Starhawk Review
An innovative shooter that is worth checking out for PlayStation 3 owners
There are some concerns though. In non-full servers, the action can be too infrequent due to travel time and potentially a lack of organized attack. Multiplayer maps are largely barren landscapes, without any real distinctive features or memorable scenarios. Modes themselves – DM, TDM, Zones and CTF – are nothing you haven’t seen before. For a multiplayer-focused game with an opportunity for unique gameplay with the Build mechanic, that’s fairly disappointing. The only mode that feels interesting is Zones, where players battle to control points of the map where they can build up defenses and advance further. Due to the earlier mentioned limitation on how many buildings can exist, means that players have to take risks and destroy the defenses of some locations in order to protect the others.
As you play, you’ll go through the usual cycles of a modern online shooter by earning experience, which lets you customize your soldier and outfit them with new gear and abilities. The game’s co-op mode Prospector is straightforward, letting you and three friends battle against waves of increasingly difficult enemies, who are attempting to destroy an energy rig.
This is a decent looking game, as it runs smoothly both online and during the campaign. The game’s cutscenes are presented in a cool visual style, and the overall feel of the game leans heavily towards a space western. Though don’t get excited too much, FireFly fans, there’s nothing particularly memorable about the art style or the feel of the world. One thing that the game does really well is the background visuals of some locations - these can be quite breathtaking and make Mass Effect 3 jealous. The dialogue is well delivered, but the actors had to work with some rather painful lines. Audio design is sufficient and won’t stand in the way of your enjoyment, but it’s not something you’ll remember very well either.
Starhawk, then, is a rather solid entry to the PS3 lineup. It isn’t a game that’s going to sell consoles, but there is none the less some enjoyment to be had here. An enjoyable campaign, if short and poorly written, will provide solid groundwork for your multiplayer experience. The Build system is certainly unique and provides an interesting mechanic not seen elsewhere, though the online modes fail to take any real advantage of it. Starhawk ultimately doesn’t quite live up to Warhawk’s legacy, though not due to any lack of quality, but by not taking full advantage of its biggest gameplay asset. As it is, Starhawk is a competent entertainment offering with a neat trick up its sleeve.
Our ratings for Starhawk on PlayStation 3 out of 100 (Ratings FAQ)
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