Comments on: Middling Haze reviews flood in

By: Killerbee

Killerbee — Tue, 27 May 2008 08:54:37 +0000

In spite of Haze being a bit rubbish, I’m still very interested in Timesplitters 4. I think the main thing is for them not to worry too much about the story and narrative. Yes, TS2 got slated for having virtually no plot, but it was a far better game than Future Perfect. That opening Siberia level from TS2 is one of my favourite levels in any FPS game ever.

Key ingredients to make a Timesplitters game:

- exciting range of weaponry (make them fun; not just hardcore)
- bizzare range of characters - they don’t need to have defining play characteristics; keep it simple.
- level design is the single most important factor. Get that right and the game will be good.
- One thing that could be improved on over previous TS games is the enemy AI. Making baddies stupid and easy to kill is not equal to a fun game.
- Monkeys!!!!!!!

By: DrDamn

DrDamn — Tue, 27 May 2008 08:37:39 +0000

According to the comments from Doak in the text of the first image they are still planning. Arse I was hoping they were much further than that. Apparently “trying to work out what makes Timesplitters good, if you have any ideas …” - hmmm, see that Haze? Well *NOT* that ok?

By: Blerk

Blerk — Tue, 27 May 2008 08:29:20 +0000

It worked! \o/

By: Blerk

Blerk — Tue, 27 May 2008 08:28:23 +0000

Forget Haze, here’s the first bit of Timesplitters 4 art:
http://tinyurl.com/3m9886

… if the link works.

By: GordonR

GordonR — Thu, 22 May 2008 16:50:13 +0000

His “Halo’s okay if you’re a teenager, but Haze is much more serious and mature” line is going to follow him around for a long, long time, I think.

By: Hero of Canton

Hero of Canton — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:57:50 +0000

One thing’s for sure - Rob Yescombe’s not coming out of this well, is he?

By: patlike

patlike — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:44:30 +0000

This is starting to sink in a bit now. They really have spannered it, haven’t they?

By: patlike

patlike — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:40:17 +0000

Whoops.

By: G1GAHURTZ

G1GAHURTZ — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:36:58 +0000

LOL

By: Spiral

Spiral — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:22:05 +0000

If you can hear me down there Yahtzee please please make something good out of all this.

By: morriss

morriss — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:17:45 +0000

“The fact that the creative forces behind this moribund excuse for a blockbuster feel that it is BAFTA-worthy has to be one of the most tragically comic examples of self-delusion we’ve ever witnessed.”

OUCH!

By: Blerk

Blerk — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:11:23 +0000

Woof. It doesn’t read like a 4, tbh. More like a 2.

I guess it goes to show you should always go with your first impressions. When the first screenies of Haze appeared I voiced some disappointment that it had lost that distinctive FRD look n’ feel in favour of ‘generic-o-shooter 15′ and got told off for being negative when I didn’t know anything about the game.

By: Psychotext

Psychotext — Thu, 22 May 2008 13:04:00 +0000

EG Review: (4 / 10)
http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=142250

By: Tiger Walts

Tiger Walts — Wed, 21 May 2008 10:01:35 +0000

There is really no need for that video review to cite the install as a negative towards the game or mark it as a precursor to the game’s quality.

GTA4 has an install, doesn’t affect the way the game plays one bit. It should be the same case for any game with an install.

By: SplatteredHouse

SplatteredHouse — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:36:48 +0000

Even on a gameplay point, it’s not much cop, judging from the giantbomb review; in which Jeff notes how the nectar (that Mantel arguably relies upon), offers minimal bonuses compared to the rebels tactics; yet, before, David Doak was talking up the superhuman “badass” benefits that Mantel troops reap in combat; with the Rebel’s abilities intended to be able to RESTORE the balance, not tip it entirely the other way!

By: GordonR

GordonR — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:26:00 +0000

From that video review:

“Haze works really hard to make sure you don’t enjoy yourself.” Ouch!

I see the majority of the reviews so far mention on the poor quality of the story and script…..which was one of the things that was supposed to be the game’s strongpoint. The voice-acting, going by that 9 minute intro video that was posted yesterday, is absolutely appalling.

By: morriss

morriss — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:16:50 +0000

Eg will give it a 5 or a 4. I absolutely know it.

/deletes email from EG telling me what the score is.

By: SplatteredHouse

SplatteredHouse — Wed, 21 May 2008 09:16:06 +0000

First video review: http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/reviews/1781/Haze.html

2 out of 5. See some nasty clipping, and a little shonky AI, along with that now-expected order of bland.

By: patlike

patlike — Wed, 21 May 2008 08:56:39 +0000

For some reason the stuff in there was about 90% Whizzo and Blerk. Maybe it is working properly after all…

By: Whizzo

Whizzo — Wed, 21 May 2008 08:54:37 +0000

The filter is “a bit twitchy”? That’s like saying the passengers of the Titanic got a bit wet on the last night of their voyage!

By: patlike

patlike — Wed, 21 May 2008 08:53:41 +0000

By: Tonka

Tonka — Wed, 21 May 2008 08:48:12 +0000

That’s NOT your settings you are twiddling young man!

By: patlike

patlike — Wed, 21 May 2008 08:42:43 +0000

Not sure if I can…

*twiddles with settings*

By: Blerk

Blerk — Wed, 21 May 2008 08:39:41 +0000

Everything?

Just set it to approve everything I write. Then I can pimp my porn empire.

By: patlike

patlike — Wed, 21 May 2008 08:27:59 +0000

There you go. Sorry, it’s a bit twitchy. I’ve approved everything that was in there.

By: patlike

patlike — Wed, 21 May 2008 08:25:59 +0000

Hang on, I’ll look in the CMS.

By: Blerk

Blerk — Wed, 21 May 2008 08:24:56 +0000

God damn your spam filter! >-(

As I was trying to say before it ate my post again, there are lots of reviews coming in now if you check Metacritic (which I can’t link to, apparently).

Seems like it’s going to average out at… average.

By: Blerk

Blerk — Wed, 21 May 2008 08:23:15 +0000

Ah.

Lots of reviews coming in now. Looks like it’s going to average out at… average.

http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/ps3/haze?q=haze

By: patlike

patlike — Wed, 21 May 2008 07:27:16 +0000

It’s Jeff Gerstmann and Ryan Davis, innit. The two main chaps that left Gamespot over Lynch-gate.

By: Blerk

Blerk — Wed, 21 May 2008 07:24:06 +0000

Who the hell are ‘GiantBomb’?