Sony details Killzone 2 'Flash and Thunder' DLC

1:20 PM on 05.20.2009   |   Jim Sterling

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Fresh details have come our way direct from Sony, detailing the "retro" Killzone 2 Map Pack, "Flash and Thunder." This new Map Pack will retail for $5.99 and will once again contain two fresh maps, Beach Head and Southern Hills. Flash and Thunder will be released on the PlayStation Network from June 11. 

The new maps are based upon multiplayer environments from the original Killzone, so should give us a taste of what the planet Vekta looks like in glorious High Definition. Beach Head will see the Helghast attacking a Vektan stronghold from the sandy shore in a small level full of close range fighting. Southern Hills places a Helghast outpost atop a hill, and will be full of interior structures that apparently contain plenty of hiding places. The map has been "beefed up considerably" from the original Killzone incarnation. 

So, two more maps headed our way. Will you be picking them up?

As we hinted way back at GDC, the second DLC pack for Killzone 2 will be a "retro" level pack arriving to the PS Store on June 11th for $5.99 and we are here to give you a sneak peek as to what you can expect.

Once again we are taking a nostalgic journey back to the original Killzone by providing you two new levels in a pack Guerrilla Games has called "Flash and Thunder".  The two levels are odes to the Beach Head and Southern Hills levels from the first Killzone.  Both are fan favorites from the first game, but have been re-envisioned with Killzone 2's engine and overall technology.  The levels also offer a unique twist that will truly keep players on their toes, so watch out for an explosive gameplay element that will have you running for cover...or risk a quick death.

In the Beach Head map, the ISA must defend their stronghold after the Helghast land on the sandy Vektan beaches. As torrential rain and gale-force winds batter the landscape, the relatively small size of the level creates a frantic hand-to-hand battleground, with the water filled craters supplying only limited cover. Picking your way across the harsh terrain, you will find many opportunities to sneak up on the enemy and take them down at close range. And if you’re able to get to them in one piece, there are also lots of higher ground sniper spots to explore…

In the Southern Hills map, the battle takes place around a central Helghast base on top of a hill. The compound is surrounded by smaller structures, creating a level that facilitates close-quarter fights within the built-up areas, as well as long-range shoot-outs in-between them. Ideal for 24 to 32 player games, the base camps in this version have been beefed up considerably, so expect to find more hiding places than in the original Killzone counterpart.