I’ve been sad that Killzone 2 hasn’t been in my game rotation as much as I’d like recently. Between other reviews and E3, I haven’t been able to pop some red-eyed Helghast in the head in a little while. With the release of the Flash & Thunder map pack, that all changed. I spent a good deal of time rocking out online with the new maps and I like what I see.

The first and bigger of the two maps is Southern Hills (pictured above). Both are recreations of maps from Killzone on the PS2, but more-so in layout in theme than actual construction. Those familiar with the map will feel at home and those not won’t have a problem getting used to them quickly. Southern Hills is fairly spread out with bases at each end and central buildings with encampments on either side (these are where most of your objectives will be located). Most action, from the matches I’ve played, seems to funnel towards those side areas. Firefights gets fast and frenzied, just like they should be. The best part of Southern Hills is the nuclear explosion that occurs every so often. If you’re out in the open, it just might kill you. Don’t worry, there’s a warning siren before it goes off giving you time to take cover. After the blast, dust and debris are blowing around giving everyone a bit of open area cover. That might be your one opportunity to snag the speaker or plant an explosive.

Beach Head (pictured above) is much smaller than Southern Hills and is more vertical than it is wide. The central area is mainly open with a few trenches and pipes in which to take cover. Along the sides are multi-story buildings where you can expect Scouts to camp with their sniper rifles. The action here is even faster than Southern Hills, so be ready to run and gun. While I enjoyed the gameplay in Beach Head, it wasn’t as much as the bigger of the two maps. Mainly, it has to do with the new v1.27 patch change that removes the temporary spawn invincibility. If a Tactician throws a spawn grenade somewhere in the middle of the map, you can bet that you’ll get spawn-killed a few times. While this isn’t the fault of the map, it does take away from the experience a bit. You’ll notice this more in Beach Head than Southern Hills.

Just like the Steel & Titanium map pack, Flash & Thunder will provide a bit more depth and replayability to Killzone 2, which is already pretty damn high. I’d put Southern Hills now in the top 2-3 of my favorite maps in the game. Beach Head is fun, but my personal preference is for the larger maps. If you’re an avid Killzone 2 player, grab these maps and get online. The price, again, deters from giving this map pack 5 Ninja Stars. Even though they’re very detailed and well laid out, $5.99 for two maps is a bit steep. Maybe Sony and Guerrilla Games can put together a sale or combo pack with all the Killzone 2 maps in the near future.