Warhawk Ready For Launch

Not everyone managed to get into the Warhawk Beta that wanted to, and if you didn’t manage to claim a spot in the PS3′s finest multiplayer game yet, here’s a quick recap before the game (hopefully) hits European shores at the end of August.

Essentially a third-person Battlefield clone, Warhawk brings enough new ideas to the mix to push it above the console version of Battlefield 2, including a simpler class system (there isn’t one) and more emphasis on air-to-air battles rather than just spamming the helicopter missiles. There’s also 4 player split-screen which allows you and 3 buddies to instantly join online battles without them having to own their own PS3 – a neat (and generous) system.

There are four main game modes, the most Battlefield-like is Zones, which plays much the same as DICE’s first person shooter where you score points for strongholds held across the battlefield. The other modes (Deathmatch, Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag) are exactly as you’d expect, but across a far more visceral, explosive playing area.

Some game mechanics have been toned down since the Beta (sniper rifles have been nerfed slightly) and the Sixaxis motion controls have been tightened up, making this a product of much testing in the real PS3 community. The 32 player battles are super smooth and the maps are huge, making team play a real requirement – hence the inclusion of the Jabra bluetooth headset in the US retail package.

We can’t wait to get our hands on Warhawk.