Haze: A Hands-on Preview of the Upcoming Video Game

The development of Haze has been a rocky one with numerous delays and constant criticism by the gaming press. Can Free Radical, the developers of Haze and the Time Splitters series, shrug off the negativity and deliver on a solid, first-person shooting experience? Find out in this hands-on preview of Haze.

Story
Mantel Global Industry is fighting against rebels called The Promised Hand. They have developed a new drug called Nectar that can enhance combat abilities. The side effects are severe, however, as it can also cause hallucinations. As a Mantel Soldier, you must use Nectar in battle against the rebel forces.

Graphics
While it won't blow you away, Haze's graphics are pretty solid. The artwork comes off as a little bland, however. Fortunately, the game compensates by running at smooth rate with no hitches to the frame rate.

Sound
Haze's music is great. Voice-acting is good, but the script is a little too over-the-top. While it is a style choice, the cringe-worthy lines may put some gamers off.

Gameplay
Haze plays like a standard first-person shooter with one exception: the combat-enhancing drug Nectar.

Let's get the basics out of the way first. Haze is like every other shooting game on the market. You equipment includes one main weapon, a grenade and a pistol. You can also couch, jump, use melee attacks and zoom-in on your weapon. All of this is pretty standard for a first-person shooter.

One curious omission is the lack of squad commands. You lead a group of four soldiers but you have no control over them whatsoever. It seems like Haze is built from the ground up for four-player co-operative play.

Haze does separate from the rest of the heard with the usage of Nectar. Using the drug will make you more powerful than before. The powers include better accuracy with Nectar Focus, more powerful melee attack with Melee Blast and improved awareness with Nectar Foresight and Nectar Perception.