E3 2006 Hands On Preview
Of course the PlayStation 3 will have improved
graphics, and by now there is no secret that part of the draw will lie in the
changes to the classic PlayStation controller. The controller has six degrees of
freedom, meaning that in many ways it acts as a gyro controller. Move it left
and, if the game allows, you will realize movement on the screen.
Warhawk, developed for the system and being
displayed at the Sony booth at E3 (the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los
Angeles) is a prime example of not only the control scheme but also the amazing
graphical quality that the PS3 will offer.
The game is a flight combat vehicle, and only a
finite map was available, with free flight, a wide array of targets and
exquisite environmental elements. The first thing noticed was how intuitive and
easy it was to control the wonderfully detailed plane that starred in the level.
Move the controller right and the aircraft banks in that direction. Tilt down to
go into a dive; tilt up to climb – can it get any easier?
The X button fired ammunition while the O
discharged a deadly electrical-style blast. The triangle button turned thrust on
and off. If turned off, you would hover, akin to a Harrier jet. Climbing up,
entering a cloud and turning off thrust was a temporary respite from enemy
attacks. You simply disappeared. But the clouds were not static environmental
elements. They moved, and your ‘cover’ had a tendency to shift away from you.
The same held true for hovering while targeting ships. The only problem is that
the discharge from your guns would shift your positioning, often sliding the
craft away from optimal targeting.
The controls were very good, and the environments
were a visual treat. Water reflections, ships tearing apart under an attack, the
sun illuminating the top of a rocky spire off the island all combined for a
visceral treat.
Warhawk is an excellent example of what the PS3
will be bringing to the table. While the hands-on look was in a very finite
level, the taste was wonderfully rich and left a wanting for much more.
The percentage of completion was not available,
and few details in general were revealed – such as whether this would be ready
for launch and so on. Still flight-combat fans planning on a PS3 purchase would
do well to keep a watch on this title.
