got to experience Killzone Mercenary, and the gem never got the love it deserves.

The game's story isn't unique, and there are a few amazing titles that are stuck on the handheld which will likely never receive significant attention, including Uncharted: Golden Abyss and Freedom Wars. Though Guerrilla Games could save Mercenary by remaking it for modern gaming consoles, it seems unlikely that the studio will revisit the Killzone franchise anytime soon.

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Killzone Goes Portable

Gameplay footage of Killzone: Mercenary from the PS Vita.

Guerrilla Games rose to prominence through the Killzone series, which stands out from the myriad of FPS games on the market thanks to its sci-fi setting and its willingness to embrace melee weapons capable of brutal kills. Despite telling dystopian stories set on distant planets, the series is also noted for its beautiful environmental design. Though players would never want to live in the settings they saw, they could not keep their eyes off them.

The first Killzone released on PS2 in 2004, followed by Killzone Liberation on the PSP in 2006. Next came Killzone 2 and 3, which were both released on the PS3. With Killzone Mercenary, the franchise went portable once again, and it was a technical showcase for the PS Vita. The game illustrated the console-quality graphics that handheld was capable of, and its brilliance is even more impressive when compared to other FPS titles on the handheld like Call of Duty: Black Ops Declassified. The game was also noteworthy for its clever use of the Vita's features, allowing players to perform melee moves using the touchscreen.

Killzone Mercenary and the PS Vita

Killzone Mercenary

Killzone Mercenary's greatest weakness has nothing to do with its gameplay, visuals, story, or characters. Instead, it lies with the platform it was released on. The PS Vita, although a powerful portable gaming device, failed to find its footing on the market. Many reasons can be attributed to the PS Vita's commercial failure, including its expensive proprietary memory card and the rise of mobile gaming. Nevertheless, on a device that is estimated to have sold around 16 million units, Killzone Mercenary never got the opportunity to shine.

To make matters worse, it appears unlikely that Guerrilla Games will revisit the Killzone franchise. The studio struck gold with Horizon Zero Dawn, and its efforts are directed toward making Aloy the heroine she deserves to be. Between the closure of Killzone's site and the studio's complete silence on the series, fans have lost hope in ever seeing a new Killzone title - at least from its original developer. Although Guerrilla Games' new direction is understandable, one cannot help but wonder where the franchise would be if the studio kept innovating and introducing it to new platforms, such as virtual reality.

Though Sony has pulled out of the portable gaming market, Nintendo and Valve have found success in the realm. This demonstrates that with the right device, it is still possible to thrive in the portable scene. Numerous FPS games are available on the Switch and Steam Deck, though none of them have been able to fill the hole left by the Killzone franchise.

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