There is an epic air about the start of this game. It opens with a look at the evil Helghan leaders and army on their home planet – draped in Nazi-esque attire and trappings. For a moment you may believe that you’re about to follow an epic science fiction story with roots in real war history where you’ll singlehandedly dismantle tyranny. Then the good guys start talking and you realize you’re playing a major league shooter that looks pretty but has little to say.

And that’s just fine.

I’m only beating up on the paper-thin story and 80s action hero dialogue because that’s nearly all I have to criticize in this game. The rest of “Killzone 3″ is the reason people play and love first person shooters (FPS). It is a nonstop thrill ride that will literally have you setting the controller down from time to time to drink in what’s happening on the screen. The much-hyped graphics are the reason you own a nice TV – or should – and outside reports tell us the incorporation of the Move technology, Sony’s Sharpshooter peripheral and 3D work beautifully. (Although I have yet to play the game with the Move technology I have to give Guerrilla Games a ton of credit for using it. Nearly everything I’ve read says the developer has made a first person shooter that actually works well with motion controls. I’m not sure why more fuss isn’t being made of this fact, because it’s an absolute first. When I finally get my hands on the Sharpshooter peripheral, I’ll give you my own take on it.)

It’s obvious Guerrilla Games has put a lot of work into this game and it shows at nearly every turn. I fidgeted with the cover system a little and it took me a few hours to truly feel comfortable with the weight of the game – no longer floaty, perhaps a bit sluggish – but once I settled in I was rewarded with a game as polished as the best shooters on the market.

It’s so easy to say these days that a game looks good – in this console generation, most of them do. But the graphics and set pieces in “Killzone 3″ are fantastic. No longer a sharp but boring palette of military drab colors, “Killzone 3″ features snowy coasts and the grandeur of outer space. It’s not the most colorful game on the market, but it’s plenty pretty in nearly every way.

And I know I’m in the minority here but I am delighted to have a high-quality shooter for my PS3 that isn’t just another military shooter. The Call of Duty fans are right to be rabid about the franchise – it’s done as well as any other AAA title – but am I the only one getting sick of military shooters? Sure, “Killzone 3″ could be described as a military shooter as well, but it’s got just enough science fiction mythology, weapons and sensibilities that it stands apart from whatever other shooter is being churned out every year. Games like this and the “Resistance” series are what keep me interested in the FPS genre on my PS3.

And while we’re talking about science fiction shooters, let’s not ignore the reason many people believe this franchise exists in the first place. For those of you who think the “Killzone” series is Sony’s answer to “Halo,” I humbly submit that you are right – but that’s really not the point. They’re both science fiction FPS franchises, but they’ve got little else in common. The “Halo” series has more games – and more winners – then the “Killzone” franchise, but “Killzone 3″ is good enough to cement itself as one of the premier shooters of this or any other console generation. The first “Killzone” was terribly flawed and the second was a giant leap ahead.

This one nails it.

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