Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Hawken Pt. 2: Brix have been shat.

Though the fans didn't get a jump on this, as the devs had fiendishly planned, by getting photos of landmarks, today the public got a looksee at... well, just look at it:



Done hyperventilating, giant robot fans? Good.

What's not to like about this gameplay? Awesome bayformers sound effects? Kooky bladerunner meets saigon cities? Heavy controls that make you feel like your piloting a breakdancing brick shithouse with guns? Check. Love 'em.

There's a lot going on in this trailer: first there's a very awesome EMP effect with interface screw. Zoom cutting out cockpit details. Was this a shortcut or is it to increase user focus? Deployables, also seen earlier as static emplacements of similar design. And something falling out of this guy's mechanized bung.

Fabulous!

But, as mech heads usually are, they love to get psychotically obsessive over robot customization. There were a multitude of weapons in the trailer, such as the machiengun, at least 3 types of cannons and those whooshy itano circus missiles. What about the myriad robot designs? Do they have different playstyles? Abilities? Weapon limits? The world may never know.

Not until Adhesive Games gets on with it and releases the thing, at least. I wish them godspeed.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Hawken: You will shit bricks



Is it District 9? Is it mechwarrior's cool, young cousin? Is it one of Ukita Kumuki's dark cyberpunk paintings come to life?

No! It's Hawken!

I don't know about anyone else, but ever since Exteel went six feet under after jumping the shark like some bastard child of Demopan and Gundam SEED, I've been hankering for giant yet slightly believable metal machines and the gigantic cannons that shoot them to tiny bits.

Is Hawken that game? I certainly like the design aesthetic, less mechanical super samurai and more functional walking tank. Tigsource (whom I first saw this trailer from. Big up, you guys!) has already noted there will be deathmatch and team deathmatch modes. How much will we be able to customize our stompy doom generators? How will the balance play out? What's the price point? How much content will be available?