Free Radical Design, the developer behind the lauded TimeSplitters series has broken away from the whimsy of its modern first-person classic to a decidedly more mature tone. Haze not only takes the visual jump onto PlayStation 3, it also evolves the genre with serious themes and an engaging story.
Haze promises political intrigue, social commentary, and hard-hitting action in its near-future narrative. Set in the year 2048, the game chronicles the rise of Mantel Corporation, a massive conglomerate with its hands in a number of controversial pies. A rebel uprising in South America instigated by a group called the Promised Hand prompts Mantal Corp. to send a private militia to quash to rebellion. Taking the role of Mantel Corp. mercenary Shance Carpenter, you travel to the South American jungle to silence the uprising. Naturally, what was intended as a routine operation quickly falls to pieces and Carpenter finds himself in a whirlwind of conflict.
We weren't allowed to go hands-on with Haze, but watched a lengthy playable demonstration that showed off three distinct levels. The start of the demonstration had Carpenter landing in a thick rainforest, tasked with taking out a rebel encampment. Once this objective was complete, Carpenter then hopped into a marine buggy and drove through a dried out ravine. Enemies attempted to impede his progress, but he zipped right through to the final level that required taking out anti-aircraft guns in a military installation.
More than just a private fighting force, Mantel Corp.'s mercenary army comes equipped with a special ability-boosting cocktail known as nectar. Carpenter can inject himself with the super potion to move from Nectar Function to Nectar Boost. This augmented state grants special abilities that make Mantel Corp. soldiers, in particular Carpenter, very deadly.
In our extended demonstration of the game, we took stock of a few different abilities. Nectar Perception allows you to see enemies hidden under the thick jungle foliage. A similar ability, Nectar Foresight gives you warning of any immediate threat by pulsating the screen. Given the aggressive enemy intelligence any heads up on potential danger should prove quite useful.
Nectar lends Carpenter combat abilities in addition to passive ones, two of which we toyed with in our time with Haze. Complementing the wide range of firearms in the game, Nectar Focus zooms in Carpenter's sight in order to hone in on enemies with his currently equipped gun. For close quarters combat, Nectar Melee hits an enemy with a devastating blow that not only kills them, but knocks their body back. (Because killing them just isn’t enough…)
Pumping Carpenter with Nectar can help you in a sticky situation, but there are consequences for excessive use. Shoot up too often and Carpenter will overdose. The screen will blur, colors will appear, and friendly units become indistinguishable from foes. Develop a habit of using Nectar too much through the course of the game and not only will Carpenter overdose, he'll actually obtain a tolerance for the drug. So in a sense, Haze is half action game, half junkie simulation.
