Haze: A Preliminary Update

  • By Kevin-V, GameSpot
  • Posted May 19, 2008 9:27 am AEST

Caution: Some readers could consider some of the following text and the accompanying video to include minor spoilers about the game Haze. Hey shooter fans. I was able to get a good bit of time with Haze in this weekend, finishing the single-player story and getting plenty of co-op in as well. You...

Caution: Some readers could consider some of the following text and the accompanying video to include minor spoilers about the game Haze.

Hey shooter fans. I was able to get a good bit of time with Haze in this weekend, finishing the single-player story and getting plenty of co-op in as well. You should expect to see a review on Tuesday (I was hoping for Monday, but I need more time in multiplayer), but I know that some of you are chomping at the bit for more information.

I am not prepared to give much away regarding Haze's quality prior to posting a review. I originally planned to do a play-by-play blog as I did with Devil May Cry 4. However, my playtime has been split between home and the office. Rather than writing a timecoded series of updates, I instead opted to provide a compilation video that includes plenty of action and a smidgen of dialogue as well.

I also wanted to briefly cover a few mechanical points of interest. At a few points in the video, you will see me apparently drop dead, but in Haze, it's all a ruse: as a rebel, you can play dead if you take enough damage, thereby fooling your opponents. You may also see a grenade explode into a yellow waft of mist. This happens when you throw a nectar grenade, and it causes Mantel troopers to overdose, and therefore lose control, shooting at anything that comes near them, including their own comrades. Being on the receiving end of a nectar grenade is a fascinating experience, because you can no longer move and shoot of your own free will, but rather watch helplessly as you volley bullets at your unsuspecting buddies.

You will also see action from the opposite point of view. As a trooper, you can inject yourself with a dose of nectar to help you see your enemies, who will then glow brightly and make it easy to differentiate them in battle. Nectar has other advantages as well: you take less damage while the stuff courses through your veins, for example. Zooming in also works in favor of troopers, who see the action through an old-fashioned targeting reticle, rather than view their targets down iron sights, as rebels do.

A few notes about this video. Most importantly, it features vulgar language that is not appropriate for everyone, so I advise extreme caution. Additionally, while Free Radical has been fairly up front about the direction of Haze's plot, readers sensitive to spoilers of any kind should probably not watch this video--or read any preview or watch any interviews regarding Haze, for that matter.

14 Comments

  • sicness10

    Posted May 20, 2008 9:28 am PT

    gotta say, for a game that got a 4.5 from IGN. it actually looks pretty good. i think its gonna be a rental tho. just to be on the safe side.

  • gfile

    Posted May 20, 2008 2:13 am PT

    This game looks like an alternative for Crysis on PC ...it have my interest now, thanks for the info.

  • nicklech16

    Posted May 20, 2008 1:33 am PT

    looks like a pretty solid FPS. Nothing more, nothing less...

  • smithbubbajones

    Posted May 19, 2008 9:22 pm PT

    Haze's first review on Metacritic is a bad one, 58, but its by some no name site. besides, hardly any games get away with all positive reviews. Im guessing an 8.0 from gs. maybe 7.0

  • ocdog45

    Posted May 19, 2008 8:06 pm PT

    wil lyou guys give it a 9.0?

  • cosmostein77

    Posted May 19, 2008 6:29 pm PT

    Thanks for all the hard work Kevin, Looking forward to the review

  • LatusItani

    Posted May 19, 2008 2:04 pm PT

    I simply cant wait for this game, it may actually cut into my daily warhawking.

  • gamenerd15

    Posted May 19, 2008 1:30 pm PT

    The dialogue reminds me of time splitters only more vulgar and it is funny. I see the run and gun is still. All I have to say is that mu assumptions of this game were correct. If you are TS fan get it.

  • Artosa

    Posted May 19, 2008 1:06 pm PT

    Nice

  • jyoung312

    Posted May 19, 2008 12:37 pm PT

    looks very good. I'm anxious to see the reviews and get my hands on this for some coop action

  • Funny_bunch71

    Posted May 19, 2008 12:18 pm PT

    Gives me hope on a purchase again.

  • All-Star-Gamble

    Posted May 19, 2008 11:57 am PT

    I want to see gamespots point of view on this game, it'll be interesting, althought I'm still going to buy this game no matter what.

  • DisgaeaNub

    Posted May 19, 2008 11:20 am PT

    looking forward to the review Kevin

  • galerian86

    Posted May 19, 2008 5:26 am PT

    How does the game looks compared to the demo? Is it any better?

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