9 Mediocre Video Games Made Awesome By Twists

It’s hard not to look at Haze and remind ourselves of its wasted potential. Initially deemed a “Halo killer”, Free Radical Design’s FPS game was a surprise miss after their acclaimed work on TimeSplitters, becoming their last release in 2008 before being bought out by Crytek.

You played as Sgt Shane Carpenter, a veteran soldier for the ruling Mantel Corporation. Controlling the world’s population through a drug called Nectar, it limits what each soldier sees, drowning out dead bodies and destruction.

Sent to eliminate a South American rebel group called The Promise Hand, Shane becomes aware of the drug’s effect on his surroundings after a series of failed injection attempts. Every war has two sides and upon meeting rebel leader Merino, Shane realises he's been on the wrong side of history.

Later rescued by rebels after suffering Nectar withdrawal, he’s discovers he’s been brainwashed by Mantel, having been fed propaganda this whole time. Swearing allegiance to Promise Hand, he then takes up their cause and starts destroying Mantel’s Nectar supplies.

The game received widespread criticism, but most agreed that it held promise, with it being the execution that was lacking. Its story wasn’t exempt from criticism but this twist brought to us the concept of a self-aware soldier.

It gave Haze some story redemption, though better examples have since followed.