WarhawkBy Dustin Rudzinski - September 09, 2007 Print  EmailIncognito has done it yet again with Warhawk. This title really showcases the PS3's abilities, sporting some of the best motion sensing I've ever used in a game as well as awesome online combat that always keeps you on the edge of your seat. Throw in the fact that the retail unit also comes with a Bluetooth headset, as well as the ability to download it for $20 cheaper, and there are very few reasons why you should not buy this game. To start things off, Warhawk is multiplayer only. While this may act as a turn off for some, the gameplay is so intense that I recommend even those who are not fans of multiplayer titles to at least give this one a try. From all out every man for himself deathmatch battles to awesome team based gameplay such as capture the flag, or a mode called "zones" where you compete for territory, Warhawk never fails to deliver on an awesome experience. I found myself addicted to this game, playing it at every free moment I had. The free headset also comes in handy for strategizing with teammates as well as talking trash to opponents. The games load up quick so it doesn't take very long to get right into the action. You are given a choice between a wide variety of weapons and vehicles to dispose of your enemies. Many of the vehicles have multiple seats so a teammate can ride along and help you take out enemies along the way. This is especially helpful in capture the flag, when you can hop in a jeep and pick up a teammate while they sit in the back and pick off enemies with the machine gun while you dodge fire from the driver's seat. You also have tanks, anti-aircraft turrets as well as missile turrets, however where this game really shines is the aircraft. The motion controlled dogfights are simply insane, however the ground combat can be equally as fun once you get the hang of it. Controls are where this game really shines. This is the perfect example of how awesome the SixAxiS controller is. Jump into an aircraft and it literally feels as if you are holding it in your hands. Every tilt and turn is perfectly represented on the screen, allowing for some awesome mid air maneuvers while dogfighting. While airborne you can also use a flick of the right analog stick for a quick barrel roll or a flip, which can prove useful when dodging missiles or machine gun fire. Tilt controls also work for driving vehicles, which also works very well. However, for those who do not care for motion control, they also offer the ability to use the analog sticks for both driving and flying which is also done very well. Ground combat is extremely well done also, and it shows off exactly how sensitive the new analog sticks on the SixAxiS really are. You can barely tilt it up or down and watch your cross hairs ever so slowly crawl across the screen, to where it would take several minutes to actually turn around, or tilt it all the way and watch them fly across the screen. This sensitivity is all adjustable as well of course, as well as the tilt control. You have 100 different levels of sensitivity to choose from, so finding your sweet spot shouldn't be hard at all. The game doesn't sport the most advanced graphics on the PS3, however the fact that it is a downloadable title kinda excuses that fact considering that they have to keep the file size reasonable to download. It's not like they have a full 25GB to go with like a disc only title. Even with those limitations, they are still clean and sport some of the best water and cloud effects ever seen in a game. The framerate is rock solid and there is almost no aliasing, so the image is always clean and sharp. Warhawk sports an impressive draw distance as well, allowing you to see for miles in any direction, all while scaling seamlessly from way up in the skies all the way to the combat on the ground. Explosion effects are all rendered nicely as well. The audio in this title is amazing. Playing Warhawk on a good surround system really gets the blood pumping, and is actually helpful in being able to hear when an enemy is creeping up behind you. Gunshots are loud and crisp, as are the explosions. The music does a good job of matching the action and setting the overall mood for the title as well. Once you have mastered the controls, the gameplay is so addictive that you will find yourself playing this game every day for hours at a time. Being that it is an online only title, it's replay value is through the roof because the action never seems to get old. The various modes of online play keep things fresh, as well as several different locations to fight in which can vary in size depending on the number of people playing. In conclusion, buy this game. If you don't own a PS3, buy one with this game. It is worth every penny. If I had any gripes, it would be the occasional crash, though I haven't noticed anything since the latest firmware update was released. Even during the beta the development team was very quick to address any issues with constant updates, and I imagine this will continue to be the case. With action this intense, and the inevitable downloadable extras in the future, this title should keep you a happy gamer for a long, long time. I honestly haven't had this much fun since Unreal Tournament 2004. Ratings |
 Select Choice Award |
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