Kotaku
"So, I just want you to know that I'm here with the angle of what makes Haze different than just another first person shooter." Free Radical Lead David Doak nods politely.
See, I have this theory. It's not really a theory, really, and it's not my original idea. But every year we see people excited about some new FPS. We hear its features—the way it's doing things differently. And we're generally sold (anyone remember the Prey media blitz?)
As Crecente wrote in his earlier feature, Haze is all about the asymmetric gameplay. One side is the Mantel, super juiced soldiers who have an incredible amount of battlefield awareness and general killing skill. The rebels, on the other hand, are more about versatility and adaptability than brute force.
At all times as a rebel, it's your job to figure out how to use Mantel's precious nectar against them, be it by:
1. Shooting the drug administration canister on their backs to make the soldiers overdose and go berserk.
2. Killing the soldiers and taking their drug packs, quickly modifying the technology into a grenade to make the soldiers overdose and go berserk.
3. Stabbing soldiers with a haze-covered knife to make the soldiers overdose and go berserk.
You being to wonder why the rebels can only induce control the flow of drugs one way, despite using just about every weapon at their disposal. Why isn't drug withdrawal an issue in multiplayer? Why can't the rebels grab a haze pack before killing a Mantel soldier, rendering his opposition's aim shaky, strength lower and susceptibility to damage higher?
Maybe a Mantel soldier, finding his stash pickpocketed, could have a set time to find a spare haze pack before they found themselves temporarily incapacitated, you know, for a helpless living corpse humping. Because that's what we mean by evolving the FPS genre.
I think Haze is, unfortunately, that sort of one-trick pony FPS that fails to explore its Big New Idea to a level that makes it rise from the pack. But then again, as our own Michael McWhertor was quick to point out:
"It's better than a no-trick pony."
Comments
Sounds interesting. Though the "haze?" affect would give me a terrible headache to be honest.
Haze isn't on my radar. It's not going to be on my radar. There are entirely too many FPS coming out to the point its becoming maddening. Actually, this has been the case for a long time now. It's "me-too" itis at it's finest. Like I mentioned in the other post, if it's not Metroid, Resistance2, Quake, Unreal Tourny or Half Life....I don't care. An exception may come down the pipeline but as it stands...Haze will get no love from me.
when you put it that way, the game sounds really, really lame. Makes it seem like they dropped the ball already. Oh well, at least we have things like COD4, Halo 3, Crysis and Bioshock to keep us happy. I knew Free Radical couldn't pull off a decent game.
Wow, another FPS. original.
@Hap: What is this game about??? Mantel? Rebels??? Are the mantel like insects or something??? Is this coming to 360? If not, i don't care.
I knew this game was going to be mediocre right from the get-go.
@Custom Reality:
Wtf makes you think that halo 3 is gonna be any better? Its been the same damn game since halo 2 and will be the same shit in halo 3.
Haze has potential, it's from Free Radical.
@Dark_Cheetah:
If I said "Wow, another FPS. original" in a Metroid thread I would be cussed at and called an idiot for saying something so bad against Nintendo. Don't be such a prik!
@TylerOwnsYou: We have a fanboy in the house. =D
You need to stop playing video games if they make you so emotional over someone else's opinion, kid. =D
@The Intangible Fact: I'd be right behind you saying...."Wow...another Metroid" my friend.
I'm pretty much ignoring this game. From what I've heard and seen of it, I just can't find myself to care enough to get excited about it. They make a huge a deal about being able to take you're opponents weapon. OO, cool! But then they show that one move over...and over...and over again! There's more to not be impressed by, but I'm lazy at the moment and don't have the patience to type it all out.
With all the other games coming out, this one really isn't worth my time to pay attention to.
W/e im still getting this game, it looks great.
@Custom Reality: Wait? You think the guys who made Timesplitters can't make a good game? Are you crazy?
I've been saying pretty much this type of thing for a few years now. Once the hype dies on a new FPS. You invariably get to see it without the rose tinted glasses. At that stage you notice the flaws (of which some are huge). In the single player FPS's there is usually some totally inconsistent element that ruins the atmostphere. In multiplayer it's usually weapon imbalance which highlights how little people actually balanced stuff. These days they get the poor paying public to playtest it for them under the guise of being the lucky few on a beta (I know we openly discuss stuff like that at developer conferences and backstage at shows).
The game does look great. I give Free Radical credit for trying. If Bioshock, Crysis, Turok, wasn't around I would buy it, but for now ITS A BLOCKBUSTER NIGHT with Haze!
@Custom Reality:
Im far from a fanboy i have Nintendo Wii and a PS3 and will be getting a Xbox 360 for christmas .So you are telling me that the Halo franchise isn't overrated. they have a damn halo ride for christ sake c'mon dude.
Some of the people that created Perfect Dark + new FPS on PS3 = Me excited! So there.
I remember the linear speedbump that was Prey.
@tylerownsyou
whoa...calm down kid....firstly, judging by the public beta, halo3 is gonna be, at worst, 'a good game'
secondly, they have'nt tried to make anything stupidly revolutionary with the game, theyre just making a game thats gonna be good, continue on a brilliant story, and sell well...IMO...
[flame sheild]
@TylerOwnsYou:
That ferris wheel was only for Leipzig, you know. There was an HDTV and an Xbox 360 in each cart so people could play Halo 3 on the ride.
@Maldron: And a 17 year-old game made by another developer somehow makes Haze bad?
@Kirbytheslayer: I was never a TimeSplitters fan. It didn't hold my interest for more than two levels. I'm not a huge fan of their only franchise so far, so I'm not holding my breath for the second. Maybe it will end up being mindless fun, but until I get a demo or rental copy, I don't see myself laying down $60 for it.
@TOWER_JUNKIE:
Thats actually pretty cool. :)
@Kirbytheslayer: Don't forget Goldeneye.
That game was kinda ok no?
After watching the Haze videos it looks subpar in every way.
@TylerOwnsYou: Although I don't agree that a ride makes a game suddenly overrated. I do think Halo has been overrated since it came out. Nothing in that game was original for the time. The graphics were pretty...other than that most of the things in it that people were amazed about were originally from Marathon. A friend of mine at the time let me read two old sci fi stories from the 70's that were pretty much the exact same story. Besides the fact that there were already FPS's out that had far more in the way of game mechanics such as dual wielding and what not....which seemed amazing to people when Halo 2 came out(?).
@TylerOwnsYou: Personally, I think Halo is overrated too. I was never a fan of it. I tried to get into it but just couldn't.
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Free Radical are good developers but I haven't seen anything in HAze that makes me say "ooooo, gotta have it." Timesplitters rocked because of the custom maps and scenarios you could make. I played that for months because me and a friend made maps there were better than the maps that shipped with the game. Timesplitters I'd buy if it still includes a map editor that's as good or better than the last gen editor.
For the record, at least Metroid Prime 1 and 2 were truly different than the typical FPS and one of the greatest 2D to 3D translations ever made. Now if you said "another Zelda" or "another mario" I'm with you there to an extent but Metroid....try again.
@Dark_Cheetah: that's hilarious because I remember playing the original Unreal Tournament and me and a few mates were laughing at how you could dual wield the Enforcers and kill a room full of rocket launcher and Frak Cannon WhoreNoobs.
God DAMNIT I am tired of people criticizing Halo.
NO IT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING INNOVATIVE.
The title is "Combat Evolved" Not revolutionized, not massively different, not wildly innovative!
THERE ARE NO CLAIMS OF ANYTHING EXCEPT ITERATION ON ESTABLISHED IDEAS! Does it deliver? On iteration of established ideas? YES! AND STUNNINGLY!
There *were* a few shitty sections of level design in the previous two games. No game is flawless throughout, but it was one of the most FUN FPSes in years! Probably since Half-Life! And it was on a larger scale AND it established a universe that is compelling to even mild fans. And it had excellently balanced multiplayer.
Not every game is going to introduce a brand new idea to the genre, but it takes the one that does it really well to make you remember it and help other game makers figure out how to make it work all the time.
Thank you, Mark, for being as jaded as I am.
Halo 3 9.6 Haze 9.4
Those are my predictions.
Its the timesplitter's guys. Who really cares about such little niggling facts. The game looks badass and I know the multiplayer will be fun as well. It's not the world's most revolutionary game but at least it is based on a new IP.
"But every year we see people excited about some new FPS. We hear its features-the way it's doing things differently. And we're generally sold (anyone remember the Prey media blitz?)"
Remember the Bioshock media blitz?
Kotaku fails.
... what is the point of this "story"? Can we expect to get updates on how other fps franchises are "one trick ponies" or once you achieve halo and cod status you are rendered exempt from pointless buzz kill "news" blurbs?
I'd argue Gears Of War was a one trick pony, but what a trick!
truthfully lost in the pack!
@DannoHung: I got a suggestion for you! Since you guys love Halo so much and every think it is weak suace then I wonder if bungie could make a better mario game?
I just my first drink of the Mountain Dew Halo 3 Game Fuel and it taste fucking goood just like the game will.
Also Metroid wasn't that great. It was a FPS with adventure elements. Other games did this along time ago. Just because its Nintendo it doesn't mean its "revolutionary or near perfect". Gosh!
@Runna:
Yes they could. A mature Mario fighting a dark/crazy Bowser with mothafuckin machine guns would rock.
This seems like the a game that's being forced to be popular (the whole 360/PC yes, no, maybe-so seemed to grab a lot of people's attention.) I'm sure PS3 owners will pick this up so they have something to actually play...but I can't see this being anything more than that...
I do remember the Prey blitz, and being pretty disappointed at the result, especially since it was announced initially back in my earlier years (mid 90's or something?) and had quite a bit of hype even then about the portal system.
Haze looks OK. I haven't really gotten a feel for it because of all the Bioshock/COD4 love recently.
But like you say, if the whole Nectar thing is the only real difference, it's not going to sell me on the concept.
@The Intangible Fact: You really need to get over your Nintendo hate. It's not healthy.
Haze has always been a "meh" title for me. Years of experience have shown that anytime a developer overhypes a game it ends up horrible. And the developers of Haze have been hyping it to no end.
Plus it has the unfortunate side-effect of being released after Halo 3 and Bioshock which itself has already raised the level of polish expected in FPSes. Although, since Bioshock and Halo are console exclusives to the 360, maybe Haze will have a good reception this winter on the PS3.
I'm a ps3 owner and I'm not even jumping for joy about haze. Same game...different story...yawn.
@baberg:
Mario = formula
Bioshock = beer
I love hating on Nintendo for one reason....the fanboy reactions.
I think developers should hype up their game. It would be stupid not to. Haze would share the same fate as Ico & Okami if it is good :)
@The Intangible Fact: really? take a 2D game and make it into 3D and keep the same elements and feel of the original material along with the gameplay and atmosphere? yeah...not that impressive. Cause Castlevania translated into 3D worked great....oh wait! Street Fighter was awesome in 3D too...hmmm then again...
Sonic....yeaaaah, Sonic was definitely top tier in 3D in the "so bad it's good" column ....wow not even worthy of that...
Okay...I guess you're right. I was mistaken. So I have no choice but to...
Ignore Halo AND Haze and play Metroid Prime 3 and Unreal Tournament this fall. WOOT!
@Striderhayasa:
Ok...so ignore "The Game that Sold the Most Preorders" for Metroid "The Game that Plays Catch Up with the Big Boys"
Metroid will get a 7.8-8.5
Halo will get 8.8 -9.7.
@The Intangible Fact: oh and for the record, I criticize Nintendo more than anybody but instead of using ridiculous dumb ass arguments that make no sense I try to bring something constructive to the table. Metroid Prime is one of the series that Nintendo made for the fans at the constant request of the fans in the face of its failure in Japan. They get much love for doing that.
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Free Radical announced a new Timesplitters as well as Haze. Did they mention a map editor with TS? Or is Haze getting a map editor? I would consider it if it had a robust map editor.
@Striderhayasa:
I respect your comments. I like it when people don't back down and stand up for what they believe.
@The Intangible Fact: dude I don't give a rat's ass what the reviewers give it but it's good to see your time machine is still working to bring us back the goods. Some of these same clowns that review the games we play don't have any skill. I witnessed that myself first hand. I've been a Metroid fan since the beginning. Metroid Prime 3 is already bought and paid for. I never liked Halo and as far as multiplay goes...legions can play Halo all they want, more power to them I'll be play