Starhawk Beta Impressions

When Incognito Entertainment (now Lightbox Interactive) released Warhawk on PSN in 2007, it was considered by many to be one of the best multiplayer experiences available at the time. It was a multiplayer-only title unlike anything that had been seen at the time. Warhawk put 32 players in a massive arena, dropped vehicles into the mix, and let the pandemonium ensue. It was critically well received and was a sucess for Sony.

Fast forward five years---Lightbox is finally releasing an unofficial successor to Warhawk in the form of Starhawk. Dubbed as "Warhawk in space", Starhawk takes all of the elements that made Warhawk so great, while also introducing some unique new features. Unfortunately, I never had the pleasure of playing Warhawk, but that doesn't mean I couldn't enjoy Starhawk.

The game is currently in public beta (it should be noted that only those with a code that was povided in retail copies of Uncharted 3 and subscribe to PlayStation Plus have access to the beta) and I have been having the time of my life with it. It makes me regret missing out on Warhawk. After three solid hours with Starhawk, I can confidently say it's one of my must buy titles for the year

Starhawk has been a joy to play, with its furiously paced 3rd person shooter action and unique implementation of RTS traits, you will lose hours to this game. You may be wondering how an RTS/shooter fusion might work, but it works astoundingly well. Warhawk vets and newcomers will welcome the new system that Lightbox has named  "Build n' Battle", which allows players to build bunkers, sniper towers, turrets, weapon cache's, and vehicles right in the middle of battle.

In the time I spent playing capture the flag, I found that the system works seamlessly with the action. I found no hiccups in the system and I was impressed at how Lightbox was able to make this work. When you first spawn you're given a set amount of resources and you gain more as you do things. By "do things" I mean annihilate everything that moves.
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You can commandeer your very own mech in Starhawk. In addtion to the obligatory jeep with mounted turret, you can also build mechs. Say word.

Let me give you an idea of just how insane the game can get. During a CTF match the opposing team focused on heavy artillery. They flooded the battlefield with vehicles and they were decimating us. This was maybe my third game. I was still getting acclimated with how the "build n' battle" system worked, but once I got the hang of it that's when I was finally able to compete. I decided to build a jeep depot relatively close to where two mechs were shredding a path for their teammates to get to our flag.

I figure the best thing to do is flank these guys, so I drive the jeep to higher ground and mount the turret. They were across from me oblivious to the fact that I was going to drop the rain. Two minutes later I had destroyed two mechs and I was 900XP richer. I had the biggest grin on my face. Of course, I was destroyed within minutes of giving away my position, but the point is I was having fun.

I understand the game is still in beta and glitches are to be expected, however, I didn't experience anything outside of the typical issues. You know, walking through walls, texture pop-in, invisible weapons, etc. I'm not going to nitpick because there really isn't much point. It's not a finished product and none of these neglible issues detract from what I feel will be one of this years most promising titles. The beta has two play modes (TDM and CTF) and two maps. The included maps are considered "small" maps. I can't wait to see what Lightbox can do with the larger maps.

The major differences between Warhawk and Starhawk is the Build n' Battle system, and the inclusion of a single player campaign. It should be interesting to see what they do with the campaign, considering that Warhawk was strictly all about multiplayer action. I really like how Lightbox Interactive is handling the beta.

They're making it incredibly easy for players to share what they would like to see change. In additon to the standard feedback found on their website, Light Interactive is letting players submit feedback on their Facebook page. I thought this was a smart way to get the community to convene and discuss changes, likes, dislikes, and how to help Lightbox deliver the best experience. Starhawk will see release in May. For those of you who have yet to try the beta, you need to get on it. This is a unique shooter that will leave you craving more. Believe me I'm already sold on it.