Release Date	May 23 2008
Format	PS3
Publisher	Ubisoft
Developer	Free Radical
Price	£49.99
Distribution	Trilogy
Contact	0845 456 6400

Haze

Mention the classic Goldeneye game in a crowded room and you’ll instantly pique the interest of nostalgic first person shooter console gamers.

It was one of the biggest games on the Nintendo 64, and one of the most popular split-screen shooters of its generation. Yet the talent behind the game is no longer associated with developers Rare, for after the release of Perfect Dark in 1999 they left to form new studio Free Radical Design.

Free Radical was one of the most critically-acclaimed developers of the last generation, responsible for the TimeSplitters series and cult favourite Second Sight. And now the firm is set to release its long-delayed next-gen PlayStation-exclusive, Haze.

“It’s important for Free Radical Design to make a massive impact with their first game on a next generation platform and they’ve been working on achieving just that,” says Ubisoft’s senior brand manager for core games Phil Brannelly. “The nuts have been tightened, the cogs oiled and we’re preparing to launch the best FPS on PlayStation 3.”

Set in the not-too-distant future, players take control of newly-enlisted Mantel trooper and thrill-seeker Shane Carpenter, who is sent into conflict against the vicious rebel faction, the Promise Hand. However, things soon take a turn for the strange as Carpenter discovers the truth about his own employer, Mantel Global Industries.

Haze’s intriguing storyline is backed up with glorious visuals, vehicle combat and intense action. Yet what really separates Haze from the mass of futuristic shooters, is its use of drug-enhanced gameplay mechanics and a brand new and exciting AI system.

The drug is called Nectar, a pharmaceutical performance-enhancing drug that helps soldiers ignore its surroundings and concentrate only on the enemy. This gives the player enhanced speed, accuracy and strength. However, overuse of the drug can lead to loss of control and even death.

The game also boast the Conspire AI system, which means artificially controlled enemies behave in a dynamic, unscripted way, adding a level of unpredictability during fire fights.
Unlike its TimeSplitters franchise, Haze’s plot is a lot more serious and lacks the cartoony visuals of Free Radical’s monkey-inspired trilogy. Nevertheless, like TimeSplitters before it, Free Radical Design has spent a lot of time on creating yet another gripping and addictive multiplayer experience.

The game contains a wealth of multiplayer options for both offline and online play, with up to 24 players able to take part online. Gamers can take control of either the troopers or those pesky rebels, and there’s even a furious four-player co-operative mode to enjoy. As if that wasn’t enough, playing through multiplayer can unveil hidden secrets from the single-player campaign.

Haze is set to be one of the biggest sure-fire hits of the summer. Hype has steadily been building for the game since it was unveiled and Ubisoft is cunningly backing that up with a large and wide-reaching marketing campaign (see box out).

Haze is also one of a select few PlayStation 3 exclusives, which is sure to please the ever-growing PS3 user base hungry for a bit of top notch first person shooter action.

“With a highly intriguing and intelligent storyline, fantastic visuals and exciting multiplayer action, we have sutably big expectations for Haze,” concludes Brannelly. “And considering it is coming from the creators of the celebrated TimeSplitters series, who have their roots in the legendary Goldeneye, what’s not to expect?”