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This thread has been linked to the game 'Starhawk'.
Warhawk was an odd one. It came out of nowhere as a PS3 exclusive and it claimed to be online only. An online only console game? It sounded bizarre, but it worked. It worked because of one thing: big mechs that could transform into fast planes.
Now we have a sequel, Starhawk. It claims to do everything bigger, better and bolder than it's brother and, yes, it has single player too.
So what's it all about? Well, those big transforming mechs are still present, but this time things take a decidedly sci-fi twist. The game is set in a universe where a substance called Rift energy is mined for its fuel and it becomes almost like gold, which leads to the inevitable Western comparisons.
Yes, this is Firefly territory. Anyone who fancies the idea of a Western in space will get on fine with the single player story, the tale of Emmett Graves, infected with the living Rift energy and torn between making a living helping the non-infected, and the growing call of the infected, with a dark secret that begins to bubble to the surface as the game progresses.
That said, the single player story isn't quite as well written, deep or well paced as other single player focused games and its main job is to show you the ropes in a fun way. But it's also far from just a training mission, it's well worth playing on its own grounds and the settings and enemy AI make it a great campaign, preparing you for things to come when you finally go online.
Once you do go online, though, Starhawk begins to show you its true colours. While the mechs are still its main claim to fame, there's another ace hiding up Starhawk's sleeve; the builder ability. Every single player in the game (that's up to an impressive 32 players) can call on walls, turrets, watchtowers, vehicle bays and useful supply depots anywhere on the map. This comes at a cost. Rift energy is constantly thrown out of the mine in the centre of your base and if you're in its surrounding area your energy bar will grow. Each item is worth a certain amount of energy, so once you've retrieved enough you can go anywhere on the map and plant your chosen item.
While this sounds a little too flexible, in the heat of battle it requires skill, timing and tactics. Plant a supply depot in the middle of the map and the enemy will start to rain bullets down on you. The buildings are all destructible and will eventually fall, even if they do offer respite and useful ammo while they stand. Once your Rift energy is depleted you will need to get back to base in order to collect more.
Working as a team is therefore essential. In my team based matches the usual issues arose in that not everyone seemed to have a mic (or, at least, they weren't willing to speak). Even so, there was a clear strategy among us, especially during capture the flag when mechs were used to bring the flag back while more nimble vehicles rallied around them keeping the enemy at bay and watchtowers allowed for those with a sniping bent.
Weapons and towers aren't the only buildings needed, though. When vehicles are called for they require a base. Unlike some games, you're never left without the choice of a vehicle, as the simple touch of the triangle button will call up another one from the base of choice. It's an easy system to master and provides a great entry point for those new to the game, though learning fast is essential as the battles soon end up in glorious chaos.
The level of flexibility also works in the game's favour. If the host feels mechs are too powerful, they simple choose to leave them out. Don't like spawn campers? Leave certain items or weapons out. Moving from host to host provides a vastly different game and strategy depending on their game choice.
While those who like their multiplayer games slow and deliberating will balk at the mad chaos and frantic firefights kicked up by Starhawk's mix of RTS and third person shooter, there's a lot to love about this game and it's quickly become one of my favourite online games. The single player may be shallow and over too quickly, but online Starhawk shines as brightly as the Rift energy it relies on.
9/10
Now we have a sequel, Starhawk. It claims to do everything bigger, better and bolder than it's brother and, yes, it has single player too.
So what's it all about? Well, those big transforming mechs are still present, but this time things take a decidedly sci-fi twist. The game is set in a universe where a substance called Rift energy is mined for its fuel and it becomes almost like gold, which leads to the inevitable Western comparisons.
Yes, this is Firefly territory. Anyone who fancies the idea of a Western in space will get on fine with the single player story, the tale of Emmett Graves, infected with the living Rift energy and torn between making a living helping the non-infected, and the growing call of the infected, with a dark secret that begins to bubble to the surface as the game progresses.
That said, the single player story isn't quite as well written, deep or well paced as other single player focused games and its main job is to show you the ropes in a fun way. But it's also far from just a training mission, it's well worth playing on its own grounds and the settings and enemy AI make it a great campaign, preparing you for things to come when you finally go online.
Once you do go online, though, Starhawk begins to show you its true colours. While the mechs are still its main claim to fame, there's another ace hiding up Starhawk's sleeve; the builder ability. Every single player in the game (that's up to an impressive 32 players) can call on walls, turrets, watchtowers, vehicle bays and useful supply depots anywhere on the map. This comes at a cost. Rift energy is constantly thrown out of the mine in the centre of your base and if you're in its surrounding area your energy bar will grow. Each item is worth a certain amount of energy, so once you've retrieved enough you can go anywhere on the map and plant your chosen item.
While this sounds a little too flexible, in the heat of battle it requires skill, timing and tactics. Plant a supply depot in the middle of the map and the enemy will start to rain bullets down on you. The buildings are all destructible and will eventually fall, even if they do offer respite and useful ammo while they stand. Once your Rift energy is depleted you will need to get back to base in order to collect more.
Working as a team is therefore essential. In my team based matches the usual issues arose in that not everyone seemed to have a mic (or, at least, they weren't willing to speak). Even so, there was a clear strategy among us, especially during capture the flag when mechs were used to bring the flag back while more nimble vehicles rallied around them keeping the enemy at bay and watchtowers allowed for those with a sniping bent.
Weapons and towers aren't the only buildings needed, though. When vehicles are called for they require a base. Unlike some games, you're never left without the choice of a vehicle, as the simple touch of the triangle button will call up another one from the base of choice. It's an easy system to master and provides a great entry point for those new to the game, though learning fast is essential as the battles soon end up in glorious chaos.
The level of flexibility also works in the game's favour. If the host feels mechs are too powerful, they simple choose to leave them out. Don't like spawn campers? Leave certain items or weapons out. Moving from host to host provides a vastly different game and strategy depending on their game choice.
While those who like their multiplayer games slow and deliberating will balk at the mad chaos and frantic firefights kicked up by Starhawk's mix of RTS and third person shooter, there's a lot to love about this game and it's quickly become one of my favourite online games. The single player may be shallow and over too quickly, but online Starhawk shines as brightly as the Rift energy it relies on.
9/10
pb wrote:
I do (went and bought on day one as I loved Warhawk) so that would be cool.
No worries, will dig it out tomorrow.
I do (went and bought on day one as I loved Warhawk) so that would be cool.
No worries, will dig it out tomorrow.
Butch wrote:
I had never actually heard of this game until my Twisted Metal GAD prize came with some advertising blurb (and character code) for it. This is the first review I have found (without looking all that hard, to be honest) that is any good.
Still doesn't really sound like my kind of game though, to be honest.
If you actually own this pb, other than rented it, you are more than welcome to my 'Sweet Tooth Outcast multiplayer skin' code, as I will never use it.
I do (went and bought on day one as I loved Warhawk) so that would be cool.
I had never actually heard of this game until my Twisted Metal GAD prize came with some advertising blurb (and character code) for it. This is the first review I have found (without looking all that hard, to be honest) that is any good.
Still doesn't really sound like my kind of game though, to be honest.
If you actually own this pb, other than rented it, you are more than welcome to my 'Sweet Tooth Outcast multiplayer skin' code, as I will never use it.
I do (went and bought on day one as I loved Warhawk) so that would be cool.
I had never actually heard of this game until my Twisted Metal GAD prize came with some advertising blurb (and character code) for it. This is the first review I have found (without looking all that hard, to be honest) that is any good.
Still doesn't really sound like my kind of game though, to be honest.
If you actually own this pb, other than rented it, you are more than welcome to my 'Sweet Tooth Outcast multiplayer skin' code, as I will never use it.
Still doesn't really sound like my kind of game though, to be honest.
If you actually own this pb, other than rented it, you are more than welcome to my 'Sweet Tooth Outcast multiplayer skin' code, as I will never use it.
Warhawk was an odd one. It came out of nowhere as a PS3 exclusive and it claimed to be online only. An online only console game? It sounded bizarre, but it worked. It worked because of one thing: big mechs that could transform into fast planes.
Now we have a sequel, Starhawk. It claims to do everything bigger, better and bolder than it's brother and, yes, it has single player too.
So what's it all about? Well, those big transforming mechs are still present, but this time things take a decidedly sci-fi twist. The game is set in a universe where a substance called Rift energy is mined for its fuel and it becomes almost like gold, which leads to the inevitable Western comparisons.
Yes, this is Firefly territory. Anyone who fancies the idea of a Western in space will get on fine with the single player story, the tale of Emmett Graves, infected with the living Rift energy and torn between making a living helping the non-infected, and the growing call of the infected, with a dark secret that begins to bubble to the surface as the game progresses.
That said, the single player story isn't quite as well written, deep or well paced as other single player focused games and its main job is to show you the ropes in a fun way. But it's also far from just a training mission, it's well worth playing on its own grounds and the settings and enemy AI make it a great campaign, preparing you for things to come when you finally go online.
Once you do go online, though, Starhawk begins to show you its true colours. While the mechs are still its main claim to fame, there's another ace hiding up Starhawk's sleeve; the builder ability. Every single player in the game (that's up to an impressive 32 players) can call on walls, turrets, watchtowers, vehicle bays and useful supply depots anywhere on the map. This comes at a cost. Rift energy is constantly thrown out of the mine in the centre of your base and if you're in its surrounding area your energy bar will grow. Each item is worth a certain amount of energy, so once you've retrieved enough you can go anywhere on the map and plant your chosen item.
While this sounds a little too flexible, in the heat of battle it requires skill, timing and tactics. Plant a supply depot in the middle of the map and the enemy will start to rain bullets down on you. The buildings are all destructible and will eventually fall, even if they do offer respite and useful ammo while they stand. Once your Rift energy is depleted you will need to get back to base in order to collect more.
Working as a team is therefore essential. In my team based matches the usual issues arose in that not everyone seemed to have a mic (or, at least, they weren't willing to speak). Even so, there was a clear strategy among us, especially during capture the flag when mechs were used to bring the flag back while more nimble vehicles rallied around them keeping the enemy at bay and watchtowers allowed for those with a sniping bent.
Weapons and towers aren't the only buildings needed, though. When vehicles are called for they require a base. Unlike some games, you're never left without the choice of a vehicle, as the simple touch of the triangle button will call up another one from the base of choice. It's an easy system to master and provides a great entry point for those new to the game, though learning fast is essential as the battles soon end up in glorious chaos.
The level of flexibility also works in the game's favour. If the host feels mechs are too powerful, they simple choose to leave them out. Don't like spawn campers? Leave certain items or weapons out. Moving from host to host provides a vastly different game and strategy depending on their game choice.
While those who like their multiplayer games slow and deliberating will balk at the mad chaos and frantic firefights kicked up by Starhawk's mix of RTS and third person shooter, there's a lot to love about this game and it's quickly become one of my favourite online games. The single player may be shallow and over too quickly, but online Starhawk shines as brightly as the Rift energy it relies on.
9/10
Now we have a sequel, Starhawk. It claims to do everything bigger, better and bolder than it's brother and, yes, it has single player too.
So what's it all about? Well, those big transforming mechs are still present, but this time things take a decidedly sci-fi twist. The game is set in a universe where a substance called Rift energy is mined for its fuel and it becomes almost like gold, which leads to the inevitable Western comparisons.
Yes, this is Firefly territory. Anyone who fancies the idea of a Western in space will get on fine with the single player story, the tale of Emmett Graves, infected with the living Rift energy and torn between making a living helping the non-infected, and the growing call of the infected, with a dark secret that begins to bubble to the surface as the game progresses.
That said, the single player story isn't quite as well written, deep or well paced as other single player focused games and its main job is to show you the ropes in a fun way. But it's also far from just a training mission, it's well worth playing on its own grounds and the settings and enemy AI make it a great campaign, preparing you for things to come when you finally go online.
Once you do go online, though, Starhawk begins to show you its true colours. While the mechs are still its main claim to fame, there's another ace hiding up Starhawk's sleeve; the builder ability. Every single player in the game (that's up to an impressive 32 players) can call on walls, turrets, watchtowers, vehicle bays and useful supply depots anywhere on the map. This comes at a cost. Rift energy is constantly thrown out of the mine in the centre of your base and if you're in its surrounding area your energy bar will grow. Each item is worth a certain amount of energy, so once you've retrieved enough you can go anywhere on the map and plant your chosen item.
While this sounds a little too flexible, in the heat of battle it requires skill, timing and tactics. Plant a supply depot in the middle of the map and the enemy will start to rain bullets down on you. The buildings are all destructible and will eventually fall, even if they do offer respite and useful ammo while they stand. Once your Rift energy is depleted you will need to get back to base in order to collect more.
Working as a team is therefore essential. In my team based matches the usual issues arose in that not everyone seemed to have a mic (or, at least, they weren't willing to speak). Even so, there was a clear strategy among us, especially during capture the flag when mechs were used to bring the flag back while more nimble vehicles rallied around them keeping the enemy at bay and watchtowers allowed for those with a sniping bent.
Weapons and towers aren't the only buildings needed, though. When vehicles are called for they require a base. Unlike some games, you're never left without the choice of a vehicle, as the simple touch of the triangle button will call up another one from the base of choice. It's an easy system to master and provides a great entry point for those new to the game, though learning fast is essential as the battles soon end up in glorious chaos.
The level of flexibility also works in the game's favour. If the host feels mechs are too powerful, they simple choose to leave them out. Don't like spawn campers? Leave certain items or weapons out. Moving from host to host provides a vastly different game and strategy depending on their game choice.
While those who like their multiplayer games slow and deliberating will balk at the mad chaos and frantic firefights kicked up by Starhawk's mix of RTS and third person shooter, there's a lot to love about this game and it's quickly become one of my favourite online games. The single player may be shallow and over too quickly, but online Starhawk shines as brightly as the Rift energy it relies on.
9/10