Killzone: Mercenary Trailer Looks Impressive, Release Date Announced

Remember when we reported that Sony was showing off Killzone: Mercenary in a few days' time? Well, that time is now as the not only do we get a new Killzone: Mercenary trailer, and more info regarding the game itself, but even the release date has been announced, too.

Over on the Official PlayStation Blog, Guerilla Games producer Poria Torkan reveals some of the story elements and gameplay nuances fans can expect from the franchise's debut on the PS Vita.

Powered by the Killzone engine, Mercenary starts just after the end of the original Killzone. Players will revisit some of the events of the Killzone trilogy and they will be put in the boots of a mercenary named Arran Danner. Danner is a former UCA-soldier who has no qualms about taking on paid contracts from the ISA as well as the Helghast, which I assume where the "Mercenary" part comes in.

Before we dive in to more gameplay elements, take a look first at how gorgeous Killzone: Mercenary is on the PS Vita.

Guerilla has revealed that Mercenary will include nine single-player missions, which requires nearly an hour each to finish. Completed missions unlock additional replay challenges, with a host of special objectives to accomplish. Of course, this can't be a Killzone game without a multiplayer component, Torkan mentions that the game will ship with six multiplayer maps tailored for eight players and three different game types, which includes Killzone's trademark "Warzone" game mode.

Keeping with the soldier-for-hire theme, Guerilla mentions that every action in Killzone: Mercenary is rewarded. This means that the better you peform in-game, the higher your in-game payout will be. Not only does this apply to the single-player, but the wages you collect and deposit in your in-game bank account are reflected in multiplayer, too. So, this means that the money you earn in the campaign missions can also be used to buy gear and weapons for multiplayer matches and vice versa.

Excited for the game yet? If so, you'll be happy to know that Sony has given Killzone: Mercenary a fixed release date of September 17 later this year. Odds are this might be the PS Vita's biggest title of the year and from the looks of it, Mercenary might just deliver a real console experience on the handheld.