Haze

Like so many games before it, the buzz perhaps killed Haze before it even stood the chance. Actually this game reminds me of the film "The Happening". It's lead up to be one thing but in the end it fails to deliver anything worth while.

Graphically Haze is a beauty but the lack of different locations hurts this. Plus I've seen a hundred different factories and ships and dammit they all look the same. I need something new here.

Maybe having beat Metal Gear Solid 4 right before starting this up has something to do with the bad taste the plot has left in my mouth but really, the plot is just that bad. The acting and dialog are stiff, almost always wooden or overacted. The plot itself is about a government using something called Nectar and the effects it has on the soldiers. I guess that's not giving too much away but really the plot is so paper thin that it has no real point.

I don't know where the production costs went for this game or even why Sony wanted it for a limited time exclusive because even from the trailers this game didn't appear original or anything special.

Of course I'm sure you're reading this for the game play as that's why we play games isn't it... Well, if you've played a first person shooter than you've played Haze. You go around linear locals (sometimes running into a locked door and eneding to find a switch). The enemies pop out, you shoot them and they die in one hit which is kind of odd but whatever.

From there you just have Nectar itself. Injecting Nectar into your body gives you extra strength and enhances your senses. An awesome idea indeed except you just pop a dose before every gun fight and you'll waste everyone. It highlights them in dayglow orange and provides no challenge.

The controls are also a bit stiff and while the vehicles control okay, it became a pain trying to get into a vehicle and realizing I had to be standing in front of the hood to drive even though the drivers door was on one side. One would also think i could just ride shotgun or even fire the machine gun but the AI refuses to enter a vehicle unless you drive.

The AI itself is rather brain dead. There is also no problems with shooting your own teammates which seems a bit silly. I shoot them, they scream and life goes on. Oh well..

There is also on-line play but frankly I didn't play it because I'm just not interested in it. It's free to play so even if it sucks you're not wasting a service fee.

All in all Haze is a mediocre title all by itself but the crap acting, plot and dialog just bring it an extra mark down. I saw rent if you're truly interested, it's a short game anyway, or just avoid.

Story - 2/10
Graphics - 8/10
Sound - 4/10
Control - 5/10
Game Play - 5/10
Replay value - 5/10

Final Score - 4/10

Gran Turismo 5 Prologue

I have loved Gran Turismo since the very first game. I haven't played the fourth title or the spin off cycle game but I was waiting for this game for a while. Granted it is only a sampling of what is to come and let's be frank about something, there isn't enough content here to warrant the $40 price tag, if it was $20 it would have been a better deal.

This is a fine product to showcase the power of the PS3. Cars look amazing and the amount of detail in the environments is gorgeous enough to make your eyes bleed. My only complaint is we still don't get any damage effects but it doesn't exactly ruin the game.

The soundtrack is very entertaining as well. I have yet to be displeased with a single GT soundtrack and this one is as solid as the others. A fine mix of each musical genre. The sounds are also amazing and just add a lot to the game. The roar of an engine is down right sexy.

The game has some pretty tight and responsive controls. I didn't notice any six-axis controls which kind of sucks but we can't have it all I guess. As of now I don't think there is a wheel out for the PS3 but I'm sure it would handle even better with a wheel.

Game play wise the game has a lot of cars and 7 or so tracks to race around. There is one track I hate with a passion and it involves way too many sharp turns and mountains. The game features 40 races, equaling 10 events per grade.

It's not a lot but if you don't have the correct vehicle you won't advance and just ened to keep saving up more money. Not a problem because the game is a blast to play and it has a lot more options as well.

You can do arcade races, time attack and even play on-line. I had no problems with the on-line play, no lag, no dropping issues, nothing. The game has a lot of minor features that do add up and despite some racers being cheap it's a fun atmosphere all around.

This isn't for everyone though. It doesn't offer a ton of content and the price is a bit much which is a let down. It's a perfect rental as it showcases what we are in store for when the full retail game comes out in 2009 and if it continues along this path then it will be amazing. As this extended demo goes, it's a rental and nothing more as of now.

Story - N/A
Graphics - 10/10
Sound - 10/10
Control - 9/10
Game Play - 9/10
Replay Value - 6/10

Final Score - 7/10

Hot Shots Golf: Out of Bounds

I greatly dislike golf in all forms of entertainment. Be it in person, playing, on the T.V. or in video game form. However I must admit that I have a soft spot for the Hot Shots Golf series.

For the first PS3 entry we get some much needed on-line play and just some general updates to the game play. There is also a new type of swinging that I couldn't get the hang of so I really didn't mess around with it much.

This is one beautiful game to look at. The courses are rich with colors and the character still have their cute cartoon look to them. What I found amusing was that claps and cheers also appeared in words about the people. It's a nice little touch.

The voices are a little annoying at times but you can turn the crowd off. However you're still stuck hearing your golfer repeat their phrases over and over. Not too big of a deal as I didn't mind the few characters I played as.

I'm surprised that this game doesn't feature any Sixaxix controls but that's fine because the game controls good. I used the basic hitting technique and that has you just hitting X at specific spots on a meter. Rather simple really. You can spice up the action by hitting triangle first and that can give you a little power boost.

On the game play side of things we have challenge mode, tee off and training. I only played in challenge mode which I find to be very enjoyable. You start off as a novice and work your way up. There are 8 or so cups per class. Most are typical 8 hole rounds and some are special cups that require certain rules like use the advance swing set-up ect. Once you fill your meter you can then access a vs match of 8 holes and if you win you get that character and you can go to the next class.

Some cups offers a general reward while others let you pick a random award by selecting one of 6 upside down cards. These items are new clubs or new clothes for the on-line play.

As you use your character they will gain loyalty and get little boosts to power, swing, ect. So the game rewards you for constantly using one character but you can level them all up to level 15 I believe.

On-line play is a very welcome addition but it has a few tiny hiccups along the way. There is no in game chat and you don't see each other making their shot. It's kind of nice that you don't have to see everyone swing as that would take up a lot more time but I can see why some would like the option to see that.

There is also no voice chat, only text chat in the lobby. The lobby setup is nice. Up to 50 people can be in a specific lobby and you run around, jump on stuff, chat and set up matches. What I liked about setting up matches you can do one now or if you meet someone set one up for a specific time which I think is a cool idea and works better as you can kind of plan your evening if you want to and it makes the entire experience a little more sociable.

I had no problems with the actual on-line play. It ran smoothly with no problems and it was a lot of fun. A large group of people can be in a tournament or just a small group. It's up to you.

You also get to create your little character for the lobbies. You have some slightly interesting preset stuff if you're just wanting to hope on-line right away but you can change him or her up as you gain new clothes and styles.

All in all this was a very fun game. I found myself addicted to it and I just couldn't stop playing it at times. I kept going back for just one more round and it moves at a speedy pace so it never really drags. It has a good on-line group and it seemed very lively for a game being only a few days old. I'd recommend this to any fans of the series and if you're looking for a good golf game then I think this is the one to get as the Tiger Woods titles have bee weak lately.

Story - N/A
Graphics - 9/10
Sound - 8/10
Control - 10/10
Game Play - 9/10
Replay Value - 9/10

Final Score - 9/10