Warhawk

It was supposed to take off with the PlayStation 3. Instead, Warhawk--a next-gen remake of the PS1 game of the same name, which mixes soaring dogfights with down-in-the-mud vehicle and infantry combat--was grounded until June. Even worse: Rumors flared that the all-new ground-bound bits were getting nixed. "That's 100 percent false," says Director Dylan Jobe. "The full scope of warfare is a key aspect to our next-gen re-imagining of Warhawk." Jobe admits that the prolonged incubation period will see some "edits" to the game, but they'll come with plenty of balance and polish.

In particular, developer Incognito is tweaking the motion-sensing controls that drew so much initial attention to the game (Warhawk was the poster child for the Sixaxis controller). Still, Jobe admits that pitching and yawing your joypad to fly your Warhawk gunship will take some getting used to. "I think of it as the same 'paradigm pain' we all went through when we played PC shooters and switched from keyboard to mouse," he says. "Keyboarders started getting schooled by mous-ers--and eventually, mouse control won. I think we'll see the same thing with the Sixaxis and the flight genre."

So you have until June to get used to the idea of using your joypad like a flight stick (or just play Blazing Angels, which offers that feature now). And if nothing else, the game's failure to launch at launch will give you that much longer to invest in an up-to-snuff high-def boob tube. "The added pixel resolution that HD provides makes a big difference when spotting targets," he says. "Playing Warhawk in HD is like being a pilot with amazing vision."

At first glance. Warhawk may look like your average, run-of-the-mill shooter, but after playing through the very first level, it was obvious that there was much more to the game than meets the eye! First of all, many games of this type may boast some impressive graphics and cool features, but are very limited since you are always flying along a set course. Perhaps the best feature of Warhawk is the freedom to fly anywhere throughout the level. This way, if you're going in low for an attack pattern on a ground target and miss, you can then hit the thrusters, do a 180-degree banked turn and set up for a second attack. As far as the overall look, one could go on forever on how incredible the graphics are. but more important than that is how smoothly the game plays. Warhawk is among the second generation of titles that will be released for the PlayStation, which means that the programmers are starting to learn how to unleash the true powers of this incredible system. As far as controls go: superb! Warhawk is one of the few games available on the PSX that utilizes every button on the controller while in flight. One very unique feature of the controls that separates this game from all the other shooters or trench running-type games that have been released in the past is the throttle control. Other games such as Total Eclipse and StarFox may feature some limited throttling abilities, such as a boost or a brake, but Warhawk incorporates full throttle control in both forward and reverse. This advantage, along with the fact that you can fly in any direction, makes for one incredible game. For example, the Bosses at the end of the levels can be very tricky to defeat, and may need some strategic planning. Flying in just to unleash every weapon you have available may be fun, but also suicidal. Your best bet would be to come in low, raise your altitude, target the enemy and make the kill. Sounds easy, but it's not! Being able to hover is nice, but it also means you're nothing more than a sitting duck.

If you take a considerable amount of damage to your shields, you reverse your throttle, back off find a place to hide out while your shields recharge, then go back to finish off the enemy. Up until now, platform shooters have always been inferior to the PC titles that can offer brilliant graphics and features while still keeping the true "flight" integrity in the game. Warhawk is well on its way to closing the gap between the keyboard and the controller.

Just as Shock Wave kept the 3DO flying two years ago, Warhawk now helps launch the PlayStation in high style. This sophisticated shooter puts the "awe" back into "awesome."

High Flier

Warhawk sends you on six Desert Strike-style missions that take you from arid wastelands to water worlds and tight tunnels. Each mission requires you to find an evil dictator's fuel supplies while surviving long battles against his ground and air defenses. Flying from either a behind-the-ship or cockpit perspective, you blast wave after wave of tough enemies.

Fortunately, you are well prepared for Warhawk's wars. Your ship is a combination helicopter/fighter jet that hovers, goes backward, roars forward, or executes steep, banked turns. An array of armaments (including homing Swarm Missiles) and powerful pickups (especially the devastating Doomsday Bomb) make you one tough pilot.

Excellent controls let you pull off some of the most precise maneuvers in any shooter. Warhawk effectively uses all of the controller's action buttons and directionals, so you can execute sidesteps, rolls, and loops (which you couldn't do in Shock Wave). You can reconfigure the controller, and you can switch views on the fly.

Soar Eyes

Warhawk's graphics are top flight. Sharp full-motion video sets the stage for the action, detailed setup screens thoroughly describe each weapon, and simple status displays don't intrude. Smoking planes and bright explosions litter the sky during dogfights, while big cruiser ships loom ahead waiting for your attack.

The sounds also soar.

Clear voices and war noises ring true, and the orchestrated music sounds like something from Star Wars.

War Wounds

If there's a flaw in this game, it's the difficulty. The intense fight begins immediately with no warm-up, and even on the Cranny setting you'll eat a lot of desert before you master the complex controls. But the crashes and burns are worth it: Warhawk's a winner.

Warhawk had E3 combat pilots buzzing about its wild ride. The arcade-style air-to-air and air-to-ground fighting will take place in a 360-degree environment; that is, you'll be able to fly anywhere, any time. The Warhawk is a high-tech chopper and fighter hybrid that you'll fly via multiple camera views. You'll need them because the enemy has anti-aircraft weapons everywhere.