By now you have most likely heard that this game will be available in stores at $59.99 with a free Bluetooth headset and can also be downloaded online via the Playstation Online Network for $40.00 — headset not included of course. With five maps available upon release and four game modes to chose from, you may feel a bit limited at first, but the game offers a great mix of different gameplay experiences wrapped into one.

The development team behind Twisted Metal series is back with a PS3 exclusive that promises to feed your need for intense multiplayer action. Be it on the ground or in the air, this game is flat out fun to play and surprisingly addictive. There is something about running around and then hoping into a plane, flying, landing, and then running around some more that makes up for the games lack of additional maps. As hectic as all of that may sound, the game is very well balanced.

The key to Warhawk’s successful execution of organized chaos starts with the games extremely well thought out level design. This includes meticulous attention to detail and dynamic weapon placement that varies based on game mode and player count. Framrate is smooth and the overall look and feel is slightly stylized and esthetically pleasing.

If you are fan of nonstop action then this title will definitely float your boat. The game offers a good mix of weapons, aircraft, tanks, and other ground artillery. Each weapon has its pros and cons requiring gamers to think quickly and make timely decisions to counter their attackers.

Gamers enter each match equipped with a pistol, two grenades, and a knife. While other weapons are available and scattered about the map, the default items at your disposal upon spawning can still be very powerful if used properly. At close range the pistol and knife can prove to be extremely deadly, and who doesn’t love a good grenade kill?

If a more strategic experience is what you are after then Warhawk may have you pressing the eject button and pulling the cord on your schutte. This is not to say that the game lacks the strategic aspect completely. Warhawk has moments where you and your teammates will need to “hold down the fort” but for the most part it is balls to the wall arcade like action.

If you love to snipe (and who doesn’t) the days of complaining that there are no good spinning spots are over because one quick jump into an aircraft and that perfect spot is all yours. Air strikes are always fun and Warhawk delivers some of the best if you can manage to pull them off. The strike is called in binocular mode (similar to COD3) however that is where the similarities end. In Warhawk you will need to lock onto the enemy for a good three seconds. While that may not seem like a very long time, the giant yellow beam of light that connects your current location to the enemy screams “hey guys I am over here” and you really don’t want that kind of attention now do you.

The four game modes are far from vanilla. For example, one game mode revolves around capturing and controlling large zoned areas of land. In this mode, gamers must constantly monitor their borders, communicate with teammates, and play as a team in order to prevent enemies from capturing territories that compromise their own.

By default, capture the flag has a built in twist that requires your team wait twenty seconds before recapturing your own flag after killing the would be thief who stole it. Settings such as this can be altered, but are examples of the type of predicaments within the game that may call for situational strategy.

In short though, there is really are no severe penalties for death within the game and this aspect alone could be the games single biggest downfall as it makes strategy difficult to implement at times. The multiplayer exclusive game delivers an experience that is impressive and relatively lag free. Warhawk offers a unique gameplay experience that aims to keep you entertained, running late for work and calling in sick, for at least a few months.

Tags: Warhawk

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