Killzone 3 beta test site appears

When Sony unveiled PlayStation Plus at the Electronic Entertainment Expo in June, it promised subscribers of the premium service would be granted early access to high-profile betas. One such beta will likely be for Killzone 3, the forthcoming 3D sci-fi sequel from Dutch studio Guerrilla Games.

Without any public fanfare, the official Killzone 3 site is now sporting a restricted-access page at the URL at "http://beta.killzone.com/kz3/beta-login.html." Attempts to log onto the page redirect the visitor to the login page. The URL appears to confirm reports on the PlayStation Forums, which showed purported screenshots of a PlayStation Network page dedicated to a "Killzone 3 Beta Website." Curiously, the launch date is listed as October 8, 2008.

There is no indication whether or not the beta will be open or closed. As of press time, Sony reps had not responded for requests for clarification. However, Killzone 2 had a public multiplayer beta before its launch in February 2009.

As the name suggests, Killzone 3 will serve as a direct sequel to 2009's critically lauded Killzone 2. In last year's title, the Interplanetary Strategic Alliance took the fight to the Helghan homeworld, where it achieved a measure of success against the Nazi-esque civilization that invaded the human colony of Vekta in the 2004 original.

As detailed by Guerrilla Games managing director Hermen Hulst last month, the Amsterdam-based studio will be fleshing out the Helghan homeworld with "more enemy types, massive environments, and a broader vision of the planet Helghan and its many terrains."

Killzone 3 will introduce jetpack gameplay to the sci-fi shooter series, giving the ability to thrust skyward for a limited period of time. It will also add a platforming element of sorts, giving players access to heretofore unreachable locations and opening up the possibility of aerial gunfights.