Haze

By Emily Buxton

It’s been a while coming, but the creative team from Free Radical are almost ready to unveil their latest project for the PS3, a first-person shooter called Haze. Having previously been responsible for the Time Splitter series, Free Radical seem to be up to the task of producing a game worth taking a good look at. Combined with Ubisoft’s not unimpressive name behind it as the publisher, gamers will absolutely be expecting a quality FPS.

Set in the year 2048, you’ll be stepping into the futuristic combat boots of newly-enlisted soldier Shane Carpenter, in a privatised army. Not only will you get to wear a snazzy yellow helmet as you fight your way through a rebel-army country, but you can juice up on performance enhancing “Nectar” while you’re at it. Steroids ahoy! Your new employer will also see that you have a variety of hi-tech vehicles and weaponry at your disposal. Aren’t all mega-corporations that generous? Of course, the story wouldn’t be complete without you uncovering a few dirty little secrets about the glorious Mantel Corporation - turning you from an elite soldier “fighting the good fight” to a pissed off mercenary, ready to offer your services to the same rebels you used to hunt down in a drug-fueled frenzy.

Preview screenshots and trailers show some excellent looking graphics and with a promise of no loading times between levels, Haze is shaping up to sound rather appealing.

More good news is that Ubisoft have announced that they will be releasing a playable demo for Haze on the PlayStation Network in early May. The demo will give gamers a taste of not only the single-player campaign, but will also allow up to four-player, drop-in drop-out co-op play online.

Haze is currently scheduled for release exclusively on the PlayStation 3 on May 23rd. Keep your eye on NZGamer.com for a full review in the near future.

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