What makes Haze so different from other shooters?

by Nick Doerr { Jun 13th 2007 at 6:30PM }

As a sort of partner to the earlier post of Haze with a video interview with David Doak and some new gameplay footage, Eurogamer recently released part two of their interview with the very same David Doak. Their interview details completely different information, more on the developer's side of things rather than what the game is about. We'll summarize it to keep you from reading one topic for too long. Check it out after the jump!

Why PS3?

They have the history with the PS2 and they wanted to push a new IP on a new and very capable console.

Multiplatform?

Of course. But each rendition will get released when they feel the return will be the greatest. So, for PS3, it gets the game first -- Fall 2007.

How's this different from other shooters?

Aside from the emotional connection Haze plans to make you feel with your characters, there's an attempt to keep you on the same track throughout the game (shooting from start to finish) but somewhere between the beginning and end you start to think differently about who and why you are shooting. A moral adventure! As Doak said, "it's not John Wayne. And a lot of videogames are John Wayne."

Since there's no ridiculously buff, heroic figure to be found, do you fear alienation of US gamers?

There's a concern, but it shouldn't be a problem. It's a game about a soldier in a war, not a game about a war with a soldier. What do you guys think? Is it really a problem to present a serious story in a shooter rather than hulking men blasting away legions by their lonesome?

Threatened by Halo 3?

Doak smiles and nods. "I am very happy to go up against Halo 3. They have a different agenda," adding later, "they have an almost fanatical following."

Just shooting, or are there some awesome crate puzzles?

There are dropship pickups where you get thrown elsewhere, escort missions, and times where you simply don't have a gun. So, there's more than shooting, but no mention of crate puzzles.

There's a lot more info to read up on, but that's the gist of what you can expect in Haze. Now you know the background story and what the developers are hoping to accomplish. Will this be a runaway hit this Fall? We submit that it will.

Tags: David Doak, DavidDoak, Haze, PlayStation 3, Playstation3, PS3, Sony

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Ninegauger @ Jun 13th 2007 6:39PM

When he said they were releasing the game when the return would be the greatest I assumed he meant that they didn't want to directly compete with Halo 3 and thus would be releasing it on the 360 later...

Jovah45 @ Jun 13th 2007 6:58PM

This game has me seriously salivating finally a game that can make you really think about what is going on around you.

footlong! @ Jun 13th 2007 7:02PM

@1: ditto

This game kinda reminds of Resistance. It's like:
"I'm thinkin about pickin up Haze."
"What's 'Haze'?"
"It's supposed to be pretty good."
"says who?"
"I don't know. people.. and the internet and stuff.."
"oh.. why's it supposed to be good?"
"i don't know, that's just what they say"

bring on the mediocre

pete @ Jun 13th 2007 7:16PM

i would argue most anticipated, GTA IV, stands out the most.

ViralArtist @ Jun 13th 2007 7:38PM

@ 5.

I would have to say Halo 3.
Most people I talk to don't even know GTA IV is being released this year... these are common casual gamers, mind you. But they all know that Halo 3 is coming 'sometime around September.'

Bored @ Jun 13th 2007 8:17PM

"Doak smiles and nods. "I am very happy to go up against Halo 3. They have a different agenda," adding later, "they have an almost fanatical following."

Very, very true.
Halo games, as great as they are, probably are the most over-hyped ones in history.

Defions @ Jun 13th 2007 9:30PM

Huh?! Most anticipated game is Metal Gear Solid 4, fools. Lol :) Which, in my opinion, blows away any Halo game I've played.

I did like the Halo games though-- But only if I had someone else to play them with. Otherwise, the single player seemed really lacking in my opinion.. And the story wasn't particularly incredible either.

I think Haze will be awesome, and Resistance was great too-- People say it because it's true.

massive_98 @ Jun 13th 2007 9:50PM

Halo's story isn't that great. It is great because it has good gfx, fun weapons and vehicles. A little overhyped but for with some reasoning behind it. (most sucessful Xbox game by far)

GTA:IV will be more popular with people who don't have a PSN (why not its free) or a Live account.

I still wish Haze was a PS3 only game...I can still dream can't I.

XeroTrinity @ Jun 14th 2007 1:34AM

Going with the topic the comments have led to:
I think Metal Gear Solid is much better than Halo. It has a story that is trullyyy compelling and to tell you the truth, I was | | close to actually crying like a little bitch at the end of Snake Eater...

Tom @ Jun 14th 2007 5:11AM

From what I understand, the player alternates through seeing the world through his visor-helmet, which continually pumps him with hallucinegetic drugs that make the enemies look like cliche bad guys. There's no blood, no one you kill has a face, and when they're killed their bodies vanish after a few seconds. Take off the visor and recover from the effects of the drugs, it's a different story: it's like Apocolypse Now, the true horrors of war, stuff like that. There are innocent civilians with arms and legs blown off, still alive and screaming in agony in the streets. What have you done?! I think it's a metaphor for how games like Halo glorify war, remove the player from the humanity and the brutality of these violent situation. I'm not condemning Halo by saying that, I just think that's the message Haze's developers are trying to send. The game is basically a criticism of the escapist nature of video games in general.

Popfrogs @ Jun 14th 2007 9:17AM

Damn, good point Tom. Stuff like that will really make you think about the game as you're playing it. If there are sections where you're forced to remove your helmet and witness the massacre you just caused, that will start to sink in as you progress.

WebMaster @ Jun 14th 2007 11:35AM

Tom & Popfrogs

Are you two retards or just PC freaks? It's a freakin video game. Personally, I don't play video games for my daily dose of civicss for cripes sake, I play them to escape reality. AS DO MOST PEOPLE.

"I just think that's the message Haze's developers are trying to send. The game is basically a criticism of the escapist nature of video games in general."

So they build a video game? If this was anything other then intellectually disengenius, they would devote that money and their resources into a fact filled, hard hitting news documentary on those damn nasty escapists video games. Nah...they'll just build one themselves, try to grab the coat tales of one of the most successful console FPS's and hopefully make some money with it, all the while claiming moral superiority.

"Damn, good point Tom. Stuff like that will really make you think about the game as you're playing it. If there are sections where you're forced to remove your helmet and witness the massacre you just caused, that will start to sink in as you progress"

I can't believe that comment came from a living breathing human being who actually plays video games. Your statement is so full of Bravo Sierra it boggles the mind. If there were any truth to this then war games would fail, as would GTA games. I really see those two game types dropping off now that the haze devs have created this straw man argument.

The whole haze vs halo thing is because they know their sales will never even come close to that of Halo 3 and they're trying to create hype off of halo to increase their own sales.

This is the reason I will not purchase this game for either my elite or my ps3. These devs are so full of shit and trying to sell morality to increase the sales of their games, while still basically doing the very damn thing they are bitching about, it makes me sick.

pete @ Jun 14th 2007 11:47AM

@8 mgs4 hell yeah, most anticipated is relative, i was just saying you could argue the point. and tom thats deep man, i dont want to shoot women and children blowing there apendages off even if it is just a videogame

pete @ Jun 14th 2007 11:48AM

*their*

massive_98 @ Jun 14th 2007 12:45PM

Haze,Uncharted and GTA:IV are my holiday buys.

bgdc @ Jun 14th 2007 3:14PM

@Poodinger:

"Their morons if they try to compete...."

Wow. You should really proofread your work when you call another person a moron. Their? Try "They're" next time. Did you even finish grade school?

Tom @ Jun 14th 2007 3:23PM

@WebMaster

You totally sound like a 12 year old. You're still one of those people who thinks killing is black&white, good&evil, us vs. them, etc. Either grow up or go die in Iraq, you pitiful little brat. If you read my original post you would have seen:

"games like Halo glorify war, remove the player from the humanity and the brutality of these violent situations. I'm not condemning Halo by saying that"

Did you process that idea, kid? I'M NOT CONDEMNING HALO. It's true that most video games make violence appealing, and a lot of gamers are escapists. There's nothing wrong with that! I do that too! I never said that was an invalid choice!