The Hawk has landed.
That’s right, Warhawk is finally here. This game was originally slated to be a launch game with both single and multi-player modes, well sorta. We didn’t get it as a launch title, then again a bunch of games missed the PS3’s launch window. Warhawk is now also multi-player only which left many of us soar (see what I did there?). So even before hitting a private beta it’s had the cards stacked against it.
Does Warhawk live up to it’s beloved PS namesake or does it take a nose dive? You can find out after the JUMP!
Since Warhawk has no single player we’ll jump right into the multi-player experience. The first thing you’ll notice is that there is a considerable learning curve. The control scheme acts as a curse and a blessing. The difficulty may ward off the casual player, but the added depth in gameplay is a reward for the hardcore player and adds lots of longevity. The actual Warhawks are probably what you will master first, but there are also ground vehicles, turrets and you can even battle on foot, which adds even more multi-player tactics and depth.
Warhawk is all about multi-player and the battles can range from 2 - 32 players at any given time. When the battles hit 16+ players things get hectic and very intimidating, but once you get a good handle on the controls, it’s a blast. In retrospect It would have been nice to have some single player action, but overlooking that Warhawk is by far the best multi-player offering for Playstation 3 with out question.
- Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Warhawk is really a mixed bag technically. While the graphics are sharp and crisp they certainly do not blow me away in any shape or fashion. I just feel like the game falls short when compared to other current gen offerings like Bioshock and Heavenly Sword.
Graphics are one thing, but there is no denying that this game sounds INCREDIBLE. If you have a system that can handle it, Warhawk is probably one of the best sounding Playstation 3 games around. Not only does it sound good, but in heated battles the surround sound can actually aid you in finding your targets. More games should sound like Warhawk period.
- Rating: 4 out of 5
Overall this game is hard to pinpoint, if you’re willing to take the time upfront to learn the nuances of the control scheme the game will give you countless hours fun. On the flip side, You not only have to get the hang of hovering and flying a Warhawk but to get the full breadth of the game you really have to master the land vehicles and on foot combat. If you do take the time and master the games controls there is no question that Warhawk will probably get the most time in your Playstation 3 until Metal Gear Solid 4 hits.
Besides the control scheme and multi-player only, there is one other point of contention and that’s price. Warhawk is available in two flavors, though your local retailer and online via the Playstation Store. In retail stores the game goes for $59.99 which is a bit pricey for a multi-player only game but it comes with a Jabra BT125 Bluetooth headset and has some behind the scene footage which is only available on the Blu Ray disc. On Playstation Store it’s $39.99, doesn’t have any of the behind the scene footage and obviously doesn’t come with a Bluetooth headset. $39.99 is at least 10 dollars to much for a game with no box, booklet or singleplayer mode. I think $25.99 - $29.99 is the sweet spot for a downloadable multi-player only game.
- Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Single and Multiplayer: 3.5
Technical Specs: 4
Overall and Replay Value: 3.5
Developer: Incognito
Publisher: SCEA (Sony)
Genre: Online Shooter
Players: 32
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