Avid Gamer: Haze Demo Impressions

Avid Gamer writes:

"Haze, since its announcement in 2006, has gone through a lot. To begin with was a standard 'not-ready-yet' delay which set the game's release as winter 2007, rather than its original date of summer 2007. Then Ubisoft announced that Haze would be a Playstation 3 exclusive, stating the development for the Xbox 360 and PC had been scrapped. Finally came a further delay to May this year. As customary with any new game, with only a couple of weeks left until the long awaited release, Free Radical have spat out a demo to finally show off what they've been up to over the last couple of years. The vital question is whether the game has the legs to stand up to the hype, justifying the constant delays."

[JoelR]

*The story still intrigues me even after all the delays.
*Free Radical have a great reputation
*and finally an asymmetric shooter... Balance doesn't mean good.

So I for one will pick it up.

[CautionHead]

I really liked the demo, decent visuals, smart A.I, game play intriguing, and the story seems very thought out. Day one buy for me.

[Utalkin2me]

In all honestly though a *TURD*

[Creepa at GameManx]

on the real...the haze demo suck A$$

[The Closing]

This demo was so bad I was shocked they even put it out. Average shooter with poor graphics, extremely cheesy dialogue, static environment that really made me feel like I was playing an N64 game, which is sad considering that seems to be the time they were at their peak, which they never surpassed. Everyone's going on about the story, which will also be extremely predictable most likely. If the demo is any indication of what the game is going to be like I foresee poor sales, and reviews. With the so far delivered upon promises of upcoming fps that are trying to push limits such as Killzone 2 with it's stunning graphics/style, Far Cry 2 with its physics/ smart AI, and Resistance 2 with it's huge multiplayer, I think people can wait out Haze aka Turok on Nector.

[poopsack]

Turok on Nector

Never heard u use that one before.

[The Closing]

Yeah, well before this I was a semi profession boxer.

[BLUR111]

yea, the graphics were not that good and god was the dialogue was the most cheesy. what a let down. but the multiplayer should be pretty good

[prowiew]

From the first time I saw a picture of the game, I knew it would suck

[avacadosnorkel]

I think is funny because it's cheesy and meant to be cheesy. Just like the boxer pilot who let you know he was a boxer and then starts shaking right before he dies, that's funny stuff.

You obviously don't watch B movies or cheesy sci-fi because while I was playing the demo I thought it was classic.

[The Closing]

You obviously haven't seen the videos where your team mates are constantly spouting of high pitched annoying one liners the entire game. Yeah, just bad.

It's like they're trying a little too hard, but don't have a talented enough writer to pull it off without sounding completely trite, and cliche in all the wrong ways.

[JoelR]

I would have preferred a head to head multi experience but the coop mode was ok...
My issue: not being able to skip cut scenes in coop >_<

[Snoozer282]

That is fairly annoying.

[Relcom]

Multiplayer will tell me if this is getting traded in or not. Free Radical geniuses behind Goldeneye means i have lots of faith

[nomad117]

I love this game I don't care what anyone says this is a day one buy for me. I for one loved the demo and thought it was great to play haze after I've been waiting for so long to play it. This game is going to be a lot of fun. The gameplay just wows me

[avacadosnorkel]

give it a try

just don't overdose

[poopsack]

THis game needed a multiplayer demo, all it got was an old build of the first level as a demo.

[jackdoe]

The game isn't pretty (actually pretty ugly compared to gems like Uncharted and Metal Gear Solid 4), but from the demo that I played, it seems like a solid shooter, framerate is smooth, the controls are pure silk, and the music is pretty catchy. While this game won't be a first day purchase for me, I may look into picking this up when the price goes down to $30 or $20 down the line.

[NegativeCreepWA]

Its like a bad far cry, halo mix. I'll still game fly it for the co-op.

[Gabe323]

The graphics alone are enough to keep me from even thinking about renting this one.

I'm a pc graphics whore :(

[poopsack]

Really I dont see what all, the hate on graphics of this game is about, heres a comparison between one very overhyped (but still good) game and a very over critized one (that is also great.)

Halo 3
http://xbox360.ign.com/dor/...

Haze
http://ps3.ign.com/dor/obje...

I compare them because they are similar games with the same style, but for some reason one is being hated on alot by graphic whores and and guys with no lives that spend their entire day pressing the disagree button and hating on everything not coming on their console of choice.

[lokimendivil]

If you think this game looks as good as Halo 3 then did not play the demo. I thought something was wrong with my eyes because the game is so blury; it kind of reminds me of Killzone 1. I hope the game plays and looks better when it comes out.

[Gabe323]

It's a big blur plain and simple. It's like looking through vaseline smeared glasses. Someone posted images of the game where the demo takes place and everything is extra sharp and highly detailed and it's nothing like that in the demo. It looked just like the images you linked to but in the jungle environment.

[Whoooop]

Even if demos doesn't necessarily represent the final product, this demo was weak.

It doesn't look like a next gen game at all when compared with other games this gen.

I remember playing Uncharted demo and thinking how great it was. The same with HS and with The Show. etc.

I'm officially passing on this game.

[Jamaicangmr]

As a Playstation 3 owner i was looking forward to this back in December when it was slated to launch. Mainly because of the 4 player online co-op but now honestly HAZE demo just felt like a let down. I hope they can improve it but as of now i'll be stayin far from this game.

[shelbygt33]

i am really excited for this game actually! i thought the demo was quite good.

[trancefreak]

If the final version build is alot like the demo forget about it. I liked the gamplay and the whole idea behind the game but to me the graphics were boo boo 576p just aint cuttin it for me with the $$ i spent on an hdtv and a ps3. next god the voice acting is horrible along with the scripting dialog i cant stand poor voice acting in games. next the environment totally suked. the lighting is poor in the darkened ares its very hard to find enemy weapons and the linear feel is awful. you cant scale any slopes threw the jungle or go off path at all. i just felt very restricted especially after playing crysis where u can go almost anywhere. if the game is still much like the demo i think this game will eat it and take a loss as overly hyped game (by the developer with lots of potential) piece of garbage.
I feel really let down especially with the delays.

[princejb134]

i bet if the box says 720p you would actually believe its 720p until someone confirms the real resolution

[trancefreak]

hehe funny!!

[princejb134]

for it felt like another halo rip-off
seemed to similar to me

[princejb134]

it was descent not a first day buy for me

[Lucreto]

People please the demo was an old build that we saw last year. Also the first levels are not the best. We need the final game with reviews before even making a decisions.

[GameDev]

then that was a VERY STUPID move on free radicals part, whatever hype was left for this game after the ridiculous amount of delays, THIS DEMO JUST KILLED.

I was very underwhelmed.

[Milky]

I am clueless at what to think about this game.

[Snoozer282]

Make up your own mind? That's what a demo is for...

[pow3r of t3h c3ll]

even as a mindlessly loyal sonybot I have completely given up on defending this game simply because its indefensible. IT SUCKS!!!

xbot scum win this round im afraid my fellow sony droids.

[The Closing]

Not a representation of a console, and it doesn't even happen to be a first party game or a game they're relying on at all trying to over hype like another systems game I know. Haze sucks, halo sucks, so what?

[Snoozer282]

Very well said!

[yoghurt]

I just think it was a good solid fps, the nectar adds something new, as will the nectar when you swap sides, I think the whole game has a lot to look forward to. and the graphics are great, no popin or slow down, just a nice fps to pick up and play anytime you like. Ive pre-ordered mine, looking forward to it

[Nostradamus]

After playing the demo, I dont even think this is a must buy, much less the "Halo Killer" it was hyped to be.

Its a shame, I really wanted a good online game for my PS3.

[Wolfmoonstrike]

I found the demo ok. My GF loved it though, and I plan to pick it up for the co-op. When I first heard of the game I thought it sounded wicked, balanced game play built from the multi-player view. But I've played the demo and the story still intrigues me (I'm a rpg fan who really only cares for good storylines, sue me.) Plus this game is made by free radical. Golden-eye, baby! best game to play with friends.

P.s. what was your fave weapon on golden eye? Mine were proxy mines.

[resistance100]

The story, Co-op are the Main selling features, PLUS online will be a blast.

[CBaoth]

but man was that a terrible demo or what? I'm usually not a graphic whore but that was muddy. It was somewhere between Soldier of Fortune and Kane & Lynch bad. And the voice acting? I've seen better scripting from a Dynasty Warriors game. Guess I'm getting those "noobie" jitters like Shane. Maybe I'll frag a few promised hand rebels and go "jerk off". The silver lining to all this, Timesplitters4 will be a 2nd generation ps3 game.

[resistance100]

It was a let down on the demo, however what is strange was that it was a different demo than i played at Play.com. A better idea for FRD would have been to either put a mulitplayer demo up OR put 2 demos up one as you as a mantel trooper, and another one as you fighting Mantel.

Still with Free Rad's Pedigree for multiplayer, im sure Online will be the best part.

[N2NOther]

The whole point of a demo is to give a taste of the game so that consumers will by the final game when it's released...And as such, this demo didn't impress me at all, so for right now, at most, it's a rental.

[Snoozer282]

Yea, people often forget that and treat demos as the final product.

[eddierivera]

Everyone, including the xbots know that the ps3 is a very capable machine. This is about Haze though, and I actually fully paid off my preorder. I preordered the game before I played the demo and all I have to say is that Im getting my money back.

The game was not only ugly, but very unsatisfying. I still havent heard anyone say anything about how horrible the gernades are. I tried to toss a grenada (thats what we call em in COD4) at 3 enemies that were standing close to each other. I started to cook it when I realized I dont even have a cursor to help me aim the freaking thing. Then I just tossed it hoping it would land near by them, and it ended up right next to them, but the grenada didnt do anything to them. I might as well have been tossing them some water ballons, cause let me tell you what, Ive seen better grenada damage radius's in NES games. The explosions are nearly invisable. the grenades in this game are worthless. Very depressing

This game is a total let down,, they could have at least made the graphics awesome, so I could show off the power of my ps3 to my non ps3 friends who got a 360, but they couldnt even do that. Which makes me wonder what was the real reason why they didnt make a 360 and pc version. I hate to say it, despite how much I love golden eye and Timesplitters. Maybe Free Radical isnt the AAA gaming company they used to be. Technology has changed, alot for that matter, and maybe they just arent ready for a next gen game.

I dont have a 360, but I have to say I checked out the screen shots compared to Haze and Halo still looks alot better than the demo I played. I'm still pondering why the screen shots to Haze look freaking awesome compared the the demo. It doesnt matter if the demo is old and doesnt represent the final product. The demo shouldnt have been released if that was the case.

I think the gameplay was alright though, but I could hardly hear my buddy on voicechat, which happends to work fine during call of duty 4's online. It played like timesplitters, with some upgrades to the zoom, but enemies seemed to take more bullets than you really had to use to kill someone. Maybe cause I'm spoiled by COD4, but this game should have been more realistic. This sucks man, I want a wicked game on my ps3 that doesnt have the name Infinity Ward on it.

[HydroBoy]

right now the demo graphics of Haze, looks better than Halo3 to me .. plus it says during loading times its a presentation of a work in progress - so obviously you werent given the final build to play in the demo - no ones forcing or begging you to buy the game, but i ll tell you if you dont, your missing out on a good shooter

[Will-UK]

the game looks alright , but i think the demo is old

[shazam]

576p is almost standard def. Hopefully the gameplay is good but free redical don't have very talented programmers.

[avacadosnorkel]

than I did with GTA IV.

That's my opinion (I'm entitled to it)

So leave me alone and think what you want, I don't care.

[Snoozer282]

Perfectly valid opinion.

[ELite_Ghost]

a year of delays and it doesn't turn out to be so good

[Angelitos]

The graphics are the same as Halo 3. But the gameplay as alot more innovative in Haze.

[N2NOther]

I'm not a huge Halo 3 fan but are PS3 owners THAT desperate for a Halo killer that they'll compare this to Halo? Seriously? Killzone 2, now THAT looks impressive.

[Exile__]

I remember Free Radical saying this was going to be the definitive shooter for the PS3 ...

That was a very far-fetched claim.. and if the demo is any indication, it missed it by a few miles.

[PS3thedestroyer]

What better game is comming out in May? Certainly nothing on Xbox 360, unless of course Ninja Gaiden 2 is released then, because that would be the only worthy game.

[Exile__]

Ninja Gaiden 2 comes in June.