Irish blog to cover computer games

An Irish blog, the Irish Games, is set to have video games news, features and reviews.

The site, jokingly described as “the illegitimate brain child of two native Limerick dwellers with a
passion for video games”, was launched late last week and can be found at theirishgamers.wordpress.com.

The blog is to cover both console and PC gaming, as well as the odd post about films. A post on the site says one of the reasons it was set up was “the belief that the Irish games scene is in need of a serious boost”.

It added: “We’re just getting started, but we hope to start specifically covering what’s going on in Ireland when it comes to games, as well as talking about the regular plethora of daily international industry happenings too”.

The use of the name the Irish Gamers follows two similarly named but unrelated sites – the now redundant Irishgamer.ie, and one of Game Toaster’s past names, the Irish Gamer.

REVIEW: Haze

Developer: Free Radical   Publisher: Ubisoft | Format: PS3

After all the delays Haze is finally with us. Long touted as the
definitive PS3 exclusive shooter, the game which much like Halo would
have gamers buying a PS3 just to play. It promised to redefine first
person shooters by combining a cinematic story with intense jaw
dropping action. Unfortunately like many of it’s kin it fails to
achieve anything more than mediocrity

The story follows Sergeant Shane Carpenter, a newly recruited
soldier who spends his days fighting alongside his fellow Mantel forces
comrades. Sent to quash a possible revolutionary army in South America
called the Promise Hand you engage in numerous fire fights. To create
the ultimate soldiers Mantel has been giving it’s recruits a
“nutritional supplement” called Nectar which heightens senses and
abilities. Nectar promised to be the most interesting aspect of Haze
but rather than implement it as a useful tool the game instead uses it
as a  mere gimmick. At around the half way point Carpenter
realises the dangers of Nectar and it’s addictive nature which turns
his fellow soldiers into blood thirsty monster. Joining the previous
enemy Carpenter begins to fight back and conquer his dependence on the
drug. The whole concept was handled much better by another Ubi Soft
title Far Cry, where it was an integral part of the gameplay.

The biggest problem with Haze apart from the lackstruck storyline
and lack of originality is that it blows its load way too early.
Excluding the range of weapons and the ability to drive vehicles all of
which are available to use within the first 30 minutes there really
isn’t anything more to it. After this there’s absolutely nothing more
to discover. That said the difficulty level does spike significantly
when Carpenter decides to switch sides. The Nectar addicted spasming
Mantel soldiers do prove a challenge but the AI is so poor most of the
time that this initial difficulty is soon over come.

The multiplayer offers a number of fun additions to the generic
single player. You can play through the campaign mode with a friend in
co-op mode which proves to be quite handy as you can breeze through the
game in double time. There’s also the obligatory online modes such as
Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch. There is also the addition of a new
game mode Team Assault in which one group of players play as Mantel
forces and the others play as The Promise Hand. You have to complete a
number of tasks and the first to do so wins, shame then that like the
campaign mode there’s nothing of any real significance here.

Haze was a great idea and I’m sure it would have made a fantastic
PS3 exclusive title if it weren’t for all the shortcomings. At the end
of the day Haze is a mediocre shooter which offers nothing that a
hundred others titles don’t all ready. I really wanted to love Haze
but when all things are considered it’s little more than a distraction
to pass the time between now and MGS4’s release.