Haze : The official game thread

[djskribbles]

BioShock is the only FPS that seems different than most FPS... what makes Halo and CoD4 so different?

personally, i think Haze looks great. it looks and runs great, theres coop and split screen, theres the whole "nector" thing and the online looks interesting. you can also play dead and steal your opponents weapons.

 

[djskribbles]

oops, dp.

 

[NovemberMike]

The Lair thread calls and says hi. You know Haze is a PS3 exclusive this year and the 360 version has never been seen, that is reason enough for many 360 fans to poo-poo Haze, I've seen it in every console forum.

There is no great conspiracy here. The fact is that Haze doesn't look great. It looks ok, but this holiday we have Bioshock, Crysis, Halo 3, HLep2, CoD4 and maybe some others that I am forgetting, each of which would be looking at FPS of the year in any normal year. It simply doesn't stand up to the competition from what we have seen.

 

[Qroach]

BioShock is the only FPS that seems different than most FPS... what makes Halo and CoD4 so different?

personally, i think Haze looks great. it looks and runs great, theres coop and split screen, theres the whole "nector" thing and the online looks interesting. you can also play dead and steal your opponents weapons.

It's not a matter of them being different. it's a matter of them standing out in the crowd. Halo has a history, great gunplay, and in general great design, with a story that some people are interested in. COD4 looked so good it was crowned game of the show for E3. There's others like Novembermike mentions...

Haze just looks generic. it might have really good gameplay but it certainly doesn't look any more inviting them the other FPS games coming out this fall.

 

[Qroach]

I'm sure the game will be good, but from what I see, it's a whole lot of people getting excited about this game only for the fact it's PS3 exclusive. The inverse of what some have suggested.

I can remember some people being excited about a few Koei games when they were exclusive, and look how those turned out.

 

[Todd33]

I think people are excited based on the developers past games and the 4 player co-op, which it seems Halo 3 has since adopted. It also has the 'nectar' twist.

 

[NovemberMike]

I think people are excited based on the developers past games and the 4 player co-op, which it seems Halo 3 has since adopted. It also has the 'nectar' twist.

Eh, I didn't personally find their games to be that great. They were fun for co-op, and they were certainly better than most, but they never really struck me as being part of the very top tier. As far as nectar goes, it seems kind of interesting but is still a gimmick (like the flashlight in Doom3 or Dual Wielding in Halo) and doesn't help bring anything new to the genre.

I can see why you might be enthusiastic, but that doesn't mean everyone else is. There is no conspiracy, its just that a lot of people don't care for the game.

 

[Cheezdoodles]

As far as nectar goes, it seems kind of interesting but is still a gimmick .

first thing that struck me was FCI had something similar.

 

[djskribbles]

I think people are excited based on the developers past games and the 4 player co-op, which it seems Halo 3 has since adopted. It also has the 'nectar' twist.

agreed. it has nothing to do with the fact its coming out on PS3 a little earlier.

 

[Todd33]

Eh, I didn't personally find their games to be that great. They were fun for co-op, and they were certainly better than most, but they never really struck me as being part of the very top tier. As far as nectar goes, it seems kind of interesting but is still a gimmick (like the flashlight in Doom3 or Dual Wielding in Halo) and doesn't help bring anything new to the genre.

I can see why you might be enthusiastic, but that doesn't mean everyone else is. There is no conspiracy, its just that a lot of people don't care for the game.

I'm not enthusiastic, I was just listing why someone might be. It's on my radar due to the co-op feature, but there are many games above it. I wonder why people who visit the Haze thread that are not at least interested in it, just to dampen other's interest?

 

[NovemberMike]

I'm not enthusiastic, I was just listing why someone might be. It's on my radar due to the co-op feature, but there are many games above it. I wonder why people who visit the Haze thread that are not at least interested in it, just to dampen other's interest?

Most of the people in here are interested in FPS. They are in here because they want to see if anything new has surfaced that makes it more interesting.

 

[Crayon]

I look at the screen shots and pedigree of the developer (while a good development house, but remember how time splitters was supposed to be a Halo 1 killer?) and this game doesn't really impress me much...

Time Splitters was a PS2 launch game. I had it. I bought it. On launch day.

 

[dantruon]

I think some people "poo-poo" it, is nto because it's on PS3, (It's going to be multi-platform eventually) but because from what the screen shots looks show, Haze is a typical 3D shooter that doesn't stand out in the crowd of games like COD4, HALO 3, bioshock, etc... all of which are coming out this fall. I look at the screen shots and pedigree of the developer (while a good development house, but remember how time splitters was supposed to be a Halo 1 killer?) and this game doesn't really impress me much...

errr Timesplitter was released in 2000 while Halo was released in 2001, now how can Timesplitter be a Halo killer when it doesnt even know that Halo exist or not?

 

[Gubbi]

errr Timesplitter was released in 2000 while Halo was released in 2001, now how can Timesplitter be a Halo killer when it doesnt even know that Halo exist or not?

He's probably thinking of Timesplitters 2, which was released in 2002 I believe (and stunk).

Cheers

 

[archangelmorph]

He's probably thinking of Timesplitters 2, which was released in 2002 I believe (and stunk).

Cheers

Stunk?

The timesplitters series took what was great about the legendary goldeneye and evolved it for a new generation.. What it did it did very well and so I don't see how anyone could claim the series was bad..

Just read up on meta-critic scores to understand that the series did well for itself in terms of providing a solid (albeit conventional) FPS experience..

Halo did things completely differently.. It was basically FPS combat "evolved"..

(as opposed to goldeneye combat evolved..)

 

[Gubbi]

*Off topic*

Stunk?

Yes.

The gameplay was dated, very dated. Continously spawning bad guys (always exactly 180 degrees behind you, or around that corridor corner) was the most notable one. Controls were crap (compared to Halo's).

Then there were graphics. Low poly Gouraud shaded graphics. I had the XBOX version which played exactly like the PS2 version only it was graphically "enhanced" with pixel-shaders (really only bumpmapping), - which were indiscriminately applied, in some instances glass panes had wood bump mapping on them

And crates.... Everywhere...

Only redeeming thing was the full framerate.

I bought this game because Jeff Gerstmann from Gamespot gave it 8.7. The way I see it, the f*cker owes me €60. Thank god for demos on console these days.

Cheers

 

[archangelmorph]

*Off topic*



Yes.

The gameplay was dated, very dated. Continously spawning bad guys (always exactly 180 degrees behind you, or around that corridor corner) was the most notable one. Controls were crap (compared to Halo's).

Then there were graphics. Low poly Gouraud shaded graphics. I had the XBOX version which played exactly like the PS2 version only it was graphically "enhanced" with pixel-shaders (really only bumpmapping), - which were indiscriminately applied, in some instances glass panes had wood bump mapping on them

And crates.... Everywhere...

Only redeeming thing was the full framerate.

I bought this game because Jeff Gerstmann from Gamespot gave it 8.7. The way I see it, the f*cker owes me €60. Thank god for demos on console these days.

Cheers

Fair enough..

However one man's junk is another man's treasure afterall..

& I've been a longtime fan of both the Timesplitters and Halo series without any complaints..

 

[patsu]

Wasn't paying attention to this game, but I found some interesting details while waiting for my computer to finish work...

http://www.gametrailers.com/player/23043.html

Mantel
* Assorted Nectar "boosts"
+ Spotting enemies in the dark
+ Headshot enhancement
+ Early warning (e.g, grenade explosion)
+ Charged up melee

Rebel (Sounds more like backstreet fighers)
* Grab weapon from opponent
* Play dead
* Lay mines/traps
* More evasive actions (duck, roll, dive)
* Improvisation
+ Cause enemies to overdose by using grenade + stolen Nectar
+ Apply stolen Nectar to knife and throw at enemy or melee
+ Shoot at enemies' nectar pack to disarm/disorientate them quickly

Would be great to spectate, or at least show off the above moves in a trailer.

EDIT: Oh yes, and 4 player co-op (if that's what you're looking for).

 

[Todd33]

This took place in the jungle level that's been seen a lot since Free Radical began demoing Haze to the world. However, what doesn't come across in screens or even videos is how beautiful and lush the environment is. Poppies are dotted around grassy fields (which billow as you run through them) and mildew-encrusted rocks provide handy cover during fire-fights. Plus, the explosions that send clouds of black smoke billowing into the air look amazingly realistic. The guys at Free Radical were keen to point out that Haze doesn't just take place in a jungle but, after playing through several levels in the rainforest, we're certainly not complaining if the rest of the game looks this gorgeous.

Happily, despite initial reservations, after playing the game we can report that Nectar manages to sidestep 'gimmick' and actually offers something new in the FPS genre. For starters, once you've shot up, your speed increases and enemies glow so you can spot them easier.

http://ps3.ign.com/articles/814/814150p1.html

Sounds good.

 

[patsu]

For starters, once you've shot up, your speed increases and enemies glow so you can spot them easier.

Sounds like Chimeran traits If coupled with a fast weapon and grenade, Mantels will be hard to beat.

I think the Rebels' attributes are more difficult/unusual (Play dead, improvisation of weapons with nectar). The knife throwing looks unnatural even though the idea is great.

Is there vehicles in this game ?