Today's most cooperative video: Haze split-screen
by Ross Miller 
{ Jan 31st 2008 at 1:26AM }
Ubisoft's Haze may be afflicted with perpetual delays, but the footage we've seen is still impressive enough to keep us interested. The latest video shows off co-op play, which is promised as LAN, online and split-screen. Though the quality is grainy (so we can't comment on the resolution), the framerate appears assuredly consistent. Video embedded after the break. Haze will be out sometime after April.
[Via PS3 Fanboy]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Huey2k2 @ Jan 31st 2008 1:37AM
So... Who else thinks the truck/buggy in that video looks a little too similar to a Warthog? also the Rocket Launcher looks eerily similar to the Halo Rocket Launcher.
Flame me if you want, but you know that I'm not wrong.
whymog @ Jan 31st 2008 1:55AM
I see where you're coming from, but I'm gonna reserve judgment on the creativity of the art design for when I've had a chance to evaluate the game's story and atmosphere in detail. If it fits and comes off as appropriate in the game's setting - and it doesn't look or play like a Halo clone - then it's not such a big deal in my view.
ScottyGEE32 @ Jan 31st 2008 3:03AM
I saw what you meant instantly. But hey, when I play this at my friends house when he gets it (he has a ps3, I have 360), then I'll feel right at home on this puma/stag/warthog =p
na2ru1 @ Jan 31st 2008 8:42AM
They'll probably have snipers that zoom in! and shotguns that SHOOT one cock after another! Halo will always be the original. Its also in 1st person!!! Wot copycats.
Mb they need to hav copyrighted their vehicles "that have the AMAZING gun thing at the back" and snipers and shotguns. Its fucking hysterical.
ok......
This will never have marketing the level that M$ can provide as hype nor will it evre exceed halo sales BUT.....devs for this game have guts and originality. They actualy made TWO classes of playable characters -mantel & rebels(and as far as Halo standards, this is original) somethin which Bungie had the chance to do with their SPARTAN & ELITE. Insomniac RFoM had balanced it pretty well with Chimera and Humans.
I jus wanna question....."wot did bungie do apart from makin an expansion pak halo2? CoD4 is so much more nxt gen ask every1. Well they might hav copied ie they hav shottys and snipes.....
FidliousWong @ Jan 31st 2008 9:28AM
"So... Who else thinks the truck/buggy in that video looks a little too similar to a Warthog? also the Rocket Launcher looks eerily similar to the Halo Rocket Launcher."
You know, I watched the video right after this to see if you were right. And you know what? You're not. Their truck looks much more like a futuristic Ford F350 than the Hummer inspired Warthog. Can you even tell the difference between a Jeep and a Semi? And the rocket launcher? Hell, if we're going by that, Halo stole their RL from anime. More specifically, Tomino's work since his more military designs did have the kicking back chamber.
Have to agree with others consensus here. Halo is not the alpha of games and just because a vehicle has wheels doesn't mean it ripped off the warthog.
DarkNessBear @ Jan 31st 2008 1:48AM
I loveee the jump in split screen! I hope this is something that becomes a standard in games upcoming. And COOP 4 players, online, lan and offline is awesome. As for the game, I don't know to much about it so I will hold off judgment until its release. But PLEASE make jump in split screen a standard for coop games!
whymog @ Jan 31st 2008 1:53AM
Emphatically seconded. Seriously, when did game developers lose sight of making co-op games so easy for friends to jump into?
MasterInsan0 @ Jan 31st 2008 2:04AM
Only recently have developers considered co-op as an option even worth implementing in their games.
XanthouS @ Jan 31st 2008 8:34AM
Yeah, Master, I mean Perfect Dark" came out like, last year or something, right?
whymog @ Jan 31st 2008 1:52AM
This is looking waayyyy more promising than I'd expected. But Free Radical knows how to make a wild shooter, and it looks like the delays have done good things to polish up the package.
Residentevil72501 @ Jan 31st 2008 1:53AM
Im waiting very patiently for this game! Right now im just playing No More Heroes (get it if you dont have it) And im waiting for Brawl! Then maybe Haze will finally come out :) Cuz this game looks pretty interesting! Hope it turns out that it was worth the wait.
Beatz @ Jan 31st 2008 2:02AM
"Driving like Nick Nolte on a Sunday night"
I laughed.
I'm not sure how it will stack up against Halo, but I'm digging the multiplayer and the purty explosions.
embassy @ Jan 31st 2008 2:45AM
anyone else thinks this looks like a free radical test run/submission/bid for halo 4 development?
i think they'd do a good job with the series.
Grimble Crumble @ Jan 31st 2008 4:08PM
Only if they change the name of the series to Timesplitters and make it fun.
Hashbrown_Hunter @ Jan 31st 2008 2:47AM
Dear Haze,
No matter how many times I get angry that I'm not with you, when we meet it's magical. Even if it's only a video of you (which turns me on) it feels like you're right beside me...I feel as though I am caressing your beautiful rifles and gripping on to the steering wheel of the buggy. It's magical. It really is. I hope we can hook up again soon. I'm getting........anxious.
With love,
Hasbrown_Hunter
embassy @ Jan 31st 2008 2:48AM
forgot to mention, why would they make this vertical split screen? i hate that...you have zero peripheral vision.
Kadamon @ Jan 31st 2008 3:11AM
At least I'm not the only one that hates the split like that. It's enough for me to not even play a co-op game when its like that.
HighFiveJesus @ Jan 31st 2008 5:31AM
Perhaps its an adjustable option. I can't vouch for timesplitters doing it like this, or like most two player screens because i never played with less than 2 other people, BUT they most certainly used it for Perfect Dark co-op. I would assume they'd at least do it the way people are used to.
Nate @ Jan 31st 2008 8:12AM
Because split screen top and bottom is really unwieldy on 16:9 screens. Do you really want 1920 x 540 instead of 960 x 1080? The latter is nearly square, so just pretend you're playing on an old school TV (with far better resolution). Even if it's 720p it would be 1280 x 360 vs 640 x 720. Side by side is definitely a lot less restrictive.
Tephlon @ Jan 31st 2008 2:48PM
"Side by side is definitely a lot less restrictive."
That's where I think matter of opinion actually comes into play. I remember when I got my first widescreen TV, side by side co-op immediately came into mind. I think it's natural to do so. But in practice, most people I've ever spoken to about it actually don't prefer it. And I think it comes down to exactly what embassy said... "you have zero peripheral vision."
Since we live in a world that expands naturally on a horizontal plane rather than a vertical one, the ability to see side to side is much more important than seeing up and down. This is very much ties in with the +hor vs -vert debate, made famous most recently by Bioshock.
Yes, while horizontal split screen on a 16:9 TV produces an extremely convoluted, wacky wide window, it still feels more natural to most people (from my experience) than one thats actually LESS horizontal view than that of 4:3. Every game I attempt to play with no option for horizontal split screen ends in me telling my partner to 'get their own damn xbox/game'.
In any case, not trying to go on a rant, just had to jump in and respectfully disagree with you.
As for Haze, it doesn't look bad, but nothing especially jumped out at me either. I'm not writing the game off, but I think it may be a title I have to play a demo of first to be sold on it.
ChiTownRuler23 @ Jan 31st 2008 2:49AM
this game looks like its gonna be awsome. im buying this for sure
xeleion @ Jan 31st 2008 2:56AM
"If you can't kick ass in this thing, you ain't nevah gon' kick no ass!"
Awesome.
ScottyGEE32 @ Jan 31st 2008 3:05AM
Sure the game looks good...But I can't stand the way they speak.
Marty @ Jan 31st 2008 3:18AM
Ah me. What troubled times we live in when games look so good to the average gamer, that it doesn't matter if the gameplay will still be the same old, tired, cookie-cutter shit. This is generic FPS #1,209,372 people.
Grimmus @ Jan 31st 2008 3:49AM
As opposed to "Generic Puzzle Game ###"? Or any one of "Generic strategy game ###", "Generic Platformer Game ###", and "Generic Roleplaying Game ###"? It's a first person shooter, and it does what it's supposed to do. You could at least put a little effort into your whines next time.
HighFiveJesus @ Jan 31st 2008 5:34AM
Now to me, this actually stands out because they are attempting to have a lot to offer on the plate. The neatest being opposite points of view in the world, literally. At the very least, it attempts to draw people together.
Nate @ Jan 31st 2008 8:19AM
They're offering 4 player split screen co-op that you can jump into instantly. No other game does that.
And you know what? Every single game out there is a tired retread. Including Halo, including Ratchet and Clank, including Mario Galaxy. Everything's been done before. There are no more revolutions, only renovations.
I like this purely for 4 player split screen co-op. I have no idea if I'll like the game as a whole because I haven't seen much of it. But I'm not going to write off every new game that happens to have similarities to old games.... because then I'd never play any games.
XanthouS @ Jan 31st 2008 8:41AM
Oh Marty, your sad little flames are becoming weaker and weaker as the months drag on.
It's almost poetic that you'd make a comment about a "generic FPS", considering you back a system whose flagship FPS hasn't changed one iota since it's first iteration (and no, dual wielding is NOT innovation).
Haze promises fantastic visuals, a campaign that can be played completely via co-op (any combination of local, LAN, or online friends can hop in at any time), and the solid story telling, level design and gameplay that have made the men and women at Free Radical a respected name in the console FPS business.
If this were a 360 exclusive you'd have a Haze tattoo across your face by now.
Grimmus @ Jan 31st 2008 3:44AM
"Complex stuff solved with a rocket."
I like the way this man thinks.
The game looks entertaining, and I'm definitely enjoying the idea of coop play; Games with coop at all are pretty few and far between nowadays.
na2ru1 @ Jan 31st 2008 8:46AM
it WILL NEVER stack upto Halo in terms of sales. The marketing of Halo will be way above the league. As for the game quality, fun, and value.......Im eager to find out.
maverick_saturn_626 @ Jan 31st 2008 8:54AM
Did you mention that simply to get attention? That is probably the most stupid and yet obvious comment I have ever seen. Thats like going to Uncharted and saying 'Hmm, that will never stack up to Tomb Raider in terms of sales' or going to a new driving simulator and saying 'That game will never beat GT5, Forza and PGR in terms of sales', duh?
Did you honestly expect Haze, an unpredictable new game, on a lower install based console with no past experiences whatsoever to stand up against Halo? Had this been Timesplitters, you would have had more of a debate, because Timesplitters is a console shifter alongside Halo, but Haze, come off it dude.
maverick_saturn_626 @ Jan 31st 2008 8:59AM
If you meant to refer to someone else, then forget what I said, if it was intentional, its a silly comment.
Either way, Haze is shaping up, I am just hoping that the length of gameplay is decent, too many games are way too short nowadays, ad hopefully it brings something new and original to the table, Bioshock and Gears have both entered the industry with a bang for originality. Resistance had some original features, but overall, was nothing particularly new.
na2ru1 @ Jan 31st 2008 8:56AM
One more thing......does america have this program aired on TV ie Gamer.TV. I love the show
maverick_saturn_626 @ Jan 31st 2008 9:00AM
Dunno, we have it here in UK, but not as a channel, its on a channel called Bravo.
na2ru1 @ Jan 31st 2008 9:01AM
No dude........it was simply to reply to some1 else. Cant even find him now.
JOYSTIQ HAS A THING FOR MAKING US USERS LOOK SILLY DONT THEY?
maverick_saturn_626 @ Jan 31st 2008 9:56AM
My apologies then, its just comments like what I thought you had posted are everywhere, from Gamespot, to here.
xGeneral DEATHx @ Jan 31st 2008 9:31AM
I'm really stoked this year for the PS3...Hoping that it turns out to be a very competitive year vs. the 360 in terms of quality of games (I have both systems; there just isn't quite the selection of quality games yet that can convince my friends to get a PS3). With this and Resistance 2 on the horizon, I'm hoping that it will bring even more fun to the PS3 platform.
thomashenwood @ Jan 31st 2008 10:57AM
"All you have to do is ring up a friend and get them to come over..." Sounds a bit last gen really.
Mr.ESC @ Jan 31st 2008 11:35AM
Well I'm going to blame youtube for the crappy quality of the video and the awful low-res textures.
Well it looks something between Cod4 and Halo 3,not necessary a bad thing because I like both games.
The co-op is freaking impressive I mean just jump into the action, now that’s pretty cool, anyone can give you hand at anytime. I loved playing Gears in Co-op and the combination of local Co-op and online Co-op is a great addition.
Now it doesn’t look bad, bit generic but not that bad. It could be good.
iGashly @ Apr 16th 2008 4:58PM
I'm really excited for haze. I was sick of not having a good multi-player shooter for the Ps3, and haze has answered my prayers. Well, at least I think it did. I have one little thought. Does haze have four player split screen? For online co-op and versus mode. Do they even have versus?
give me answers joystiq!