Split Second integrates the typical race HUD in a rather ingenious way.

There’s no doubt you haven’t heard of Black Rock Studios upcoming racing game Split/Second. A lot of interested has been bubbling with the recent videos showing some pretty impressive gameplay. The game flips some of the traditional elements you’d see in a typical racing shooter by adding destructible environments and special abilities that allow for some intense fast paced gameplay.

As seen in the screen shot above Black Rock has rather ingeniously introduced a integrated HUD into the mix. Instead of the typical direction with HUD elements located on the periphery Black Rock has clustered it all near the rear of the players vehicle and angled it in a way it feels like it’s apart of whats happening on screen. This not only puts relevant information right where the players are looking, the  center of the action, it does so without interruption.

Black Rock takes it a step further by adding effects to the HUD making it feel just as much apart of the action as the exploding buildings, crashing cars are. The HUD flickers and fades, glows hot and shifts around compensating for the moving camera. This adds to the action and these small but important effects serves to not only pull a player into the gameplay but still deliver important contextual information. When you see Split/Second’s clustered integrated HUD in action it really feels cinematic. It’s rare when a HUD can ads to the drama of the gameplay experience.

Be it be ammo readouts located on a weapon like some modern shooters have done, or health displayed on a playable character model similar to Dead Space. HUD integration is a good way to draw a player deeper into the experience. I encourage you to check the video after the break to see Split/Second’s HUD in action.

BioShock 2 returns to Rapture

The internet quaked with excitement as 2K released the first BioShock 2 game play footage via GameTrailers. I loved BioShock, even with it’s mediocre ending, it was still one of the most engrossing and memorable games I have played in ages, and it’ll hold a special place in my heart. So seeing the new footage excited me.

If you haven’t played and beaten the first game you may want to avoid the video after the jump. Otherwise, give it a look. It’s still in development, and it’s a very short video, but the game is looking very playable. The video shows some new faces and some old friends, and a quick peek at a neat underwater scene (I’d like to see more of this.) I’m going to wait for more game play footage before I really delve into commenting about the UI. My initial reaction is it’d be nice to see some of it toned back and moved more along the lines of EA‘s DeadSpace or take a page from Fight Night’s strategy.

Check the video after the jump, and leave a comment, what do you think?

So, here’s a salute to EA Redwood Shores’ for the UI work on their title Dead Space. The whole interface is extremely well done and is built to drawn the user into the experience. Instead of the typical action shooter HUD we are instead given a holographic projection that appear before the protagonist Isaac, viewed over his shoulder.

While that alone is enough to make me smile, the inclusion of the health meter into Isaac’s armor caused me to get practically giddy. A blue light runs up Isaac’s back changing and shrinking from blue to yellow and to red when things are looking grim. Instead of glancing away from the action to check health stats (GTA IV, Assassin’s Creed, etc.) the user is presented information in the center of the action. This draws them in more, and gives the players one of the best game play experiences they can have: immersion.