Continue to Part 2

20 Jun 2008 at 13:43:59 by Jim Diaz
Systems used to review this title: (PS3)

The graphics is another area that disappoints for the PS3. The first thing you notice is the poor lighting – the game is either too dark or overly bright at times. The game has a cartoon look to it so this might explain the brightness but to the point of being blinded is ridiculous. The character models for the Mantel troopers look decent but the rebels look like they jumped out of some low-budget shooter. Also, what is with the flying dirt from vehicles that looks more like sparks than dust? There is also some serious pop-in in the later stages of the game, which is laughable at times. I mean watching field grass grow quickly while advancing down a road is beyond distracting. There are also major inconsistencies with fallen enemies either remaining on the battlefield or disappearing completely. Most games go either way so I guess Haze is special in that it’s selective in when to remove the graphics performance-sucking corpses. If it’s any consolation, I did like the torch effect when hitting an enemy with a flame-thrower even though the flame itself looks like it belongs in a low-budget horror film. The bottom line is that Haze looks like it was developed for the PS2 and then ported over to the PS3 (i.e. it’s not a pretty sight).

I can forgive a game for crap sound and graphics but the one area where I have zero tolerance for mediocrity and that’s in the gameplay. This is where Haze completes its trifecta of bad gaming. The game has really no redeeming qualities whatsoever for a first-person shooter. Walking through non-interesting linear levels and shooting at enemies who rush you like old ladies at a Black Friday Holiday Sale is just flat-out boring. The weapons don’t help the cause since they are no different than any other FPS. No secondary firing modes, two-weapon limit and an inconsistent ammo pickup mode (quick button press, long button press or walkover) only makes matters worse. Administering nectar for “heightened senses and power” proves to just be a gimmick. Okay, I fuel myself on some nectar during the opening jungle level of the game and now I get a better view of the enemies since they are glowing. Okay, I’m out of the jungle and now I’m playing along just fine without using any nectar. Isn’t this supposed to be the whole draw of the game? The enhanced attributes aren’t really needed since the game fails (with the exception of the jungle segment) to give you reasons to use them. So you can just say no to drugs and still dominate your enemies.

*Spoiler Alert* Halfway through the game, you side with the rebels and guess what your big trick is? When your health gets low, a graphic pops up right in your line of sight, giving you the option to play dead! The problem is that you don’t need it since it’s easier to mow down the always rushing, kamikaze-style enemies. Another unique asset of a rebel is the ability to revive fallen comrades with a ridiculous waving of your hand. There is no explanation on how you gained such powers. Come on guys! How difficult is it to show you administrating a shot of adrenaline with a hypodermic needle?

There are some driving levels in the game but the vehicles handle like a car with wobbly wheels and the sudden reversing of the camera angle when you put the car in reverse is a pain. Luckily, the driving sequences are short-lived so you’ll just want to keep moving forward until you can get back on your two feet.

The multiplayer game fares slightly better than the horrendous single-player campaign. Pitting Mantel troopers against Promised Hand rebels in deathmatch, team deathmatch and team assault (objective-based) is interesting since the unique abilities of each side can be put to good use. For example, using the “fake death” as a rebel is highly effective when you’re getting peppered with shots since you’ll temporarily disappear like a real death. If you time it right, your enemy will move on, which gives you the opportunity to quickly revive yourself and then go after them. Multiplayer is really the only area where you’ll find a semblance of fun in Haze but unfortunately, the limited gameplay modes and maps just don’t hold up enough to justify the purchase.

As you can tell, I was floored by how bad Haze is. This is not the reason why we paid the big bucks for the PS3 and to have it dished out as an “exclusive” makes the disappointment that much worse. Now you’ll have to excuse me since I have to take a shower.

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