Hawken Website Overhauled, Open Beta Dated
Image via Adhesive Games
Mechs. Big stompy mechs. Big stompy mechs with guns. Big stompy mechs with guns and jump packs.
If that sentence didn’t make you feel special in your private place the way it did for me, then you may want to skip this article and find yourself something trite and banal. Andrew probably has something ready for you.
For all the other boys and girls who, like me, make a long and pronounced squeaks of joy and delight every time the game Hawken comes up in conversation, then you should probably stick around for another couple of hundred words.
Schedule permitting, I’ve been keeping a fairly close eye on Hawken, the FTP online deathmatch game where you pilot giant mechs, battling over the scarce resources of a war-ravaged distant world. Developed by soon-to-be- indie darlings Adhesive Games, it initially impressed critics on the back of its simply stunning graphics. In the months that have followed its debut, it’s continued to impress those same critics with the fact that it’s damn good.
All of this critical praise has built up something of a buzz around the game. In order to engage better with the game’s burgeoning community, the Hawken team have overhauled their website and community forums, giving both a much-needed lick of paint.
Previously, I’d mentioned that the release date for Hawken was pegged for 12/12/12. I’m not sure if I’ve made a mistake there or if something has changed, but the new website is confirming that 12/12/12 is actually the date that the game’s open beta will go live. What that means is that those of us who’ve been unfortunate enough not to score an alpha or closed beta key will be able to finally get access to the game. An open beta is generally the last step in a game’s development; a free-to-play test designed to get as many players as possible in for last minute testing, balancing and bug-finding.
You’re still able to sign up for the closed beta, and I suggest you do so. If you win one, you can always pass it my way. Right?
Right.
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