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PS3 Fanboy review: Haze
Developed by Free Radical, the ex-Rare employees responsible for the excellent Timesplitters series, Haze has been a long time coming. The game has suffered from multiple delays as well as exclusivity confusion over the last year. Haze promised to deliver an immersive story, balanced multiplayer and seamless online and offline co-op play. It was also backed up by some excellent live-action trailers.Unfortunately, it becomes apparent whilst playing the game that, while the team at Free Radical may have reached for excellence, they have either fallen short or made some bad decisions with regards to the execution of many aspects of the title. Haze isn't a bad game and, despite some shortcomings, can be enjoyable and thought provoking. But is it as good as the hype suggested? Frankly, no. Read on to find out why.%Gallery-8168%
Stick it to the reviews: buy a real Haze outfit, be a Mantel soldier
Tired of hearing bad things about Haze? Played the game and thought it wasn't all that bad? Or just looking for a new outfit that just screams "you"? Check out Universal Designs' new Haze Costume: now you can be a Mantel soldier overdosing on some mad Nectar (sold separately in your neighborhood grocer; the label says Honey just to trick the masses). Our only issue is a design flaw meant to keep you comfortable: the helmet is insanely huge compared to the cranium-hugging ones in the video game. Otherwise, nice.
Only the most positive Haze reviews here
Our comments section exploded yesterday, when we ran a piece about Haze's initial reviews. The first reviews were rather scathing towards the PS3 "exclusive" FPS, and many accused us of anti-PS3 sentiment (in spite of us not having written any of those reviews). To make you feel better, we've chosen only the best reviews from Haze's Metacritic page. We won't tell you that Haze's average Metacritic score is 54. PSM3 Magazine UK (70/100) - "There is a certain charm to it ... almost on par with the perfect Call of Duty 4 mechanics. GameDaily (70/100) - "Yes, it's true, the game runs at a dwindled 576p resolution instead of 720p, but we still find it attractive ... Haze is a good first person shooter." Game Informer (63/100) - "Haze's saving grace is its co-op gameplay, which can be fun when you shoot a friend's Nectar tank from behind to watch him freak out." As a few readers pointed out, apparently the Japanese magazine Famitsu awarded its lucrative Gold rating to the game. Considering how much the Japanese love FPS games, this is a rather stellar accomplishment. With the game on store shelves today, we'd love to hear more about your Haze experiences in our comments section.
Metareview -- Haze (PS3)
There was a not unconsiderable amount of debate about Haze yesterday, with IGN giving it a 4.5 and Free Radical Design's feelings being terribly hurt. (We believe "MEGAowch" was the soon-to-be-a-meme that was used.) Now there's a wider spectrum of reviews available and while scores fall on both sides of the 4.5 mark, all the reviewers seem to be wishing there was a clever way of fitting the word "meh" into "Haze." (There isn't yet, but we've got our top people on it.) Giant Bomb (40/100): "Haze attempts to deal with the concept of wartime propaganda and how troop morale is the most important thing an army can have. But it does it in such a blatant way that it's hard to care about the point the game's story is trying to make. Tack on a short campaign, dull weapons, lame enemy artificial intelligence, and lackluster multiplayer options and you're left with a game that occasionally looks nice, but not much else." Game Informer (64/100): "Though the drug Nectar hardly makes Haze a good game, when Free Radical takes it away a quarter of the way through, the game world suddenly feels barren, and you long for one last hit to make the drab experience mildly interesting again. So much for Haze being a killer app for the PS3." Gamer's Hell (65/100): "Free Radical's newest FPS tries to push boundaries, in both the technical and philosophical senses, but what we're left with is a game which doesn't do much to fuel the PS3's cause." %Gallery-6686%
Haze doesn't quite measure up to 720p
We knew native 1080p gaming wouldn't necessarily be the standard this console generation, but especially in light of Sony's "HD era doesn't start until we're on the market" comments, things are getting a bit ridiculous. PS3-exclusive Haze is the latest to slide in underneath the 720p bar, with sharp eyed pixel counters finding a mere 1024x576 resolution in the demo on PSN, anumber confirmed by the game's creative lead after it was originally denied on the U.S. Playstation blog. Haze is hardly the first game to do this, with GTA IV on the PS3, Call of Duty 4 on Xbox 360 and PS3 and Halo 3 on Xbox 360 all using upscaling to deliver extra effects over pixels, but someday we'd like to have our cake and eat it too. Of course, judging by early reviews, how many pixels are present might not have saved lackluster gameplay.[Via PS3 Fanboy]
MEGAowch: Haze handed 4.5 review by IGN
With its long development time and PS3-exclusive status, Haze has had a lot riding on its shoulders. If a new review by IGN is any indication, the game seems to have been crushed by the weight. The site gave Haze a paltry 4.5 out of 10, calling the effort a "middling, generic first-person shooter with bland visuals, a weak plot and laughable characters."Developer Free Radical Design leapt to the defense of its game, telling PSU, "Haze has had mixed reviews, but even GoldenEye got a 4/10 when it first came out. With a 9/10 in the Italian PSM, and an extremely positive review in Famitsu [34/40, fyi], we're looking forward to people playing Haze and making a judgment for themselves."We're currently compiling such judgments from across the netweb for a metareview. We'll let you know when there's something approximating a consensus.
Haze initial reviews are not promising
Many PS3 gamers are excited for Haze, the PS3 "exclusive" FPS from Free Radical. Since the launch of the playable demo, opinions have been mixed: some loved the instant-action multiplayer offerings, while others were underwhelmed by the core gameplay mechanics of the game. While these initial reviews aren't necessarily representative of the critical mass, they do point towards a less-than-favorable outcome for this anticipated game. IGN (45/100) - "While their previous work was quite excellent, Haze is anything but, coming across as a middling, generic first-person shooter with bland visuals, a weak plot and laughable characters." GamersHell (65/100) - "Haze is still sitting in the wake of Call of Duty 4, and falls into that category of being just another FPS. The game tries to include different content with Nectar abilities and rebel dynamics, but a confused story, lacking gameplay elements and technical bugs bog the game down from being a stellar PS3 exclusive." The A.V. Club (C+) - "More narratively cohesive than the Halo trilogy, but less inventive and compelling than Resistance: Fall Of Man ... too bad it's paired with one of the more pedestrian FPS games to come along in recent years." [Thanks, blank!]
Haze dating game video makes us uncomfortable
With Free Radical's Haze set to finally step out of the fog this week, we figured there was nothing that could come along and make us feel uneasy about the oft-delayed FPS again. And then this video showed up to remind us all that the universe is not without an unique sense of humor. The video, a mock dating game between UK Fragdoll Kitt and a pair of devs fresh off Ubisoft's nectar-filled shooter, is a stern reminder that just because you can do something doesn't necessarily mean you should.
Haze: the dating show (seriously)
This is one of the strange, most unique promos we've seen for any video game -- and we love it. Haze Multiplayer Date is a Hazethemed dating show. Yes, strange, no? We don't know who greenlit this promo, but we have to give props to Ubisoft and Free Radical to do something we haven't seen on the internet. And boy, we've seen a lot of stuff on the internet.
Haze also gets the GGL tournament treatment
Warhawk isn't the only PS3 exclusive to get its own official tournament. Thanks to a partnership between GGL and Ubisoft, Haze will be getting the same treatment. The 4v4 tournament will start properly on June 4th, prior to which a practice ladder will be running for people to get to grips with the game. Again, if you need help finding team mates, a forum has been set up on the GGL website for just that purpose.The top 64 squads on the ladder when it closes on July 13th will be put forward to the elimination bracket and will compete to win the $5000 Grand Prize. If you fancy signing up, or finding out more, check out the GGL website.
Haze says no to HD, yes to HDD
Free Radical has confirmed that ambiguously exclusive PlayStation 3 shooter, Haze, will not be the source of standard, high-definition visuals. Speaking to Ripten, Creative Lead Derek Littlewood explained that, much like other sub-HD games, the 1024x576 resolution was chosen to ensure "a nice smooth framerate." Says Littlewood: "Well, as you develop an engine you're aiming for a certain thing, but as all the pieces slot into place, you end up realising what sort of resolution you can run it at and that's where we ended up with for Haze."Though the PlayStation 3 will upscale 576p images to 720p (1280x720), it's unlikely to provide Free Radical's penance in the eagle eyes of pixel-counting pedants. With any luck, people will be too busy complaining about geebees to notice the lack of pees, as Ubisoft also confirmed that Haze will require a 4GB installation. Look forward to discussions involving the game's more obscure features (gameplay, story, blah blah blah) once it's out on May 20.[Via Eurogamer]Read -- Not very many PsRead -- Too many GBs
More pixel counting: Haze runs at 576p
It appears that many games this generation aren't meeting the 1080p HD standard that Sony set on PS3. Heck, many games aren't meeting the standard 720p HD resolution, either. For example, Grand Theft Auto IV runs at 640p on PS3. While these kind of shortcomings don't impact the overall visual fidelity, many gamers are still up in arms about these missing pixels.Haze is the next game to fall under the careful watch of videophiles. The recently released demo, when scrutinized, is shown to be running at 576p. Free Radical's Derek Littlewood confirmed to Ripten that the final game also runs in a lower resolution. "That's where we ended up with for Haze ... but I don't understand why people care whether there's 20 pixels, 50 pixels, or 100 pixels more."Other games, like Call of Duty 4 and Halo 3 on Xbox 360, have used lower resolutions to improve overall visual effects. It should be up to every gamer to decide, with their own eyes, whether or not the lowered resolution has created a diminished visual experience for Haze.[Via Digg]
PS3 Attitude announces Jump 2008 and kicks off Haze Week
Whether you're intrigued by Haze, but not yet convinced or you've had the game preordered for the last year, PS3 Attitude's Haze week is for you. Promising to deliver exactly what it says on the tin -- a full week of in-depth Haze coverage, there'll be plenty of exclusive content as well as a big competition to come. PS3 Attitude has kicked off the week with an article titled "Five things you may not know about Haze." Be sure to check back to the site for more coverage throughout the week.PS3 Attitude has also announced that it will be closely affiliating itself with the new UK charity Games Aid. So much so, in fact, that they will be swapping their attitude for a little altitude as they organise Jump 2008, a money raising sky-dive for "the people behind PS3 Attitude, plus a carefully selected crew of gamers and gaming industry contacts." If you want to take part in the event on August 31st, there are a few spaces up for grabs. For full details check out the announcement post over at PS3 AttitudeWe applaud their efforts towards such a good cause and look forward to hearing more about Jump 2008 in the future.Read - Jump 2008 announcement @ PS3 AttitudeRead - Five things you may not know about Haze @ PS3 Attitude
New games this week: Wii Fit edition
It was a close call for the featured pick this week, and not because we don't see the value in people getting healthy with Wii Fit. But the Joystiq moms and wives all agree that we're perfect just the way we are, so the stereotype perpetuators among us will continue to rock the hearty keg or spindly champagne flute look in lieu of a six-pack.Check out all of this week's releases, like Haze on the PS3 and (finally) Garfield: Lasagna World Tour on the PS2, right after the break.%Gallery-4815%
Worldwide PS3 releases for the week of May 18th
It's been a long time coming, but Haze finally makes it out this week. Free Radical's story driven FPS has been delayed almost countless times since its intended release last November. Now, at last, we're able to begin a Nectar bender that will, hopefully, last until June 12th. Here's the full release list: US Games SingStar Haze [Free $10 gift card at Circuit City] EU Games Call of Duty 4 (GOTY Edition) Haze Asian Games UEFA Euro 2008 Haze MotorStorm Complete Americans can also look forward to the release of SingStar, a game their cousins across the pond have been enjoying since before Christmas. We look forward to seeing videos of drunken Americans popping up on My SingStar Online over the next few weeks. We've noticed that Play.com are already stating that Haze is in stock and ready to be dispatched. No idea if that means you'll get it before Friday, but it's worth a try.Not that you need to, considering Haze has a global release, but feel free to import any of the above games. Your PS3 will run them all. Release dates are constantly subject to change, so make sure to check with your local retailer before doing anything rash.
Haze will have a 4GB mandatory install
You had to have known in some area of your brain that Haze would come with a mandatory install. It's almost a trend and almost always a hassle -- especially when it comes to hard drive space (we're so very sorry, 20GB PS3 owners!). The size of Ubisoft's oft-delayed shooter is going to be in the realm of 4GB's. Time to make a sandwich, huh? Well, love it or hate it, just be ready to let the game web itself into your PS3 for a while before you get crackin' on killin' those Mantel troops. It sure would be a bummer to break it out of its shrink-wrap at a party only to make everyone wait. You've been warned.
Humorous Haze wallpapers are ready for flushing ... er, download
While Free Radical's game doesn't come out until later this month, fans can avail of some Haze goodies right now ... and tomorrow as well. At the moment, you can download funny Haze wallpapers (like the one pictured above) right here for your own personal amusement. There are four in total and they all come in multiple sizes. If having a half-naked Mantel soldier taking a dump on your computer screen isn't enough to satiate your love for Haze, then you'll have to wait for tomorrow's PSN update for more. A Haze theme for your PS3 will be included in the regularly scheduled North American update. Hopefully, that one doesn't involve any toilets.
PSN Thursday: A Haze-y afternoon of killin' PixelJunk Monsters
We're sure PS3 owners can carve out a little time today from all the GTA IV and echochrome playing to check out the demo for "exclusive" shooter Haze. Of course, what most are probably excited about is that PixelJunk Monsters' expansion is out today at a reasonable $6 price. There are also plenty of other little interesting things in the North Amercan update that might pique some of your interests, and it can all be found after the break.The lists for this week's double dose of European PSN updates can be found over at PS3 Fanboy. Be sure to check out all their PlayStation Day coverage as well.%Gallery-6686%
PS3 Fanboy hands-on: Haze
PlayStation Day 2008 is over but our coverage continues! We're also enjoying the spoils to be found on the European PlayStation Store. In particular, we're talking about the Haze demo which we fired up and took out for a spin. North Americans without Euro accounts can get their nectar dosage tomorrow. While we've played the demo and have written our thoughts here, reader Chris G. shares his gameplay footage through the Haze trial play. So read our thoughts and check out the vid (or not the vid, if you wish not to spoil the experience before you give it a go).The demo starts off with a firefight in the middle of the jungle. There's no real explanation as to why you're there but that doesn't matter too much for a demo. The controls are standard as far as shooters go, move with the left analog stick, aim with the right, and fire with a shoulder button. Left-handed players will be glad to see control options for them.Anyway, the thing that deviates from the typical formula is the inclusion of the nectar drug which heightens one's senses and actually makes killing easier. When you inject yourself will a limited supply of nectar, you can zoom in farther, your melee attack is stronger, and enemies glow a bright orange giving away their position. While this is a strategic enhancement, at times it does tend to feel more like a distraction deviating from the main action. We're sure the story aspect of nectar will be fleshed out through the final game, but it doesn't come through in the demo, which feels a bit like a heavy weight dragging the experience down.
New Haze screenshots are Nectarlicious
Click for higher resolution What better way is there to look forward to Haze's definite, 100% confirmed (probably), release later this month than with a whole batch of new screenshots? We've updated our gallery, which can be found below, with a whole bunch of new images for you to take a peek at. Our anticipation for this game has been on up and down like a rollercoaster for the past year, but we have to admit that we're interested to see the final product. Expect to hear our impressions of the European demo later today. %Gallery-8168%
