"(Video in Link)"

"Haze is a bad game. And thus, even in spite of Sony's Korn-fueled advertising campaign, Haze has fallen out of gamers' good graces -- and right into the bargain bin.

Gamestop's weekly ad touts Haze's new low, low price of $39.99 -- a $20 drop from its lofty launch price. Guess Ubisoft didn't put enough nectar in our water. (Yup, I took this article just so I could use that joke.)

We'll probably never know what went wrong in the bubbling cauldrons at Free Radical labs, but let's just h..."

Just released a couple of weeks ago, the original price of the game was $60 however it has (very quickly) now dropped to just $40. This may very well have much to do with the poor reviews the game got.

"Ubisoft have released the best viral video tool we have seen in many a year.

During the setup process you're asked about the friend you want to send it to. Once you've given the details (age range, build, talent etc.) you get to upload a picture of the 'victim' - don't worry about the size since they let you crop it on-site."

""When Ubisoft first showed off Haze the game wowed many people for its graphics and unique gritty science fiction vision of the near future. It did not take long however for those initial impressions to be forgotten or turned to disappointment with the game after many delays and confusion regarding what platform the game would eventually end up on.""

"Many thought that Haze on the Sony PS3 was going to be the one great games that could help increase PlayStation 3 sales, however in the first weeks sales it looked as though Haze fell at the first hurdle, as both critics and gamers slammed it. Free Radical were taking a big gamble with this first person shooter game, Haze had a 15 rating, so it was still down to a few parents to purchase the game for their children, and many parents did not like the idea of the main characters taking drugs t..."

""

"After five years of hype, speculation and delay, Ubisoft’s Haze breaks cover - and despite being developed by Free Radical, the team behind the excellent TimeSplitters 2 on PS2 - it fails to better UT3, Resistance and CoD4. Haze looks poor, lacks set-pieces and feels like a novel idea that missed its window of opportunity, frayed by the requests of nervous Brand Managers and cruel demands of next-gen development.

Haze’s fall is, in part, amplified by our heightened expectations, but by nex..."

"The Haze review scores have been a bit of a mixed bag so far, with some painfully low scores being slapped on Ubi's shooter. But, in its defense, Free Radical says that "even GoldenEye got 4/10 when it first came out."

The lowest score dished out yet is a damming 4.5/10, which was surprising after the game scored well in Famitsu (34/40) and the Italian version of PlayStation Magazine (9/10). But Free Radical's Rob Yescombe has brushed it off.

"Haze has had mixed reviews, but even Golden..."

"Haze was touted as a great PS3 exclusive from a developer well versed in first-person shooter mechanics. While Free Radical does have a solid pedigree, Haze does not live up to the company's reputation thanks to a horrible plot, weak gameplay mechanics and visuals that are truly underwhelming. While playing with friends is enjoyable, not even those are enough to bring this lackluster title around."

"Will the game support 4 player co-op and multiplayer in split screen? How much of the game-play takes place in open environments vs enclosed spaces?

The game supports two players split screen per PS3 in Co-op and multiplayer. You can connect two PS3 with 2 players playing split screen to make it four players. And you can even LAN four consoles to play four versus four… if you want to. And, it’s an even split for gameplay in open vs closed environments. It ranges from claustrophobic firefig..."

"Will Haze have a mandatory install?
[DL] You will need to go through a minimal install (about 4 Gigs) but not the whole game.

Is friendly fire ALWAYS enabled for both sides?
[DL] Yup. Overdosing a trooper wouldn't be much used if he couldn't shoot his friends! The moral of the story is: watch your fire!

How many maps are going to be on the online gaming ?
[DL] In addition to the whole campaign playable in coop, you mean? Well, we have 12 levels which are made of two variants eac..."

"Please note this is translated from a German site and as such may be prone to mistakes

Current evaluations of the Famitsu

14.05.08 - here new evaluations of the Japanese Famitsu are. Four editors forgive ever up to 10 points.

Haze (PS3, Ubisoft) : 9 / 8 / 9 / 8 - (34/40)
The orange box (PS3/Xbox 360, I / O) : 9 / 7 / 9 / 9 - (34/40) Stranglehold (Xbox 360, Success) : 8 / 7 / 7 / 7 - (29/40)
Ochainu no Daibouken (NDS, Mto) : 7 / 7 / 6 / 6 - (26/40)
Genmu no Tou to Tsurugi no ..."

"As well as today's PS Day-related update, Sony has told CVG that the usual weekly update on Thursday will still happen, with more new content, although that list is yet to be confirmed.

Here's a full list of the content going live today.

Content published on PSN (for PS3) May 6, 2008

Game Demo: Condemned 2
Game Demo: Haze
Full Game: Street Skater
Full Game: Blast Factor Advanced
Full Game: High Velocity Bowling
Expansion Pack: Blast Factor Advanced Research
Expansion Pa..."

""

"May 6th Update - PLAYSTATION Store (PS3)

Demos:
Condemned 2
Haze

Full Games:
Blast Factor Advanced
High Velocity Bowling
Street Skater

Expansion Packs:
Blast Factor Advanced Research
High Velocity Bowling Character - Mike

Trailers:
Buzz! Quiz TV
Secret Agent Clank
Siren Blood Curse

May 6th Update - PLAYSTATION Store (PC)

Full Games:
Street Skater

Trailers:
Siren Blood Curse

May 8th - PLAYSTATION Store (PS3)

Game Demos:
Bourne Conspiracy
Race Driver: G..."

""

"Free Radical may have produced a console FPS that you can’t compare to the usual suspects.


Watching Haze’s development from the outside has been a strange experience. After an initial rush of information the November release date came and went, and the month-by-month delays that followed didn’t inspire confidence – although whether that was more to do with Ubisoft’s financial statements or hesitancy on the part of Free Radical isn’t clear. But things are funny sometimes: behind what look..."

"

"

"Ubisoft today announced the imminent release of a fully playable demo for Haze, the new first-person shooter set in a harsh future where war is never quite what it seems. Coming exclusively to the PLAYSTATION Network in early May, this playable demo will give gamers a taste of not only the single-player campaign in Haze, but will also allow up to four-player, drop-in drop-out co-op play online."

"Ubisoft just confirmed that Haze will release in Europe on May 23.

The ship-date for the Free Radical shooter has been the subject of much speculation in the past few months.

Most recently, Ubisoft confirmed a May 22 date before immediately retracting it.

Hopefully this’ll be the last we hear of the PS3 exclusive before it finally makes it out."

"Haze script writer Rob Yescombe has dismissed all speculation that Haze would become anything but a PlayStation 3 exclusive, running contrary to earlier reports by Ubisoft that Haze was a PS3 exclusive just "for now".

"Those other versions aren't being worked upon," Yescombe responded when queried about the possibility of future PC and Xbox 360 versions.

"It's PS3 exclusive," he added.

Yescombe also stated that he wasn't worried about the limitations of a single-platform release an..."

Some brand spanking new images of Haze. After several delays and rumors about the release date, we finally get a solid release date. It will be coming this May, but until then we will be treated to with screenshots of the game. These are all in-game screenshots.

EBGames Canada seems to be offering quite a good deal. If you preorder Haze, you can return it a full week later to get a full refund (In store credit, of course). This may be a sign that EBGames thinks the game will be a flop, or it could just be a marketing ploy. Either way, it's worth checking out for anyone that's unsure about whether they'll like the game or not.

""Sorry guys but Haze is NOT Duke Nukem Forever

Normally we have to be a bit careful about what we say on forums in case it incurs the wrath of Neko or Dr. Doak for giving too much info away, but this time I'm very safe in saying that Haze is coming.

While we can't explicitly say what improvements we've made (I'd love to tell you all the cool stuff we've been putting in!...but I also love my job too lol) I can guarantee you that the extra bit of time has made a big difference for the bet..."

"In amongst the financial figures release by Ubisoft in a recent performance report covering the third quarter of its fiscal year, which ended on December 31, the prominent publisher and developer has revealed that Haze’s current release date of March 2008 has been abandoned.

While offering no explanation, the game is now pencilled in for a retail arrival some time during the fiscal year 2008, which runs from April 01 of 2008, through to March 31 of 2009."

"Free Radical, developers of the Timesplitters franchise and upcoming PS3 exclusive Haze, have confirmed to Ars Technica that, yes, Haze will be released before March. The game was originally touted for an autumn release, but was delayed in order to "put the final touches to the game" (as well as, we suspect, to make sure it didn't get lost amongst all the other strong titles released around the same time). Since then, various retailers have displayed the release date as March, with some rumou..."

"An employee who has been given the task of answering questions from the community on the official Free Radical website has said that Haze will be getting a whole bunch of downloadable content “that isn’t just useless sh*t like new skins.” There was no mention if the devs are planning on making a few bucks from the DLC or if it’ll be available for free."

"Drugs are bad? Don't tell Ubisoft! Not only will the taking of drugs form a cornerstone of upcoming shooter Haze's game design, but they're celebrating the fact with a pre-order offer on their official company store. Buy Haze for the PS3 now and you'll not only get the game shipped to you on day 1 of its release, you'll also get a nifty drug-filled syringe. Which is really a pen, but it looks to all the world like a drug-filled syringe. We recommend it as a classy, sophisticated addition to y..."

""

"Could Unreal Tournament III for PlayStation 3 get un-delayed? Epic Games vice president Mark Rein says that the Sony incarnation of the shooter has been finished and sent off to manufacturing, and that publisher Midway is working out a ship date, according to Gamasutra.

In October, Midway delayed Unreal Tournament III, originally scheduled to be on shelves this month alongside the PC version of the game, into the first quarter of 2008.

The company has never retracted that delay, but Rei..."

"While announcing their financial results for the first half of the fiscal year Ubisoft has announced that the PlayStation 3 exclusive Haze has been delayed until Quarter 4, Fiscal 2008 - 2009, which starts on January 1st and ends on March 31st, 2008.

This is a big blow for the game, which appeared to be shaping up well when we played it recently. Still, a little extra development time could be a good thing."

"Hello everyone. When we last spoke, I posted some ads for PS3 third-party heavy hitters Assassin’s Creed and Call of Duty 4. Well, as promised, we have more up our sleeves and have a couple more spots to debut for you all before they officially air the week of November 19th.

We’ve brought back the same pulsating music track (Saliva’s “Ladies and Gentlemen”) from our PS3 brand spots and feature games from our 3rd party friends like Burnout Paradise, WWE Smackdown vs Raw 2008, Madden NFL 08,..."

""Haze we’re trying to examine more the feeling of the soldier. If you’re fighting in a way, you need to somehow justify your actions, so in Haze we actually cause the player to question that to some extent.""

"Nectar Perception: While on Nectar, your enemies will become far more visible to you, even if they are hiding in the shadows or foliage.

Melee Blast: Performed the same way as the normal melee attack, but with 10 times the power, thanks to Nectar.

Nectar Resilience: Bullets won’t bounce off you, but you’ll certainly take less damage from them.

Nectar Focus: When you are sniping or using the zoom function on your helmet, Nectar will give you a new level of focus, helping you aim an..."

"However, we can't blame Ubisoft as its response does reflect the industry-wide habit of not wanting to commit to anything in case it upsets share price. But that's what you get when an industry becomes more complicated, involved and intriguing than most of the games it produces."

"Haze, Ubi's new shooter based on the Unreal 3.0 engine, is coming, and coming soon, on PlayStation 3. Ubi have been telling European media outlets that the game has been released to production and will be available on PS3 first as promised. That's also as in, not on PC or X360. As in it was going to be on those but we must now only count on the PS3 version."

"Ubisoft has told GameSpot that First Radical's sci-fi first-person shooter Haze is now being planned solely for Sony's PlayStation 3 platform.

Originally, Haze was slated as a multiplatform release for the PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 in spring, but back in May Ubisoft announced that the PS3 had become the "lead platform" for the title, which would be released in November on the PS3-only, although "no exclusivity for any platform has been officially announced."

Today, Ubisoft said that curre..."

"I always find myself shocked when I meet Rob Yescombe. Part of it is purely physical, as he's not exactly a small man and his burly physique and booming voice are always sure to make an impression, but what always amazes me the most is the seemingly boundless enthusiasm and presence which he commands.

Having met him before, I was somewhat prepared for the encounter but it's always a little strange when Rob starts orating about his latest project. Meeting him at Free Radical HQ before Leipz..."

"How we learned just now in a presentation of the Shooters out of first hand, there will be no XBox 360 Version of Haze. The title is this year yet PS3 exclusive and will appear presumably in November, 2008 will follow a PC version. Further information to the presentation follows tonight."

"Today GamerSquad brings you superb new media for Aion, Time Crisis 4, Zack & Wiki, Jeanne D’Arc, Wipeout HD, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, Call of Duty 4, Need for Speed ProStreet, Haze, PlayStation Eye, Metal Gear Solid 4, Half-Life 2: Episode 2, Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, Gran Turismo 5: Prologue, Ferrari Challenge, Sacred 2: Fallen Angel, Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, and Wet.

Why would you go anywhere else when GamerSquad has it all in a one-click, one-stop package.

Click the sour..."

"SPOnG caught up with the developers behind Haze, Free Radical, yesterday, and amid all the chat about entering warzones jacked up on drugs and who'd win in a fight between Buddha and Jesus†, some interesting things were said about the PlayStation Network. Specifically, the joy and the terror provided by the freedom it enables."

"Haze’s drug depiction is anything but a glossy guide to substance abuse. Nectar is not heroine."

"Now when you’re playing as the rebels the most tactical advantage you’ll have in combat is using Nectar against Mantel. One way of doing this is stripping the Nectar pack off a dead Mantel soldier and strapping it to a grenade – toss the makeshift grenade at Mantel soldiers and watch as they kill off their own from the Nectar overdose."

"With a seemingly endless amount of high-profile games coming out in the next few months, it’s easy to lose track of every single last title that looked good to you at one point in time or another. There’s a chance that you might have overlooked Free Radical Design’s (TimeSplitters series, Second Sight) upcoming first-person shooter for PlayStation 3, Haze.

The focus on Haze thus far has been more about the game’s narrative and less about actual gameplay. That’s all going to change though, ..."

"These guys and gals at Free Radical are not inceptive to designing games in the FPS genre. For them to take on new intellectual property doesn’t mean that they have to “prove” their skills to gamers every time they come up with a new idea in the same genre. If Bungie decided to take on a new shooter franchise, would everyone say that they have to prove their abilities with the new IP? Of course not."

"As it was mentioned in Day 2's article for Haze Hype, we promised you a detailed look at the skills that players will be able to utilize as the rebels and as a Mantel Corp. Soldier. So we’ll give you a complete breakdown of those skills. And as a bonus, we’re treating you to some new screenshots (courtesy of Free Radical) as a precursor for Day 4."

"HMV is offering pre-orders,release date of Haze and UT3 this year

HMV, the same online retailer who are currently offering Xbox360 version of MGS4 for pre-orders are also offering a pre-orders for PC/360 versions of Haze and UT3 which have all been confirmed by the game publishers and Sony to be a timed exclusive to the playstation computer entertainment this year."

The delay that has made many fans upset and angry, has also been a saviour for some game developers that no longer have GTAIV to compete with for christmas. Which will obviously mean that they will have more reason to release it before then, and will most likely be getting more notice from you than if GTAIV had released.

The games ofcourse are:

1. Bioshock
2. Army of Two
3. Lair
4. Haze
5. Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare
6. Assassin's Creed
7. Heavenly Sword

"Haze is set in the year 2048. There is a war going on in a region of South America, where a group of vicious rebels called The Promise Hand are trying to overthrow the government, and replace them with their leader: Gabriel ‘Skin Coat’ Merino."

That is right, Haze Gaming is about to start the Haze Contest. The winner of this contest will receive a free copy of Haze for the PS3.

The contest officially starts now and will run for the next few months. When an official PS3 release date is announced, we will create an official ending date for the contest.

If you wish to enter the contest, you will need to become a member of the RS Insomniac Network Community. Once you have registered, you can refer to the below topic, register for ...

"The following video has sparked speculation that Free Radical have got their hands on a rumble enabled version of the PS3's SIXAXIS contoller. At the beginning of the video clip, Haze is being shown in conjunction with a standard SIXAXIS, but then at around the ten minute mark, the developers are testing out the game with a myseriously blurred out controller."

""

""

"Unlike Rainbow Six Vegas, another Ubisoft title with four-player co-operative play, the co-op in Haze doesn't feel like a tacked-on afterthought. According to Derek Littlewood, Team Leader at Free Radical, co-op was always planned for Haze. "Four player online co-op has been part of HAZE since the very start of development. In fact, it was one of the very first features we decided on, as everyone at Free Radical believes co-op play is just great fun."
We pressed Derek for examples of levels ..."

DX10 is just around the corner and throughout forums everywhere people are getting hyped up. Two titles which are poking out from the crowd are Haze and Crysis. PSU takes a head to head stance with side by side comparison photos of similar situations between the two. Both are very appealing but which visually sticks out the most to you?

"At Ubisoft's recent press event held in Paris, Haze developer Free Radical told CVG the game is in development for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC and not just PS3 as has been reported.

During the Haze section of the Ubidays conference, the impressive-looking shooter was unveiled as PS3 lead with no other systems mentioned.

Haze was originally announced for all three systems in 2006 but the lack of any other system being mentioned for over a year, and the fact that the TimeSplitters team has a mas..."

"This morning, Ubisoft revealed that the PS3 is now the "lead platform" for Free Radical's forthcoming shooter, Haze. Originally set for a release on the Xbox 360, PC, and PS3 this spring, the game will now debut solely on the PS3 this fall."

"We last saw Haze a year ago during E3 2006 when Free Radical's latest title was premiered to the world. The game certainly caught our eye at the show with its fantastic visuals that really showed off the lush jungle setting that the demo was set in, and it certainly didn't hurt that we are all fans of the developer's Time Splitters series. But that was a year ago, and oh how things have changed since then...

Gone are the somewhat generic looking soldiers of yester-year, now replaced with s..."

"MANTEL corp is designing the world's first next-gen soldier and you can be at the front lines as this war goes global.

"

"Viral marketing - even the phrase makes us shudder. But video games companies love it and Ubisoft is no exception, having created a fake website to promote its forthcoming shooter, Haze."