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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%
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 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 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
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.
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%
Haze PSN demo hits in Europe, coming to US tomorrow
It's been a long time coming, but Ubisoft's Free Radical-developed shooter, Haze, has finally been given the demo treatment, with the publisher sending word that a single and multiplayer-flavored demo is now available over PSN in Europe and that the same hors d'oeuvre will make the rounds in the U.S. starting May 8. As if offering apology for Haze's numerous delays, the demo will include both a sampling of the game's single player campaign called "Salva Region," as well as "drop-in drop-out" co-op multiplayer for up to four players online or over a LAN, or with two players via split-screen. We're sure that there is some "coming out of the haze" joke to be made here, but honestly, after months of waiting we're simply all joked out.
Awaken to the sound of Korn's Haze single
There's nothing like the sound of hard rock in the morning to wake you up from your half-asleep haziness that is the "every morning ritual." You wake up, go to the bathroom, consume your corn-based cereals -- the usual. But this morning is different. Today, you awaken to the sound of Korn's Haze single, a song inspired by the upcoming Haze game. Enjoy the ear-ache inducing noise; it might pump you up for the rest of the day. Perhaps a little too much, so you might want to take some nectar along to calm you down.
Haze demo strikes PS Store in early May
Click for high-resolution image. Free Radical's upcoming PS3 FPS title, Haze, is going to strike the PSN with a downloadable demo in early May. The game, now set for a May 20th release in North America, will feature comprehensive single and multiplayer modes, including a 4-player co-op mode. There's not much else to say, since this game really has ebbed in and out of the spotlight for over a year. We know it all, we know it's been delayed, and we know a demo is coming before it releases. Just let us get it in our hands and we'll finally know this game actually exists and is complete.[Via Joystiq]%Gallery-8168%
Haze gets May demo, slightly earlier release
Haze's hazy path to becoming an actual, released game became a little more concrete today, with Ubisoft's announcement of a May PSN demo and yet another new release date for the somewhat issue-prone first-person shooter. Surprisingly enough, the new May 20 date is actually three days earlier than the previously "definite" May 23 release (though that may have applied to Europe only). It might not seem like much, but after more delays than we can count (not literally), any move in the other direction is a welcome announcement. Will this release date be the final one? As the Magic 8-Ball might say: "Outlook hazy, try again later."
Haze 'definitely' coming May 23, says Ubisoft
Yeah, yeah. The folks at Eurogamer have heard Ubisoft's latest cry that a wolf is "definitely" bound to emerge from the dense development forest on May 23rd. Though it's still comically unclear whether Free Radical's heavily scripted first-person shooter, Haze, only has a taste for the PS3 flock, it would be in Ubisoft's best interests to stick to a date before the townsfolk decide it's not really worth going outside (if they haven't already).Since we're still keen on that 4-player co-op, we remain hopeful that Haze will sink its teeth into us Aesop. Err, ASAP.
Haze release date really real, finally final
Haze's release date has officially been locked down and is not set to change again. Ever. CVG is reporting that it has confirmed with Ubisoft that May 23rd is the date that the game will be available in Europe. Haze has been in release limbo for several months now, after it failed to make its November 2007 release date and was pushed to early 2008. Then, in late January, it was pushed back even further with a vague "fiscal 2008/2009" date attached.Now, however, we can be certain that we'll be getting our hands on the Nectar infused shooter on May 23rd in Europe. Though there's currently no word on a US release date. It may not have impressed us much at the Play.com Live event, but we're still intrigued. If only to get closure on what has been one of the most confusing releases we've ever known.
Are you sure you want more Haze media?
Free Radical's long awaited might-be-but-probably-isn't-going-to-be-exclusive Haze is finally getting closer. But, after watching this gameplay montage, do you really want it? The lackluster environments, animation and graphics do little to showcase the PS3's true capabilities. Perhaps the ambitious multiplayer gameplay will do more than justify the rather lifeless visuals of this FPS. You be the judge: check it out in HD.
Ubisoft reneges on Haze release date
Forget what Ubisoft announced yesterday about Haze clearing for a May 22 release; now the game's release is back to the full month of May. It's become so convoluted that we can't keep Haze's release date saga straight anymore, but at least there are firm answers about the game's PS3 exclusivity ... oh, wait.We're starting to wonder if the marketing department at Ubisoft isn't on its own form of Nectar (the psychotropic drug in Haze). It really shouldn't be this hard to craft a message on one game's release date and exclusivity.
Haze 'officially' coming May 22
Can it be true this time? Ubisoft has told MCV that Free Radical's Haze is expected to hit retailers May 22. The perpetually delayed, ambiguously exclusive shooter was original set to come out last December.The above picture isn't actually from Haze, but a snapshot of our good friend Jonas, who has been waiting for the game since it was announced and has resorted to screaming into his homemade Haze mask every time it gets delayed. Please don't make him don the helmet again, Ubisoft.
Haze PS3 exclusivity clouds over ... again
And the dance goes on. The ongoing question of is it or isn't it regarding the PS3 exclusivity of developer Free Radical's upcoming FPS Haze continued this morning with reps from publisher Ubisoft back peddling on an earlier report that the game would never show its face on the Xbox 360. In a new report by CVG, Ubi has 'clarified' things, stating that the game will simply remain an exclusive to Sony's platform "for now." Well now, we're glad that's clear as mud.While the game was originally announced for both consoles as well as the PC, reports have gone back and forth for some time now as to whether or not the game would be released for multiple platforms, with this latest development seeming to lend weight to the game being a timed exclusive. Even so, with Haze's PS3 release fast approaching and the game still failing to impress when shown during this month's Play.com in London, the big question should not be whether or not the game makes it other platforms, but rather if anyone will care.
Haze exclusivity debacle rages on
It isn't that we really care if a game like Haze is permanently exclusive or a timed exclusive for the PS3, but it seems to remain a popular debate. Looking back on Ubisoft's history regarding exclusivity for the game, it's pretty funny to note how many times they've flipped their own words or have had them misconstrued by the media. The latest rumor was that Haze would only be on the PS3 forever -- we even posted about it the other day. Now Ubisoft is saying they have not ruled out a 360 version. Truth be told, none of this stuff even matters if the game never gets released. It's been way, way, way overdue.
Rob Yascombe dreams about Haze being 'awesome'
Rob Yascombe is a name PS3 fans may want to remember. His performance in this stunning Sci-Fi channel promo is one for the books -- the crazy books, that is. The video is all about Haze, the upcoming PS3 FPS game (ignore the Xbox 360 dev kits in the background, please!). While his explanation of Nectar and Mantel are familiar, he reveals a few tidbits, such as the massive length of the script: over 1000 pages long. The Royal Shakespeare Company is also partaking in the voice acting and they only go where there's either: a) a lot of money, or b) a great script. Supposedly, they didn't have too much money.[Via Joystiq]
