Previews// Haze

One of the game’s key aspects is the way in which you choose to use Nectar. It brings all sorts of benefits – including foresight, which will let you sense mines, for example, that are about to explode; focus, which holds your aim, and melee blast which, according to Littlewood, “Is a melee attack with the force of an explosion.” Sadly, we didn’t see that in operation. But the downside is that you can overdose on it, which brings about a distinctly trippy visual effect and, according to Littlewood, makes you: “Lose the ability to distinguish between friend or foe, and the ability to control when you shoot.” So, in the grip of a Nectar jag, you become a killing machine just as likely to take out your squad-mates as the enemy.

Littlewood said there are 12 different environments in the game – I saw an incredible-looking jungle, a quarry section negotiated in buggies and a huge warehouse/refinery level. Free Radical proudly proclaimed that the game is entirely seamless, with no loading of levels at any point. It can also be played co-operatively by up to four people, with people dropping in at any time.

Free radical didn’t show any of the multiplayer, but Littlewood said: “It will be playable by up to 24 players online. We do have traditional modes like Capture the Flag, but we also have a narrative-based mode, which will change your understanding of what happens in the single-player game.” Which sounds intriguing…

Free Radical also showed the converse of overdosing on Nectar – when the level of Nectar in your bloodstream gets low, your perception of the world about you changes, and its appearance alters dramatically. When you’re pumped up on Nectar, your squad-mates wear shiny body-suits with dayglo yellow highlights, you can pick out even hidden enemies and dead bodies simply disappear.

Without Nectar in your veins, enemies spurt blood when hit and dead bodies stay where they are. Plus, the previously picturesque environments take on a much grimier, more monochrome appearance.

Haze is clearly going to be a huge title this Christmas – the first proper, blockbusting, ground-breaking fps for the PlayStation 3. So, yet again, a bunch of Brits will be coming to Sony’s rescue.