Traveling on Hell's Highway
Published July 12, 2007
Fresh from meetings with Ubisoft, favorful impressions are bubbling over for Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway™, the third title in Ubisoft's squad-based World War 2 first-person franchise. Let's cover the highlights.
Gabbing while they can.
Cover Destruction
The team at Gearbox has developed a dynamic system for destructible cover since last year's conference. Now, picket fences shatter and fall, statues crumble apart, and barrels gradually disintegrate under fire. In short, if it should break down under stress, it will.
Logical Health
The health system has been revamped to make better sense within the game world. The screen now fades to a darker shade of red to simulate where you're under threat, and areas of safety (such as a low wall for cover) remain clear and detailed. Take refuge in the safe areas, and the threat indicator will fade. Fail to do so and a bullet will find you quick enough.
Enemy Suppression
Suppression icons hover above enemies ready to fire on your squad, but shift to grey as you or your squad force the enemy behind cover with continual fire. Once fully grey, you know you can move about at far less risk to flank the enemy.
Taking cover and laying down a line of fire.
Massive Campaign
The story of Hell's Highway focuses largely on the real-life World War 2 campaign Market Garden, which saw the release of the largest aerial assault in human history dropping over 35,000 paratroopers behind enemy lines.
Cinematic Moments
Hell's Highway's in-game engine handpicks amazing moments of rare action to highlight with cinematic camera angles and slow-motion. For example, a remarkable headshot at long range could reward you with an up-close look at the kill animation. Likewise, a well-tossed grenade at a tightly clustered group of enemy soldiers may cut to slow-motion as the bodies fly.
Alone Time
For the first time in the Brothers in Arms series, there are extensive solo periods, without the assistance of your brother soldiers. According to Ubisoft, some ten to fifteen percent of the game is now played solo, with most of these isolated encounters taking place indoors.
Brothers in Arms Hell's Highway is set to launch this November. Stay tuned to Xbox.com for more detailed coverage as we approach its release.
Article by Ryan Treit
