Guerrilla details ‘The Black Hand’, antagonists of Killzone: Shadow Fall

Guerrilla Dossier: The Black Hand

The Killzone: Shadow Fall announce trailer gave you a glimpse of their agents and the devastation they left in their wake. But who are the Black Hand – and what are their sinister intentions? In this first installment of Guerrilla Dossier, we take a closer look at one of the factions threatening the stability of Vekta.

In the Killzone: Shadow Fall universe, the Black Hand are an emerging threat from the Helghan Sector – a splinter faction of radicals and zealots. Fueled by their anger at the destruction of Helghan in Killzone 3, they’ve sworn revenge against the “hypocrites of Vekta”, who they believe preach peace and co-existence but practice violence and oppression.

To exact their revenge, the Black Hand are attempting to force a return to all-out war. This puts them at odds with the government of New Helghan, who seek to avoid another conflict that would inevitably end in mutually assured destruction. The Black Hand mostly recruit from disgruntled elements with the Helghan military – those furious that their leadership chose to shelter with the Vektans rather than obliterate them – and take refuge in the slums of New Helghan.

Unlike the Helghast army, the Black Hand are an irregular force, specializing in acts of violence and sabotage. They’re mainly equipped with makeshift gear and weapons – surplus from the Second Extrasolar War – but curiously also possess modern mil-spec gear such as top-of-the-line infiltration projectors. As Shadow Marshal Lucas Kellan, the Black Hand are one more threat you’ll need to deal with to prevent the destabilization of the entire planet.

I’m interested to see how the whole shift to a more cold war backdrop will play out in Shadow Fall. With high profile actors such as David Harewood (of Homeland) and Jamie Gray Hyder (of True Blood) lending their voices and the integration of at least one Helghast character as an ally should provide for an intriguing storyline.

What do you think about this new Helghan threat? Will Killzone: Shadow Fall will be the first Killzone game with an truly great story? Think Shadow Fall will make us forget about Rico in KZ2? Share your thoughts below in the comments!

Source