H.A.W.X. 2 Screenshots Accompany Detail Dump

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After announcing Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2 with little in the way of details, publisher Ubisoft today unleashed variety of details on Ubisoft Romania's PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii aerobatic action game along with some screenshots.

The information dump is compromised of two documents, the first being a fact sheet that discusses specifics of the PC, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 editions:

Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2

Product Description

AERIAL WARFARE HAS EVOLVED
Aerial warfare has evolved. So have you. As a member of the ultra-secret H.A.W.X. 2 squadron, you are one of the chosen few, one of the truly elite. You will use finely honed reflexes, bleeding-edge technology and ultra-sophisticated aircraft - their existence denied by many governments - to dominate the skies.

You will do so by mastering every nuance of the world's finest combat aircraft. You will slip into enemy territory undetected, deliver a crippling blow and escape before he can summon a response. You will use your superior technology to decimate the enemy from afar, then draw him in close for a pulse-pounding dogfight. And you will use your steel nerve to successfully execute night raids, aerial refuelings and more.

You will do all this with professionalism, skill and consummate lethality. Because you are a member of H.A.W.X. 2. and you are one of the finest military aviators the world has ever known.

Key Features

DEVASTATE YOUR ENEMIES WITH PROTOTYPE TECHNOLOGY
Use all your skills to command an astonishing array of cutting-edge technology and overwhelming firepower, delivered by tomorrow's finest combat aircraft. From the F-35's vectored thrust capability to the ultra-secret Enhanced Reality System, you'll light up the skies with a suite of experimental technology available only to a chosen few.

AIR WARFARE BROUGHT TO THE NEXT LEVEL
Fly as an elite tactical aviator:

  • Go head-to-head in close-range dogfights
  • Take off and land on bases and carriers
  • Sweat through night precision bombing
  • Track your targets using silent UAV's then strike from above
  • Use air-to-air refueling in the middle of missions

GET UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL TO THE WAR OF TOMORROW
See the enemy's canopy shatter as your cannon shreds his aircraft. Feel the thundering impact of your laser-guided bombs as you roar close overhead. War may not be pretty, but it sure looks impressive.

PROVE YOUR METTLE ABOVE THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS LOCATIONS
From Moscow to the Persian Gulf, from the Arctic Circle to the Indian Ocean, actual high-resolution GeoEye commercial satellite imagery ensures an astonishing degree of realism.

Product Specifications:
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Romania
Street Date: Fall 2010
Category: Air Combat/Action
Rating: Rating Pending
Players: 1-8

Though not discussed in detail above, H.A.W.X. 2 is also due on Wii in "Fall 2010."

For the second document, Ubisoft performed its own Q&A with the developers:

HAWX 2 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - 1st look By Bogdan Bridinel, Game Content Director and Emil Gheorghe, Producer.

1. What is the story behind the HAWX squadron?
HAWX is an elite military squadron performing black ops and surgical interventions on behalf of the United States government. HAWX pilots are elite professionals and they have access to the top equipment and aircraft available, ranging from mainstays like the A-10 Thunderbolt II or the F-16C Fighting Falcon to the cutting edge F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II. They also have access to more specialized equipment, like surveillance UAVs or the AC-130U Spooky gunship.

2. What is the storyline and how does it unfold. What is the setting and when does it happen?
The storyline in HAWX 2 starts in the Middle East,in the near future. The HAWX squadron is deployed in the Middle East, where insurgent activity is showing a rise both in the level of activity and in the violence of it. With new insurgent leaders rising in several hotspots of the world and a number of nuclear weapons belonging to Russia being mysteriously stolen, a storm is brewing and the HAWX are sent to the center of it. As the story unfolds, the HAWX will have to discover the source of the new threats and fight this dangerous new adversary. The HAWX will not be alone this time - the story will also show missions of a British naval pilot and of a Russian pilot, all of them caught up in the same complex web of conspiracies and conflicts. You will also be able to catch a glimpse of other familiar characters, as the events in HAWX 2 and all other Tom Clancy games take place in the same universe.

3. Can you tell us a bit about the main characters?
The player will be swapping between three groups, one American, one British and one Russian, each with its own pilots, its own cast of supporting characters and its own dramatic questions.

4. What kind of aircraft we can fly?
HAWX2 features a very strong selection of aircraft including several new additions. Expect to fly the top aircraft available in the following years worldwide including F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, Su-37 Terminator, Eurofighter Typhoon,Rafale. You will also be able to fly some of the most iconic older generation aircraft, like the F-117 Nighthawk or the legendary F-14A Tomcat. Apart from that, the AC-130U Spooky and the new UAVs will be playable, each providing a specific gameplay experience.

5. As a Tom Clancy game, how connected with the real world developments is HAWX?
HAWX2 is driven by the latest military evolutions and forecasts in terms of hardware, tactics and technology. We made sure that we incorporated key moments that the public will recognize from the real world military conflicts such as precision bombing using smart ammunition. We took into consideration for example the ascent of the UAV as an effective reconnaissance and attack platform that allows new tactical options and increased survivability and persistence on the future battlefields. Our approach emphasizes also the increased network centric nature of the incoming conflicts, in which the pilot is just the spearhead supported by a large variety of assets including firepower and surveillance platforms.

In terms of story, we were also inspired by current events and where they could lead. We did this well enough that sometimes we stumble in the media on an event that sounds eerily similar with something that we have in the game - let's just hope that none of the things that happen in the latter part of the game comes true!

6. Can you give some details about the new weapons and capabilities in HAWX 2?
The main new addition to the player's arsenal is the inclusion of precision weapons, which allow him to aim and designate the location of the strike with perfect accuracy. There are several such weapons, including a missile that the player can control while in flight.

7. Give us some examples on how you incorporated player feedback from HAWX 1?
Listening to the player feedback, we understood that we needed to focus more on delivering an authentic experience and to add the features that increase this feeling of authenticity and of belonging to a real world. This meant, for instance adding take off and landing (which was requested by many players), but also adding various features that weren't necessarily requested by players, but we felt would go into the same direction and increase the authenticity of the experience.

8. Can you describe a bit the new environments and technology used for them in HAWX 2?
We are using the top solution available, GeoEye hi-res satellite imagery. Our environments are huge - 130km x 130km - which is what you need when you give players the freedom to sprint around at Mach 2. They offer some spectacular and diverse vistas, including mountains, deserts, mountainous coastal regions and some well known cities, like Cape Town. We also manage to add a great deal of detail where it matters - for instance you will be able to see people going about their jobs in the bases where you take off.

9. Are there drones or UAV's in HAWX 2? What role do they play?
Yes, unmanned aerial vehicles are in and they play an important role. Using an UAV, you will be able to spy on enemies without being detected, listen in on their conversations and gather important information. Some of this information can be surprising, pushing the story in a new direction. Armed UAVs will also be featured, offering their ground attack capabilities in some missions.

Chris Faylor was previously a games journalist creating content at Shacknews.

From The Chatty
  • reply
    May 26, 2010 12:41 PM

    Was HAWX any good?

    • reply
      May 26, 2010 12:44 PM

      It was like Burnout with planes but not as good.

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      May 26, 2010 12:56 PM

      I thought it was really terrible. I couldn't keep with it past the first 3 or 4 missions.

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      May 26, 2010 3:36 PM

      I thought it wasn't bad. If nothing else, it felt extremely repetitive, although I can say that about a number of Ubisoft games)

      • reply
        May 26, 2010 4:23 PM

        Agreed. I thought that Ace Combat 6 was definitely the better game.

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      May 26, 2010 4:56 PM

      I quite liked it myself. The missions offered enough variety to keep me entertained, especially the end game ones. The large variety of planes available in combination with the various weapons packages really enhanced the experience. The "assistance off" mode was an interesting feature. It made air-to-air combat more exciting. I wasn't a huge fan of multiplayer, not did I expect to be. Never tried coop. The game is arcade-influenced. If you want more of a simulation experience, I wouldn't bother playing it. I'll note that I played the entire game using a Xbox360 gamepad. It may not be very enjoyable with a keyboard and mouse, especially considering the game was designed with the xbox360 gamepad in mind.

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      May 26, 2010 6:32 PM

      its was ok, not worth going out of you way to find it though

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      May 26, 2010 9:41 PM

      I didn't like how all the planes you fly feel the same. They all turned on a dime and felt light as a feather. Felt more like I was flying a paper airplane.

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      May 28, 2010 8:23 AM

      I was surprised how much I enjoyed it. Very pretty, controlled well, reasonably fun competitive multiplayer. I loved playing missions with up to 4 people to. super good.

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