How much do we love Warhawk here at TheSixthAxis? How about rating its spiritual sequel, LightBox Entertainment’s Starhawk, as our seventh most anticipated game of 2011 without even seeing a single screenshot of the game? Yep – that’s love for you.
Then again, isn’t that what anticipation is all about? Is it not natural, nay expected, that the less we know about a game the more we might anticipate it? And let’s face it, most people know diddley squat about Starhawk. We don’t even know if it’s called Starhawk!
We first heard the name back in April of 2009 when Superannotation spotted the registration of the title on behalf of SCEA. Sony, Hawk, we put two and two together and came up with awesome. Since then we’ve (mostly – see below) had to be content with frantically watching producer Dylan Jobe’s Twitter feed like a crack-smoking sniper. He’s been elusive at best, mentioning the odd time he’s travelled up to Sony to demo the latest build of their game (whatever it is) when he’s not giving some meagre insight into the studio’s proactively negative internal play-tests referred to as “Hate Sessions”; crucial review exercises that focuses on all that is not right with the game.
The source of our raw eagerness for Starhawk is, naturally, the hours we’ve collectively invested in Warhawk. A bold, some might say crazy, venture for Sony when the PS3 launched back in 2006, risk-takers that they are, Sony threw their support behind a game with no offline component whatsoever. They’d do it again with other titles such as Zipper’s MAG (and the upcoming MMOs) but, back then, especially considering the PS3 catalogue was (in)famously quite barren at the time, an online only multi-tiered shooter was deemed commercial suicide.
The naysayers turned out to be wrong, however, with Warhawk attracting a loyal – almost militant – following of players who could see past its sheer and intimidating vertical learning curve to appreciate what is one of the most nuanced and tactical games ever to grace a console. That said, Warhawk was not for the fainthearted. Warhawk was for dedicated souls with the patience of immortal saints. Some people really, really didn’t like it. After all, what newcomer likes getting owned for hours on end as they struggle to learn the controls? As a game it was a punishing, merciless, but ultimately finely tuned experience. Resist the urge to brain the dog with your controller, and when everything clicked in Warhawk it was one of the most enlightening and monumental moments in gaming you could have. Then you’d get owned for another ten hours straight.
Lucky for us, we know a few things about Starhawk (if that’s what it’s called) that are not public knowledge at the moment. Are we under an NDA? No. Did we assure our source that we wouldn’t talk about it until Sony were ready to unveil more about the title? Yes. Are we men of our word? Without falter. So, what can we say about Starhawk to get you, TSA’s readers, more excited about the game without breaking our promise? Well, there’s something about the game that immediately differentiates it from Warhawk, and we’re not referring to its location. Other than that, drumming up some excitement is actually easy: it’s number seven out of one hundred for a reason.
Trust us. It’s number seven for a reason.
Author’s note: Just a quick note to say Merry Christmas to everyone. This article wasn’t written on Christmas Day but we hope it finds you well, in good company and with some new games to play. I’m probably comatose right now, perhaps even collapsed into a Christmas tree covered in cake. Literally. Check back in tomorrow for #6.
teflon
Seven man multiplayer?
It’s going to be released for the Playstation 7?
It’s for the PSP, which will is 7 years old?
It will have 7 trophies, all of which are Platinums?
It’s coming out in July?
I give up.
mynameisblair
Rated 7+
Obviously.
Zuler
Hmm, what was some number in Warhawk that could now be a 7?
Like Teflon said, it probably is 7 person multiplayer, probably using 7 controllers on the same PS3. I have no idea how that would work, though.
colossalblue
Think more “it’s this high in our chart for a reason” rather than attaching significance to the number seven.
You’ve skimmed over the interesting bit.
*bites tongue*
Kevling
Dang, I’ve read this article 6 times and feel like I’m one of those people who can’t “do” Magic Eye pictures.
teflon
Damn you!
I hope biting your tongue really hurt you for a little bit… Not too long, mind…
mynameisblair
Read it 7 times and you’ll get it (probably not)
ARUMIR
7 Dragonballs
7 Chaos Emeralds
7 Sinners..
So 7 Months? Seven always seem to be linked to really powerful stuff
Kevling
7… Hmm… July? :D
Kevling
Well that’s my wishful thinking. Now racking my brain to work out how “7” is what differentiates it from Warhawk. Damn you cryptic clues!
cc_star
:D
cc_star
I played Warhawk solidly and exclusively for 2-3 weeks before it clicked, when it did click it was one of the greatest moments in gaming, sadly getting to that point takes ignoring all other games in your collection & sole focus on Warhawk – Not so many people could do that, it was a much easier task when great games were thin on the ground
Once you’ve got the skills, learned the maps & know the weapon drops it’s one of the most finely tuned experiences there is, the position of every tower, weapon, tree & rock is perfect.
I’m actually pretty worried that in all the redesign, ‘improvements’ & tweaking they lose what was amazing about Warhak
In Warhawk you’re always somebody’s prey
Dan Lee
*excitement* :oD
Stitch
That’s a lot of love right there!
ARUMIR
SEVEN!!
Wow that motor ad is powerful… think it was Kia
Zuler
Wait, it’s not a MMO is it? That bit just hit me for some reason…
Zuler
Now I know this is clutching at straws, but maybe user-generated content? Similar to what ModNation Racers did maybe?
I’m giving up guessing now :P
zb100
I’m thinking an MMO Elite style trader/shooter which would definitely focus on both single player stylee as well as clans/trading outfits in the style of Eve/etc.
That would be all kinds of awesome-sauce, especially the Reggae Reggae. I want Jamacian Dice in the wing-mirrors dude!
nofi
*giggles*
Thechunkymunky
Maybe Sony are going to reveal it in seven days from now?
fattonyxxl
Damn you all!
fattonyxxl
Immediately differentiates…Hmm. A campaign (but that’s a given, right?) Well you guys putting it up on your 2011 list means that you have a bit of knowledge that its released next year. Meaning it should be announced before E3? …
Oh I got it! it’s going to be in 7-D!
TheSquawkBox
I reckon you’ve hit it with the campaign mode. That would be the biggest way to differentiate it from Warhawk.