Haze is a first-person shooter developed by
Free Radical (see:
TimeSplitters) and published by
Ubisoft.
It is due out May 20th, 2008 for us NA folks and May 23rd, 2008 for our European brethren. It will be rated M for Mature.
In the game, Mantel soldiers make use of Nectar, a performance-enhancing pharmaceutical drug that grants the user enhanced speed, accuracy and strength. Mantel uses this drug to control the minds of its soldiers. When administered, "Nectar" can control--among other things-- what a soldier sees, similar to the effects of a hallucinogenic drug. It makes enemies stand out against the darker grey background because "Nectar" causes soldiers to see the enemy combatants turn to a orange color, "Nectar" also drowns out the surrounding images of death and destruction. An overdose of Nectar is dangerous, with loss of mental control and death being its possible side-effects.
As revealed in a E³ 2007 trailer, Rebel soldiers may go in to a Play Dead state just before they are killed, allowing them to regenerate health and 'disappear' from the Mantel soldiers' sight, since they can't see dead people while on Nectar. In addition, they have been given the capability to exploit Mantel's dependence on nectar by attacking the nectar injector, extracting nectar to use on throwing knives from dead Mantel troopers and using the injector to create nectar grenades. They can also steal a Mantel trooper's gun, and bury grenades in the ground as mines.
This game should be goddamn awesome. Why? 4-player online and offline co-op.
Haze is planned to feature a four-player split screen co-op mode as well as a four-player online co-op mode. At Ubidays, it was revealed that all four squad members were player enabled and could be played co-operatively by joining the game. Multiplayer can be played with one to three extra players through combinations of online, split-screen, or LAN.[4] Multiplayer games will also include narrative-based missions to complete, and the game will accommodate up to 16-player[5] online battles. In addition, the online multiplayer is split among two groups called Mantel and Rebels. Each side has its advantages. Nectar abilities allow Mantel troopers to easily distinguish friend from foe. The Rebels wield throwing knives coated in nectar that cause the Mantel troopers to overdose. In this overdose, Mantels cannot distinguish friend from foe, and may team kill. But, the Mantel side has increased nectar abilities which allow them strong melee attacks. To counter this, the Rebels can play dead. Each side also has their own special gun as well. Mantel has the rocket launcher whereas the Rebels have the Gatling gun and Flamethrower. Despite this, both sides can pick up guns from either side.
Here are some screenshots shamelessly stolen from IGN: (spoilered for huge)
As you can see, it is a pretty game. The blurring effect in the first shot is from Nectar, the drug that Mantel Corp uses on its troops. You can also see from these shots that there will be vehicles, and that the primary locale is a jungle.
Here are some videos:
There is a demo in the PSN store right now. It is 1.5gb. It has multiplayer enabled. Go get it.
Posts
good job
Also by the way guys you don't need to be European to access their store. You can raid it, pirate-style, by creating an alternate account on your PS3. Simply list it with an address in Europe (I chose UK because I prefer to read things in English) You won't be able to buy anything (unless you have a credit card with a UK billing address) but it will work for free shit. Same thing goes for making a Japanese account.
Also, Im gonna grind the single player a bit before looking at the rest. its fun. thats all you can say. the nectar stuff is so integral to the game, when I assumed it was like some powerup akin to quake or something.
Also scarab is that allison mack in your sig? I think that is her name
Makes me sad that they made this instead of a proper TS4.
TS2 is still on my top games ever list, like right near the top.
If you ask me, creating TS2 gives you a lifetime free pass to keep making games.
You know they're making TS4 as we speak, right?
I am told that the demo has multiplayer co-op fully enabled. If this is wrong, someone please correct me. (I'm at work and won't find out until about 6 hours from now)
This is the primary draw for me - I couldn't really care less about competitive multiplayer, but co-op is the shit.
Edit: This is what one of the guys in my clan has to say:
Source.
I've been burned before. Don't toy with my heart.
If true, that is the second major gaming news I have somehow completely missed in as many days (the first being Rock Band is out here in 3 weeks and I had no clue haha)
They mentioned in a Playstation Magazine last month. I don't remember which one exactly. I'll go see if I have it and I'll scan it as it also had a little artwork for it. They also said if there's a high enough demand they'll redo TS2 in HD.
If I don't have it, my mate definitely will as he's a HUGE Timesplitters fan.
EDIT: Scanning it for you now, man.
Just PM me links when you upload em, not sure about the forums stance to scans though i know elsewhere they are not on.
Also, holy fucking shit. ts2 in hd. omg levels of hype now.
Also scarab is that allison mack in your sig?
92% :P
This and a Dark Sector demo (which I am ashamed to say I really enjoyed), the PSN just went up a notch in my book
I mean, is it Heavenly Sword short? That was a short demo, over a gig and two platforms and then the demo ends. That is short.
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I've got a spare copy of Portal, if anyone wants it message me.
I spotted this demo whilst looking at the nifty new video for "Siren"
PSN: SirGrinchX
Oculus Rift: Sir_Grinch
i suppose if it downloads while i'm listening to music or something there's not harm done, right?
aeeee
set up a jap account and download the playable demo for Siren
Weee, I have a JPN account but forget to check it often.
Cheers for that!
PSN: SirGrinchX
Oculus Rift: Sir_Grinch
you can buy stuff from the foreign stores as well. my friend has all kinds of psone games from the HK and Jap stores. i havent messed with it personally, but its possible.
PSN: SirGrinchX
Oculus Rift: Sir_Grinch
PSN: SirGrinchX
Oculus Rift: Sir_Grinch
PSN ID : Xander51 Steam ID : Xander51
If you guys post your PSN's here I'll add them to the OP.
Decent enough single player, nothing to special, fun enough though (its no halo killer blahblah)
Co-op online, lots of fun, ran really well (smooth), should be alot of fun playing through in this mode.
Split screen, good, no slowdown that I could see, quite impressed.
A deffo rental at least for single player, and a must buy if you want to coop!
PSN: SirGrinchX
Oculus Rift: Sir_Grinch
Ding ding ding. It seems that the latest way to differentiate "same ol' shooter" is to add co-op. Army of Two did it, and now Haze. It's an interesting approach, as I think people will tolerate boring or rote gameplay as long as they can play it with friends. The fact that the game offers 4 player co-op is an even bigger plus, although I wonder how different co-op like that will be from simply playing 4v4 (only w/ bots instead of humans).
Definitely a focus on the online play, since nothing about the story or gameplay is really unique or interesting (hey, you can press a button to make your enemies stand out! unless they play dead). If you have someone to play with (or 2 or 3), it's apparently one of the premiere titles. Not to mention the lack of co-op titles on PS3.
Why on earth is that?
PSN ID : Xander51 Steam ID : Xander51
Not even remotely on-topic, but you hold down R2 for a second and release it when the crosshair turns yellow for a power throw.