Haze fails to dazzle, PS3 suffers hype hit
By Triston McIntyre
The reviews are in, and Haze really dropped the ball…in fact, it never really had the ball. If you’ve played the demo, you probably know what I and the countless critics who reviewed it are talking about. Though Haze might only be one title worth pushing under the rug in a steady stream of greatness, it still stings a bit as a PS3 fan, especially with all the buildup this game received.
So, here’s just about everything you should know about Haze: in a futuristic setting, a bunch of soldiers are all hyped up on this performance enhancing substance called “nectar” (which seems to be a cocktail of anabolic steroids, PCP, speed and absinthe), which the main character realizes is messing everyone up. He fights back, gets off the junk, and the entire game is running around shooting people in a not-so-fun way since you don’t get to indulge in your drug habit.
Conceptually, the game is strong. In execution, it falls flat on its face. The graphics are blasé, the gameplay is linear and predictable, and I had to fight off sleep with caffeine while playing. The commercials are the best thing about the game, I assure you.
I’m not the only one who thinks so. A comprehensive synopsis article of a few big-hitter reviews from sites like Game Informer, Giant Bomb, IGN and Gamer’s Hell is provided by Joystiq; the review scores ranged from the 40s up to a sprightly 65. Maybe some kids have been told by their parents that 65 cuts the mustard, but I can assure you that’s pretty much failure to the every day student, or gamer.
The reason the are so disappointing is that Haze was lauded to be a legitimately good platform shooter for the PS3. At this point, Call of Duty 4 stands out brightly, but that isn’t exclusive. Neither is the forthcoming Battlefield title; the only positive thing on the horizon as far as an exclusive shooter for the PS3 goes is Killzone 2, and that will be a long time coming.
Chalk this one up as a loss for Sony and the Playstation 3. With Gears of War 2 making striking impressions for the Xbox 360, Killzone 2 had better go above and beyond to make Killzone 2 a knockout. As far Haze, its advertising slogan “Fight the addiction - Expose the truth,” is true in some sense; you certainly get to fight an addiction, which turns out incredibly lame, and the truth of the game’s suckiness gets exposed really early, so if you’re dying to play, give it a rent.
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Tips N4G
May 21st, 2008
Well, if they’d stop hyping the REALLY good games YEARS before they’re ready to be released (Killzone 2, MGS4, Fabula Nova Crystalis, Home) then maybe this Haze letdown wouldn’t be such a big deal.
And I’ve thought Haze looked “meh” since last November.
But then again, I think Halo 3 is “meh” and Gears 2 looks pointless and, frankly, just as idiotic as the first one. Of course, I won’t argue with legions of gamers and reviewers who love it. It’s just… no where near my “thing.”
-Arvis
May 21st, 2008
Don’t forget Resistance 2.
May 21st, 2008
“the only positive thing on the horizon as far as an exclusive shooter for the PS3 goes is Killzone 2″
Newsflash, Resistance 2 due out this November
May 21st, 2008
Gear of War 1 idiotic? Didn’t it win GOTY across all platforms?
May 21st, 2008
Winner, remember that’s just the OPINION of Arvis.
I happen to agree with him (I don’t really like any FPS on any console), and gears I only played on PC but I found it very repetitive and boring.
But that is just our opinion, obviously many people disagree with us
Haze was over hyped, as soon as the demo landed EVERYONE should’ve expected poor reviews, but I never expected much anywhoos.
The gaming industry is getting more like Hollywood daily…
May 21st, 2008
I’m sorry 4 your loss.
May 22nd, 2008
DAmMIT!!
I was gonna buy the original game… I was gonna play the Coop and marvel at the awesomeness… now I have to make do with GTA 4… and killing hookers is getting boring…
May 22nd, 2008
man im a real fanboy of ps3 but the way things are going i wouldnt mind the stupid RROD and 50 bucks a year to swith. Gears is gona be huge and i really liked the first Fable on PC. on the otherside, wtf man! First the Home then the killzone got delayed. The only exclusive games coming out on ps3 this year are LBP which looks good but looks childish and resistance. so wtf! i better be impressed at E3 this year or else man! hmm although im taking it back! i totally forgot about MGS4! lol screw u all xbots fans! lol
May 22nd, 2008
Same old story… I have both PS3 and Xbox and I don’t know what I would do if I only had a PS3. All the so called Exclusives are either coming out years from now or get delayed, then when they do come out they are rubbish. I know the 360 has the hardware problems, but atleast I can do something about that. I purchances Unreal 3 the other day and the game is OK, not great but OK, but there is nobody to play with online. Whats that all about. I play any 360 game online and there is thousands of will players, I put my PS3 on and the online is like a ghost town. I would be so so so disapointed it I only had a PS3, I really fell you pain PS3 owners, all you have left is MGS and well that has not been reviewed yet…….
May 22nd, 2008
@Triston McIntyre
An exclusive shooter for the PS3 goes is Killzone 2.
Isn’t Resistance 2 an exclusive.
Thats it…your article stinks.
We need
DAVE PARRACK!!!!
May 22nd, 2008
no suprise. the 360 is the home of shooters. better controller, rumble, time-reloads, etc…fun stuff. looks like the search continues for a ps3 game to match what the 360 has to offer. GeOW II look STUNNING from the pics in the latest GameInformer mag. Waaay above the first version. New lighting, better textures, mapping, etc… friggin insane. easily above ANYTHING on any other console.
it would seem the ps3 fans would have learned by now to not hype their games to hard before launch. they never live up to their hype.
better luck next time…
May 22nd, 2008
thanks kevin for informing us that GOW2 is better than anything we’ve ever seen, I really dont know what I’d do without you telling me what to think :/
i really dont think you understand opinions do you? No I dont not think GOW2 looks ‘friggin insane’ nor do I think that Haze is all the PS3 has to offer. Far from it, actually. I, like many, was looking forward to Haze, but after playing the demo, I realised it sucked. Not EVERYONE was their hyping the game at all, no some of us are actually normal and wait till we’ve played to form a judgement. I suggest you do the same. Yes, its ok to look forward in excitement, much like I am for LBP and KZ2, but in no way am I saying they are the best games ever, or better than anything else on any other platform. Because you know what… I haven’t played them yet :O
May 22nd, 2008
Yeh because we all did a whole load of hyping ourselves didn’t we boys? [silence from ps3 fan corner]
That was Free Radical and Sony’s hyping, not ours. It’s always a very bad idea to hype something up that doesn’t have a successful predecessor which proves it can live up to it.
That’s why GTA and MGS don’t really get criticized for being super hyped. MMmm, MGS4.
And Kev, the GeoW II don’t look THAT amazing, though admittedly better than Haze.
The search continues for what 360 has to offer? They better f*cking not be looking for the RROD.
May 22nd, 2008
People who say that Gears of War does not look that great are fooling themselves. These people must need a prescription for glasses and need to get their eyes checked out. I have 20/20 according to my drivers test so I know I’m seeing correctly. It’s absoultly stupit and fanboyish to say that GOW is not a great game. No game has ever given me such a ruch as Gears. The only other game I can think of that gives my a rush as close as gears is Ninja Gaden.
May 22nd, 2008
yup.. hyped game snever live up to it… *cough* Halo 3…
CAD…. GOW is a “freaking super cool awesome” game cus its the the game that gave you the most rush?? nice to see you guys using proper facts…
and why s the time-reloads so “revolutionary”
I loved GeoW… and it was a very very VERY good game (if not excellent) when it came out… and still is… it was great for its graphics… the gore… the shooting mechanics… and the overall feel of being in a warzone… not for “time-reloads”… though the story didnt satisfy me…
I hope Geow 2 is worth my pirated version
cant wait…
May 22nd, 2008
royzy - i’m sorry, but from what you’ve posted i’m 100% certain you have not seen the latest geow II footage or pics. This is high end pc type of stuff. Very, very impressive. Over 20 years gaming and i haven’t seen anything like it on a console. Now, can they deliver AND a stable framerate? only time will tell. But the textures and mapping are waaaaaay above anything the ps3 has delivered, promised, or even hinted at. sorry.
May 22nd, 2008
dwh - the story in geow was vague, but the answers to the questions will be in Geow II. (maria and why dom is looking for her, etc). hang in there; many games tell stories over several versions, ie halo. welcome to gaming.
May 22nd, 2008
i never once said that GOW (or2) was not a good game, I just found it irritating that I’m told to think its an amazing, has all the best graphics etc. My eyes are perfectly fine thanks CAD and I dont think its the best looking game ever :O
it looks good yes, but i’ve seen better. And probably will continue to do so
May 22nd, 2008
Sorry about forgetting resistance 2, fellas. And to hamburger, I’m ok with fanboyism, but i’m tempted to delete your comment just because out of principle.
May 22nd, 2008
robb - seriously..you need to see the new Geow II pics and movies. so tell me; what console game have you seen that’s better than what geow II is delivering? thanks.
May 23rd, 2008
@Kevin
“seriously..you need to see the new Geow II pics and movies. so tell me; what console game have you seen that’s better than what geow II is delivering?”
ahhh Crysis and Uncharted end of the story.
May 23rd, 2008
BOL @ Uncharted. Are you serious?!!?!? You really think the graphics are better than Gears?
May 23rd, 2008
Both games have exceptional graphics and if there is any difference, it would be minimal and stupid to argue which is best…really.
Haze, well, I didn’t think it was that bad, but definitely wasn’t the killer game as made out. I will give the full game a chance - sometimes the demo doesn’t do the game justice. I will rent first then make up my mind.
May 24th, 2008
Unreal Engine is the best graphical engine I have seen. Gears is amazing UT is going to have better graphics on the 360 and I’ll mention that I did not realize that Lost Odyssey was made on the UR Engine but when I found that out it only explained why the game was so amazing. Any game made on UR Engine that goes on the 360 is just Gold.
May 24th, 2008
Even Bioshock was made on the unreal. Unchartered has nothing on these games. Unchartered may look good but the game play is repetitive.
May 24th, 2008
What!!!!! I can’t believe there is actually an argument over what has better graphics Uncharted or Gears of War? ridiculous, u just have to put the two next to each other to see the differnece, Uncharted with it’s lush green and tons of water in nearly every level, and GOW with drab, dark, boring grey areas for nearly every level. GOW graphics are hardly any better than the last big ps2 games, Tomb Raider Anniversary, GOW 2 and FF12. Even Bioshock’s graphics arn’t that good, it has great atmosphere not visuals. Just take the first moment, fire all around you and then u see that plane sink and it looks terrible, ruins the moment.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I hate the Unreal engine, it’s 2007 tech a slight upgrade to the graphics on ps2 and now seems to be used for every boring, averege FPS’s. More EUPHORIA!!!!
May 24th, 2008
er kevin, a simple answer to your question, uncharted. and clearly i’m not the only one on this board to think that.
i think even MGS4 looks as good, even if both games are drab and grey colours.
and i have seen movies, and i do believe I said it looked good, great even, but i’ve seen better. end of
May 24th, 2008
and CAD - gears was not at all repetitive?
uncharted is a amazing game, but a different game to gears altogether. and in my opinion, it looks better than gears
May 24th, 2008
The Gamertrailers.com review of Uncharted calls it “the best looking console game on the market.” Of course, that was 6 months ago. but still, for the 360-loving site Gametrailers to make that claim… that says something.
http://www.gametrailers.com/player/28090.html
-Arvis
May 24th, 2008
Nice find Arvis.
May 25th, 2008
Every time I read ‘MGS4′ I do a little dance in my underwear.
Kev, yeh I have seen the footage a few times, I do think it looks good, I have the urge to play it, BUT when I said it didn’t look THAT amazing, i was talking about compared to your original description. I agree they do look good, but I gota say - well we all say - there are still better graphics on games that are already out.
May 27th, 2008
royzy - just name ONE game on a console with better textures and mapping than what cliffy b is putting in geow II. you said you knew of some..so..name them. thanks. or are you lying again to underscore your allegiance to sony…
robb- you have NOT seen geow II if you think uncharted is on par with it. thanks for proving that fact.
gawd i love ps3 fanboys.. they know nothing but post more than anyone… lmao.
May 27th, 2008
meh..what’s the point of having so many “exclusives” on the ps3 when they ALL blow? i guess the fanboys will celebrate anything exclusive to the ps3, even if it is a turd wrapped in polys. oh well….
May 27th, 2008
I don’t know bout that, Uncharted, Tools of Destruction, Warhawk, Heavenly Sword (not great not gettin better reviews than Ninja Gaiden 2), Everybody’s Golf, Motorstorm, RFOM. Not bad so far but take a look at release lists this year few releases this year with only Fable 2 and GOW2 left, other games this year NG2 and Lost Odyssey both failed to live up to expectations still good but nothing special and certainly nothing new, so Haze was a disapointment so what? ps3 still got MGS4, The Agency, Little Big Planet, Resistence 2, Motorstorm: Pacifica, Wipeout HD and PS3, and what about 2009? for ps3 FF13, Killzone 2, GOW 3, GT5, Jak and Daxter PS3, and sequels to 2007 games like Uncharted 2(rumured to be in India), 360 got Halo Wars(RTS does not work on consoles), Bioshock 2? no on ps3. Sorry Kevin but u might want to take a look at a release list
May 27th, 2008
If it’s going to be a blow exclusive Kevin, I’ll hand it to you.
Kevin there is much more to good graphics than the textures, join me on my Degree and I will show you. Bring a note book and a lot of paper young man.
Do you just scan down the comments and splutter bs about each one?
robb probably has seen GeOW 2, just like all the rest of us have. Doesn’t change a thing.
May 28th, 2008
royzy - you so full of crap. if you had seen geow II, you’d know there is nothing on the ps3 that even comes close to it’s mapping, lighting, character model details and textures. but go ahead and continue to believe that a trumped up movie player can keep pace with a tri core gaming console with more RAM and a better development enviornment. you, and the other ps3 fanboys, seem to be the only ones in the industry who think so. i wonder why…
May 28th, 2008
mike - nice job hyping games that haven’t released yet. it’s funny you guys hype killzone 2 when the first one SUCKED on soooo many levels.
May 28th, 2008
I didn’t think Killzone 1 was to bad, hey but look at Timesplitters 2, alot better than the first.
I havn’t really heard much praise for GOW 2 on a technical level, I’ve heard quite alot of praise for Killzone 2 though, I’m pretty confident t’ll be better than GOW 2
May 29th, 2008
No really, I’m not playing with ya, I HAVE watched it, it looks good doesn’t it. Very macho and gun ho, suits your personality. Still, none of the things you just described have not already been demonstrated to a equal or superior level already. I’m sure GeOW2 will excel, but not necessarily in those areas.
There is much more to life than RAM baby, it would be silly for you to play the console technology comparison game. Plus it is much more boring to argue about than whether you really believe i have watched GeOW2 footage or not.
September 9th, 2008
abalabalab go gears!!!!