Warhawk - Review

Warhawk is a multiplayer only game for the PS3. It comes in two different media types, downloadable off the PSN Store, and physical on a Bluray disc. Both version still load totally off the internal HDD to make sure that everyone player has the same load times to make it more equal. The Bluray physical version at first loading will dump the entire game onto the internal HDD, so the first loading of the game takes some time. The game itself on the HDD takes up around 800MB.

The multiplayer nature of Warhawk is quite unique for a console, with the exception of a couple games like FFX1 on the XBOX360. Warhawk offers 2 types of gaming types:

• Online - Connecting to the internet to play on servers with other people around the world.
• LAN - Multiple PS3s on the same local network connecting together.

Additional with that, Warhawk offers up to 4 player split screen on both online and LAN playing. Online servers have an option to allow split screen players, and it's generally disabled on official Sony servers.

There are 4 different game modes, some are fairly standard and always good, and some quite different:

• Deathmatch - A standard mode where everyone is against each other and the highest score wins.
  
• Team Deathmatch - 2 teams, Red and Blue, fighting each other. The team with the highest score wins.
• Capture the Flag - Another standard game mode of taking the other teams flag and bringing it over to your teams flag to score points.
  
• Zones - Take control of enemy control points be standing at them for some time to limit the enemies respawn abilities.

Each map in the game has different layouts for different areas of the may, like Bridge, Installation, and Dogfight, which is where everyone is in warhawks fighting above the map, no landings are possible.

The stat system is quite large, following your travels on the online servers. There are a large amount of awards in the form of medals, badges, and ribbons covering all aspects of the game. The ranks are too easy to advance through and doesn't introduce a challenge, there are a lot of ranks, but it doesn't require a lot of points to move into the next level. Each rank offers new options in the customising area for your character and you warhawk.

The game itself is very fast paced as long as there are a lot of players on the server, as close to the max 32 is best for full on action. There are a few different combat methods including using weapons that your character has, tanks, buggies, warhawks, and turrets. The HUD is very simple and easily understood, and navigating through the weapons is gone by pressing the buttons on the directional pad, each direction is for a different weapon and there are 8 weapon slots. One interesting thing is that you can't leave your warhawk until it's grounded, handy so you don't accidentally exit while in the sky and fall to your death, but not handy if you want to get out as soon as possible while under attack.

The Character and vehicles are controlled by the analogue stick be default, but can be switched to motion sensing in the SIXAXIS controller. I personally found motion sensing to be the easiest way to control warhawks, R2 for speed, motion for pitch and turning, and right stick for barrel rolls and tricks to evade enemy aircraft and missiles.