Bom galera o Halloween já passou, muita gente já curtiu festas sobre esse tema que nada  tem a ver com nossa cultura, mas que sempre acaba se fazendo presente nos finais de Outubro principalmente por motivos comerciais.

Escrever sobre games de terror em épocas perto da comemoração do Halloween ou em uma sexta-feira 13 é bastante oportuno ou clichê. Mas aproveitei o embalo e também o fato de ter terminado a pouco tempo o excelente Silent Hill 3, para escrever um pouco sobre os games de terror, o gênero chamado “Survival Horror” que é composto por games que tem a intenção de assustar o jogador, assim como filmes já fazem a muito tempo.

Muitos gamers mais novos podem achar que o gênero de games  Survival Horror surgiu com o lançamento de Resident Evil em 1996. De fato  Resident Evil  foi um game que marcou, teve grande popularidade ajudou a definir um gênero de jogos. Porém o mundo dos games começou a explorar o tema “terror” desde o começo da década de 1980, ainda no Atari 2600, ou apenas Atari  nós brazucas.

A idéia desse especial é mostrar vários games que surgiram em diversas épocas  com objetivo dar sustos  e ao mesmo tempo entreter os jogadores. Então é hora conferir a primeira parte desse especial e encarar uma viagem por cemitérios,criptas,mansões esquecidas, cidades abandonadas e se preparar para encarar zumbis, vampiros , demônios e mais um monte de criaturas das sombras.

Produção: Wizard Games

Lançamento: 1983

Plataforma: Atari 2600

Pois é , embora os games de terror só tenham recebido uma classificação própria na geração 32 Bits ,  fato é que desde o Atari 2600, os fabricantes aproveitam para lançar games explorando esse segmento. Na minha pesquisa para esse especial , descobri coisas que nem esperava e uma delas é o game Haloween, lançado em 1983 para o Atari 2600, o jogo é baseado no filme homônimo de 1978, que tinha como destaque o assassino Michael Myers. O jogo foi produzido  pela Wizard Games, uma divisão da Wizard vídeo, empresa que possuía os direitos de distribuição em VHS das séries Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Massacre da Serra Elétrica) e Halloween.

Claro que com o crescimento da indústria de games e o Atari 2600 em alta, os  nossos amigos da Wizard Videos não poderiam deixar de capitalizar em cima do público que assistia aos filmes e o logo criaram um divisão da empresa para produzir jogos baseados nos filmes. Sim !  Mais de 20 anos atrás empresas já tentavam lançar games baseados em filmes e o resultados em geral  são como os de hoje,  games de medianos a ruins.

No jogo  você assume o controle de uma garota que trabalha como babá  e terá que salvar crianças que estão espalhadas pelas salas de uma casa, antes que nosso amigo serial killer Michael Myers acabe com elas. O game segue desta forma até que jogador perca todas as suas vidas, pois como vários games do Atari, a dificuldade aumentava e o game seguia infinitamente, assim como o clássico enduro.

Quando o jogador era pego, a garota tinha sua cabeça cortada e ficava com o corpo correndo e jorrando sangue (Sim a violência está nos games desde os primórdios!).

Por aqui o jogo foi chamado de Sexta- Feita 13(????????).  Não entendi como  colocaram o título dos filmes de Jason no game de  Michael Myers. Mas enfim, devido aos “incríveis gráficos” do game, não faria diferença se fosse Michael Mayers, Jason Voorhees, um carregador de mudanças ou qualquer mané de vestindo um macacão cinza.

Engraçado que mesmo nos Estados Unidos o game foi lançado de forma bastante sem vergonha, pois nem ao menos uma ilustração do game havia no cartucho, apenas havia  um papel escrito “Halloween” em um pilot cor de abóbora.  Mas sério a embalagem do game tão era safada  que parecia até aqueles DVDs/CDs que todo mundo já comprou no camelo pela grande oferta de 3 por R$ 10,00.

Porém havia também uma  versão que possuía capa, embora depois de muito analisar não conseguir entender  do que se trata a imagem na capa do game, se alguém tiver uma idéia pode falar.

Mas brincadeiras a parte, o game até que funcionava bem para época que foi lançado, tinha a inconfundível trilha sonora do filme e também por ter uma das primeiras cenas de violência da história dos games e explorar o tema terror.

Review do Angry Video Game Nerd

Sweet Home

Produção: Capcom

Lançamento: 1989

Plataforma: NES

Agora vamos falar do game que segundo Shinji Mikami, foi a fonte de inspiração para o projeto  Resident Evil, no game o jogador assume o controle de 5 personagens vão até a mansão de um famoso pintor para fazer um documentário  sobre sua vida e  suas obras de arte que permanecem no local, mas acabam sendo pegos pelo espírito da esposa do pintor e aí que começam os problemas para os personagens.

O game apresenta uma visão aérea  é possível escolher  entre vários personagens, cada um com uma habilidade distinta que ajudará o jogador a encarar as dificuldades do game , como a enfermeira que carrega kits médicos que ajudam a curar o seu time ou ainda a menina carrega uma chave especial que pode abrir diversas portas especiais, os combates são feitos por no estilo RPG, por turnos com o jogador podendo selecionar opções como atacar , defender e fugir.

Interessante as semelhanças entre Resident Evil e Sweet Home, o fato de ambos passarem em uma mansão no meio da floresta, aqueles “loads safados” disfarçados de cenas de portas abrindo. E  claro zumbis também aparecem nos dois games, interessante  ver como  a Capcom quase 10 anos após o lançamento de Sweet Home usou muitas influências desse game antigo em Resident Evil , que foi o game qual definiu e popularizou o gênero Survival Horror.

Sweet Home nunca foi lançado fora do Japão, por isso quase ninguém conheceu o game, ainda mais aqui no Brasil. Mas se tem curiosidade vale a pena pegar um emulador de NES, pois hoje não é difícil encontrar uma ROM de Sweet Home traduzida para inglês.

Dê uma olhada em como é o game

Sexta- Feira 13

Produção: Galoob

Lançamento:1988

Plataforma: NES

Se games baseados em filmes de terror estavam ficando populares nosso amigo Jason, o apreciador de grandes facas afiadas não poderia ficar de fora disso. Pois se Michel Myers tinha um game, porque o assassino de Cristal Lake também não teria um? Toda a ação do game acontece no acampamento do Lago Cristal, morada de Jason, onde o jogador deverá andar por diversos caminhos do parque para salvar seus amigos do afiado facão de Jason.

O game tem uma jogabilidade 2D, dividida duas partes,em  uma delas em que o jogador anda  por várias trilhas do acampamento do Parque Cristal  procurando chalés onde possa resgatar seus amigos de Jason. Essa parte lembra um pouco o clássico Ghosts and Ghouls, porém com gráficos mais coloridos. Já a outra parte da jogabilidade acontece  dentro dos chalés onde a visão muda para as costas do personagem e o jogador resolve pequenos quebra cabeças antes de enfrentar Jason.  O jogo foi considerado por muita gente na época bem difícil, destaque para as aparições extremamente apelonas do Jason que muitas vezes surgia de repente e com uma velocidade 10 vezes maior que a de seu personagem.

Video

Nightmare on Elm Street

Produção: Rare

Lançamento:1990

Plataforma: NES

Nightmare on Elm Street é o título original de  “A Hora do Pesadelo”, série de filmes criada por Wes Craven, que tem como vilão e principal personagem o  vilão Freddy Krueger, imortalizado pelo ator Robert Englund.

Bom, se Michel Myers e Jason Voorhees tinham seus jogos,obviamente  Freddy Krueger como ícone de filmes de terror da década de 80 também deveria  também deveria ter o seu.

O game colocava o jogador na pele de um jovem que deve  encarar Freddy, para sair do pesadelo . O game tem a jogabilidade voltada para o gênero plataforma e ação porque é necessário ser bastante preciso nos pulos, principalmente para recolher os itens que muitas vezes ficam em lugares difíceis de alcançar e para terminar as fases era necessário coletar todos os ossos de Freddy espalhados pelo local. No início você conta apenas com socos para encarar  inimigos como aranhas gigantes, ratos, morcegos, esqueletos e zumbis , mas com o passar do game o jogador pode conseguir power ups que podem transformar seu personagem em feiticeiro ou ninja para tentar facilitar as coisas.

Nightmare on Elm Street mostrou alguns conceitos interessantes como em fases dentro das casas do rua Elm onde se sua energia , chegasse a zero o game iniciava o modo pesadelo, onde os inimigos mudavam e a fase ficava bem mais difícil, tudo bem que algo semelhante já havia sido feito em Castlevania II: Simons Crest, outra característica interessante era o fato de até 4 pessoas poderem participar das partidas.  O game tem alguns problemas principalmente ligados a falta de precisão nos saltos e poder muito ruin de encarar os inimigos sem os Power ups.  Mas caso tenha um emulador de NES no seu PC vale a pena dar uma conferida no game e encarar mais um pesadelo de Freddy.

Video

Alone in the Dark

Produção: Infogrames (Atualmente Atari)

Lançamento 1992

Plataformas: PC , MAC , 3DO

O primeiro game desta série é considerado o pioneiro do gênero survival horror por ter características como cenários pintados e personagens em gerados em 3D. Ok os personagens eram feios pra caramba, mas lembrem-se, estávamos em 1992 com PCs 386/486, então isso pode ser considerado um grande feito.

A história conta que Jeremy Hartwood cometeu suicídio na Mansão Decerto na Louisiana, você assume o controle de Edward Carnby, um detetive particular e Emily Hartwood , sobrinha de Jeremy , para tentar descobrir o que aconteceu  e desvendar os mistérios do local. Durante o game vários elementos  que se tornaram populares com Resident Evil e viraram padrão estão lá, como criaturas quebrando janelas, inimigos surgindo de repente, itens encontrados em um lugar e utilizados em outro lugar distante, câmeras colocadas em lugares estratégicos, além da parte sonora que funcionava muito bem, colocando músicas tensas nos momentos onde surgiam as criaturas.

Primeiro Alone in the Dark era baseado nos livros do escritor H.P Lovecraft e ainda teve duas continuações produzidas pela mesma equipe da Infogrames Alone in the Dark 2 que embora tivesse gráficos melhores,  não foi muito bem recebido pela crítica e por jogadores por causa de seus problemas de jogabilidade, principalmente com o sistemas de câmeras ruin.  Já Alone in the Dark 3 manteve os mesmo gráficos, porém com o game mais fluído e com mais velocidade, mas com poucas inovações apenas repetindo o que já havia sido feito nos episódios anteriores da série.

Alone in the Dark mais tarde ainda teve o episódio The New Nightmare lançado para PS1 e PS2 e uma nova versão chamada apenas Alone in the Dark, que foi lançada para PS3, X360 e PC, mas falarei dessas versões em outra oportunidade.

Vídeo

Isso aê , essa foi a primeira parte do especial galera, espero que tenham curtido e podem postar pra dizer o que acharam,  até a próxima.

Nesse fim de semana peguei o jogo Grand Prix 4 com a temporada de 2008. Estava quebrando a cabeça para fazê-lo funcionar no Windows 7 64 bits, mas vi uma dica na internet…

Basta habilitar o modo de compatibilidade. Eu coloquei para Windows 98. Fica aí a dica.

Você conseguiu rodar? Então deixe um comentário!

Lange ist es her, dass ich mir diesen rechteckigen, grauen Kasten namens Playstation gekauft habe. In meiner persönlichen Auswahl möchte ich Ihnen die Spiele vorstellen, die mir in besonderer Erinnerung geblieben sind.

Der König des Prügelspiels

Die durchschnittliche Bewertung von Tekken 3 liegt bei 96 % (Quelle: metacritic.com).

Tolle Spielbarkeit, hübsche Grafik und viele verschiedene Kämpfer, das sind die Erfolgszutaten für Tekken 3. Bei der großen Charakter-Auswahl ist für jeden Spieler ein(e) passende(r) Kämpfer(in) dabei. Nehme ich Eddy, der wie ein aufgekratzter Sportler nicht ruhig auf der Stelle stehen kann und die wildesten Verrenkungen vollführt? Oder lieber Hwoarang, der mit seinem langen Beinen Gegner zurück auf den Boden der Tatsachen holt? Oder, oder, oder… Die Grafik war damals sehr hübsch und bestach vor allem durch flüssige Animationen, bunte Effekte und aufwändige Rendersequenzen. Wer fleißig gespielt hat, schaltete zudem den sogenannten „Tekken Ball Mode“ frei. Darin stehen sich zwei Spieler gegenüber und schlagen oder treten auf einen Ball ein. Der fliegt dann zum anderen Spieler, der den Ball im richtigen Moment zurückschlagen muss. Der Clou: Je öfter der Ball einen Treffer kassiert, desto schneller wird er. Ist das Tempo am Anfang sehr moderat, geht es später um schnelle Reflexe. Wer dann zu spät oder zu früh auf die Tasten haut, wird vom Ball getroffen und hat die Runde verloren. Extrem simpel, extrem spaßig.

Runden-Strategie-Schwergewicht

Front Mission 3

Es gibt da ein Spiel, mit dem man sich locker wochenlang beschäftigen kann: Front Mission 3. Das Spielprinzip erinnert an den Klassiker Battle Isle. Sie kommandieren rundenweise eine Handvoll Mechs (hier Wanzer genannt) auf kleinen oder großen Schlachtfeldern. Erst dürfen Sie ihre Einheiten in Stellung bringen und feindliche Truppen angreifen, danach ist die künstliche Intelligenz an der Reihe. Nun, was ist so besonders an diesem an sich bekannten Spielprinzip? Erstens: Ihre Einheiten verbessern sich im Kampf. Sie lernen neue Fähigkeiten, wie etwa höhere Treffsicherheit, die anschließend zufällig bei Angriffen eingesetzt werden. Außerdem dürfen sie von Zeit zu Zeit neue Ausrüstung für ihre Wanzer kaufen, was zum Weiterspielen motiviert. Zweitens: Die Geschichte dreht sich um einige zentrale Figuren, die sie während der strategischen Kämpfe befehligen. Die Charaktere sind dabei nicht austauschbar, sondern wachsen einem während der „über 150 Stunden Spielzeit“ (Zitat von der Packungsrückseite) ans Herz.

Rollenspiel mit innovativem Kampfsystem

Die durchschnittliche Bewertung von Vagrant Story liegt bei 92 % (Quelle: metacritic.com).

Denke ich zurück an Vagrant Story, kommen mir solche Dinge wie „packend-inszenierte Geschichte“ oder „tolles Kampfsystem“ in den Sinn. Das Rollenspiel ging in vielerlei Hinsicht neue Wege. Die Geschichte wurde in tollen Zwischen- sequenzen erzählt – und das, obwohl sie ohne Sprachausgabe auskommen. Mit dem Helden fieberte man bald mit, wurde doch seine unschuldige Familie umgebracht. Auch das Kampfsystem bot Neues: Traf man auf einen Gegner, fror die Zeit ein. Nun konnte man in aller Ruhe ein Körperteil anvisieren (ähnlich wie heutzutage in Fallout 3). Doch es ging auch um schnelle Reflexe. Im richtigen Moment galt es, die Angriffstaste zu drücken, um einen weiteren Schlag auszuführen. Nach dem ersten konnten Sie einen weiteren Treffer landen, haben Sie das passende Zeitfenster erwischt und so weiter und so fort. Doch viele Treffer in Folge hatten auch ihren Preis: Die „Risk“-Leiste füllte sich, sodass die Wahrscheinlichkeit sank, Gegner bei folgenden Attacken zu verletzten. Da hilft dann nur, einen Trank zu sich zu nehmen, der das „Risk“-Level wieder senkt. Neben diesen Alleinstellungsmerkmalen durften Sie obendrein noch eigene Waffen zusammenbauen.

Durchbruch der Stealth-Actionspiele

Die durchschnittliche Bewertung von Metal Gear Solid liegt bei 94 % (Quelle: metacritic.com).

Was hier 1999 in Deutschland erschien, sollte die Spiele-Landschaft nachhaltig beeinflussen. Metal Gear Solid machte nicht nur den Schöpfer Hideo Kojima zu einem der berühmtesten Spiele-Entwickler, es folgten auch viele weitere Spiele, die das Prinzip ums Schleichen und Austricksen der künstlichen Intelligenz aufgriffen. Als Solid Snake sollen Sie eine Terroristen-Basis infiltrieren, so viel zum Ausgangspunkt der Handlung. Dafür schleichen Sie sich an allerlei Wachen vorbei, lenken Sie ab und überwältigen Sie. Natürlich kommen auch Schusswaffen zum Einsatz, doch die Munition ist meist knapp und daher ist eher subtiles Vorgehen gefragt. Die spannende Handlung und das durchdachte Spielprinzip sorgten für so große Begeisterung, dass weitere Nachfolger und Erweiterungen erschienen.

Hervorragender Ego-Shooter

Die durchschnittliche Bewertung von Medal of Honor: Underground liegt bei 86 % (Quelle: metacritic.com).

Die bekannteste Ego-Shooter- Marke heutzutage ist wohl Call of Duty mit dem demnächst erscheinenden Modern Warfare 2. Im Jahr 2000 war eine andere Reihe bestens bekannt: Medal of Honor. Damals erschien der zweite (Playstation-)Teil: Medal of Honor: Underground. Als französische Widerstandskämpferin sabotierten Sie die Achsenmächte. Auch wenn Sie manchmal als Fotografin verkleidet feindliche Lager ausspionierten, waren Sie die meiste Zeit mit dem Gewehr im Anschlag unterwegs. Die abwechslungsreichen Levels führten sie durch Frankreich, Italien, Griechenland, Deutschland und Afrika. Der hervorragende Soundtrack sorgte für eine intensive Spielerfahrung, die Gefechte machten einfach eine Menge Spaß und die grafische Qualität war für Playstation-Verhältnisse sehr gut.

Hack and Slay

Die durchschnittliche Bewertung von Diablo (PC-Version) liegt bei 94 % (Quelle: metacritic.com).

Diablo ist eine der Spielmarken überhaupt. Inbegriff der Sammelwut. Wegbereiter für das BattleNet. Erfolgsmarke von Blizzard. Glücklicherweise haben die Entwickler auch an die Playstation-Besitzer gedacht und eine angepasste Version für die Konsolen-Spieler herausgebracht. Natürlich musste die Steuerung des Action-Rollenspiels für das Gamepad angepasst werden. Kurios: Während das Spiel auf dem PC nur in englischer Sprache erschien, wurde die Playstation-Portierung übersetzt. Das Spielprinzip blieb aber unberührt. Am Anfang entscheiden Sie sich für eine von drei Charakter-Klassen (Krieger, Jägerin oder Zauberer) und erforschen nach und nach jedes der 16 zufallsgenerierten Levels. Dabei treffen Sie auf Horden von Monstern, die sie bekämpfen. Sie erhalten Erfahrungspunkte, steigen im Level auf und dürfen die Attribute ihres Helden verbessern. Außerdem lassen manche Gegner wertvolle Items fallen, etwa Rüstungen, magische Ringe oder bessere Schwerter. Das Prinzip ist simpel, lässt Sie aber nicht so schnell wieder los. Auf dem PC dürfen Sie im BattleNet mit anderen Spielern die Dungeons erforschen, die Playstation-Version dürfen Sie immerhin zusammen mit einem Freund/einer Freundin spielen. Manche Spieler dürfen es doof finden, dass man stets zusammen auf einem Bildschirm die Gegend erkundet. Ich finde das gerade besonders gut, da man stets zusammen unterwegs ist und sich so ein starkes „Wir-Gefühl“ entwickelt. Diablo wurde von Blizzard vorbildlich auf die Playstation portiert, einzig die langen Ladezeiten nerven etwas.

Witziger Worms-Klon

Frontschweine

Frontschweine greift das Spielprinzip von Worms auf und reichert es mit einer netten Einzelspieler-Kampagne an. Rundenweise bewegen Sie ein Schwein aus ihrer Truppe über die dreidimensionalen Schlachtfelder, entscheiden sich für eine Waffe, zielen, legen Winkel und Feuerkraft fest und hoffen, dass sie möglichst großen Schaden beim gegnerischen Team anrichten. Sind alle feindlichen Truppen erledigt, ist die Mission gewonnen. Die Kampagne ist witzig präsentiert und motiviert, denn Sie dürfen ihre Truppen später auch aufwerten. Das Ganze macht zusammen mit Freund enbesonders Laune. Auch wenn der Schwierigkeitsgrad im Verlauf der Kampagne etwas zu stark ansteigt (Stichwort: Treffsicherheit der künstlichen Intelligenz), so wurde mit Frontshweine ein bekanntes Spielprinzip gelungen adaptiert.

Zusammen stark

Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles

Zugegeben, Star Wars: Episode I: Jedi Power Battles gehört nicht unbedingt in eine Bestenliste. In dem Actionspiel schnetzeln Sie sich als Lichtschwert-schwingender Jedi durch Unmengen von Feinden. Eigentlich ist das nichts besonderes. Doch es gibt eine Sache, die das Spiel aufwertet: der kooperative Mehrspielermodus. In dem dürfen Sie zusammen mit einem Freund/einer Freundin durch die Levels rennen. Das macht noch einmal deutlich mehr Spaß, als das Spiel alleine zu bestreiten. Als nervig sind mir die Sprungpassagen in Erinnerung geblieben, bei denen man schnell wertvolle Credits verlor.

Ein schönes Wochenende und viel Spaß beim Spielen wünscht

Felix

Lembram-se da Infogrames? Aquela companhia que prostituía os Looney Tunes e Asterix como se não houvesse amanhã? Pois, talvez a reconheçam melhor como Atari hoje em dia, que prostitui o Dragon Ball mais que o Akira Toriyama.

Espera, creio que me enganei no tempo do verbo prostituir. É que a Namco Bandai comprou das mãos da Atari o único ganha-pão deles. Mas o que aconteceu a seguir, poucos estavam à espera.

Já festejava eu o fim da Infogrames e a morte do nome amaldiçoado da Atari (lembram-se do crash dos videojogos? pois…) mas o destino tinha pregar uma partida à indústria. No passado dia 22 a Infogrames anunciou que largou o nome Atari Europe para um mais talhado aos seus negócios promíscuos, Namco Bandai Partners.

Já prevejo títulos fantásticos como Asterix Katamari ou Dragon Ball Z VS. Looney Tunes.

E sinceramente tenho as minhas dúvidas em relação a este negócio, como se a Namco Bandai tivesse sido enganada a comprar a Atari juntamente com os direitos de distribuição Dragon Ball…

Por: Kamikaze_Tutor

Atari has been in trouble for a long time now. It was acquired by French company Infogrames (of which Mr. Harrison became president) and underwent serious changes last year.

As a result Infogrames announced annual net loss of €226.1M ($319.5M) for 2008/2009 mostly due to restructuring charges.
Phil Harrison announced that he would step aside after a year as president to be non-executive Director of the Group. He will continue to help with the company’s strategy.

Despite this their revenues have gone to €136.4M ($192.4M), up from €90.3M ($127.4M) last year.
Infogrames also announced that it would take the Atari name and move basis of operations to the U.S.

As far as games go they said that they canceled several games but did not give details as to which ones.

These are definitely tough times for the old firm but let’s hope they are able to weather the storm and become stronger in the process.

Phil Harrison is stepping down from his position as president of Atari, according to a report by Gamastutra.

Gamasutra reports that the company’s business operations will be shifting to the US, and Harrison will still be a part of Atari’s board of directors in, “a non-exectutive capacity assisting with the game maker’s strategy.”

This announcement came as Atari’s parent company, Infogrames announced a net loss of €226.1 million ($319.33 million) for their fiscal year.

The losses top last year’s €51.1 million ($72.17 million).

It was only last year when Phil jumped ship with Sony and hopped aboard with Infogrames.

A lot more information here: Gamasutra.

En matière de jeux vidéos, les marques ne s’y sont jamais – ou presque – trompées. Depuis les aventures McDonald’s sur Nintendo au récent jeu gratuit Volvo – la marque est à l’agonie, ça doit ravir les ouvriers – en passant par les monographies façon F355 Challenge sur Sega Dreamcast, le jeu vidéo est un terrain privilégié pour les marques : communauté dédiée, ciblage ultra précis et affinitaire, proaction des consommateurs… Tout est réuni pour délivrer des messages qui passeront clairement.

Infogrames, l’éditeur de Guitar Heroe, l’un des grand succès de ces dernières années jouit ainsi d’un goodwill que tout bon marketeur sait reconnaitre… et exploiter. Résultat : une innovation tout droit issue de l’industrie. La marque blanche. En clair, face au succès des opus maison, Infogrames commercialise la licence Guitar Heroe à qui veut. Metallica inaugure le cycle, les Beatles sont annoncés, suivi d’une tripotée de 6 autres groupes “mythiques”…

Voilà qui devrait donner un coup de boost à vos stratégies de merchandising Messieurs des Majors.

Шъ ви дам аз 12 милиона...

Scott Miller (с основател на 3D Realms), хвърли малко светлина във връзка със заведеното наскоро дело, в което Take-Two Interactive твърдя, че са инвестирали над 12 милиона долара в Duke Nukem Forever.
Всъщност се оказва, че през 2000 година, Take-Two са платили 12 милиона долара на Infogrames за правата по издаването на DNF. 3D Realms обаче не са получили нито пени от тези пари, и точно за това не смятат да връщат каквото и да е.

Scott Miller опроверга и другият слух, според който Take-Two са им предложили 30 милиона долара за правата върху играта, но 3D Realms били отказали. “Щяхме да се възползваме без колебание”, ако това щеше да ни даде възможност да завършим DNF, е коментара му по темата.

Та в общи линии извода е – Take-Two са откупили правата от Infogrames и ние няма да им връщаме нищо, и не, никой не ни е давал 30 милиона за играта… ако беше щяхме да се възползваме

Съдбата на Duke става все по неясна…

Източник: No $30M Offer for Duke Nukem IP, Says 3D Realms [shacknews]

Deom/De: Atari

CHARACTER FACTSHEET:

DR. ILYSSA SELWYN
(voiced by Alyssa Milano)

Dr. Selwyn is an expert in Sumerian and pre-Sumerian cultures, and, along with the Reschler Group, is recognized as one of the world’s foremost authorities on Gozerian mythology. She is currently in New York City serving as supervisor and guest curator for the highly anticipated ‘World of Gozer’ exhibition opening Thanksgiving weekend 1991 at the Natural History Museum. Gozerian mythology has attracted a wide popular following since the still-unexplained events and attacks that occurred in the city in 1984.

Ilyssa is working late at the museum the night before the opening when a potentially cataclysmic force is unleashed and summons an ancient enemy back to the city. Strange events continue to erupt around her: what secret does she know? It’s up to the Ghostbusters to help Ilyssa find the key and stop the forces of evil that threaten the world. That’s if they can keep Peter Venkman from hitting on her every three minutes.

Ilyssa Selwin’s Personal History
Born to unknown parents Nov 15, 1961, Ilyssa was adopted by Jeremiah and Fabienne Selwyn, anthropologists associated with the prestigious Chicago Institute for Ancient Eastern Studies. Ilyssa spent much of her childhood accompanying her adopted parents to archaeological sites throughout Asia and Europe, and on lecture circuit tours around the world.

She attended the exclusive Selsemme Academy in Kuwait until age fifteen, when her parents were killed in a cave-in. Her academic achievements allowed her to enter the University of Illinois early, and generous scholarships awarded by Trompe Corporation, the Shandor Foundation, and the Chicago Institute funded her education.

Ilyssa earned her first Ph.D. in Anthropology from Columbia University, and her second from University of California, Berkeley in Applied Archaeological Sciences. Like her childhood, she’s spent much of her career on digs and giving lectures. The three academic journals she published went largely unread until the Gozerian craze swept New York City in the early 90’s.

Ilyssa enjoys traveling, modern painting, French New Wave cinema, is fluent in six languages (two of which haven’t been spoken in over four thousand years), plays violin proficiently and is learning the cello. She dislikes abrasive or pushy personalities.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

Ghostbusters: The Video Game, based on the smash hit motion picture franchise and featuring a completely new story, is coming to six game systems on 19 June 2009. Coinciding with the 25th anniversary celebration of the film’s original theatrical release, the game reunites original cast members to recapture the unique blend of humour and fright that established Ghostbusters as a pop culture sensation.

Penned by original Ghostbusters writers Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd, Ghostbusters: The Video Game brings members of the original cast together for the first time in 20 years. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson lend their voices and in-game likenesses to the original story set two years after Ghostbusters II, with Manhattan once again overrun by ghosts and supernatural forces. Players will have the chance to hunt, wrangle, and trap ghosts in a funny and frightening battle to save New York from its latest supernatural plague.

For more information about Ghostbusters: The Video Game, please visit www.ghostbustersgame.com and for Atari’s entire product line up, please visit www.atari.com.

From/De: Atari

ALYSSA MILANO UNVEILED AS LOVE INTEREST IN UPCOMING BLOCKBUSTER TITLE ‘GHOSTBUSTERS: THE VIDEO GAME’

Alyssa Milano Takes on the Role of Dr. Ilyssa Selwyn, Archeologist and Love Interest, in ‘Ghostbusters: The Video Game’ Coming June 2009

LYON, FRANCE – 20 March 2009 – Atari today unveiled Alyssa Milano as the new love interest in the forthcoming blockbuster title Ghostbusters: The Video Game. Alyssa Milano is best known for her roles in long running successful television series “Who’s the Boss”, “Melrose Place”, “Charmed” and most recently “My Name Is Earl” to name a few. Milano joins members of the original cast from the beloved Ghostbusters movies to recreate the unique blend of humour and fright that established Ghostbusters as a pop culture sensation.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game prides itself in staying true to the Ghostbusters universe, so it just wouldn’t feel right if Bill Murray’s character, Dr. Peter Venkman, wasn’t turning on the charm. In Ghostbusters: The Video Game, he’s chasing one in particular: Dr. Ilyssa Selwyn is a smart and sassy archaeologist who doesn’t take too kindly to Dr. Venkman’s advances.

In the game, Milano’s character, Ilyssa Selwyn, is an expert in Sumerian and pre-Sumerian cultures and is visiting New York City as guest curator for the highly anticipated ‘World of Gozer’ exhibition opening in 1991 at the Natural History Museum. In the story line, Gozerian mythology has attracted a wide popular following since the still-unexplained events and attacks that occurred in the city in 1984. Ilyssa is working late at the museum the night before the opening when a cataclysmic force is unleashed and summons an ancient enemy back to New York City. Strange events continue to erupt around her: what secret does she know? It’s up to the Ghostbusters to help Ilyssa find the key and stop the forces of evil that threaten the balance of the universe. That’s if they can keep Peter Venkman from hitting on her every three minutes.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game, based on the smash hit motion picture franchise, is penned by original Ghostbusters writers and stars Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. The other original Ghostbusters, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson, lend their voices and in-game likenesses to the original story set two years after Ghostbusters II, with Manhattan once again overrun by ghosts and supernatural forces. The player joins up as a new recruit with the original team, testing a variety of unique equipment and gadgets, to track, wrangle and trap this wide range of awe-inspiring phantasms in an all new funny and frightening battle to save New York City from its latest paranormal plague.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game will be available on the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, Games for Windows®, PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system, Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ in North America on 16 June 2009 followed by worldwide release on 19 June 2009 to coincide with the 25th anniversary celebration of the film’s original theatrical release. For more information on Ghostbusters, please visit www.ghostbustersgame.com, and for Atari’s entire line up, visit www.atari.com.

Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II combined to gross over $500 million world-wide at the box office. The film spawned some of the most memorable comedic catch-phrases and scenes in motion picture history. To further celebrate the film’s 25th anniversary milestone this year, Sony Pictures Consumer Products has licensed the property for several new commemorative products including: toys, t-shirts, comic books, prop replicas, and a theme park attraction. In addition, the original Ghostbusters car (Ecto-1) has been fully restored with plans for special promotional appearances throughout the US and additional replicas touring across Europe. The Blu-ray Disc release of Ghostbusters will see unsurpassed picture and audio quality and advanced new bonus features including Slimer Mode, a picture-in-picture graphical viewing experience, a featurette on the refurbishing of Ecto-1, and more.

About Alyssa Milano
Alyssa has a history of starring in long running successful television series. She most recently starred on the hit WB series “Charmed” for nine years. The series’ debut was the highest-rated premiere in the network’s history, and continued to be a great success for Spelling and The WB. The show’s international appeal has brought it to more than 100 territories around the world, spanning Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia. She also starred on the Fox cornerstone series “Melrose Place.” She began her career on ABC’s “Who’s the Boss” which aired for eight years. Milano was most recently seen in a recurring role on the hit NBC comedy, “My Name is Earl.”

Alyssa’s film credits include “Hugo Pool” co-starring Sean Penn and Robert Downey Jr., the Imagine/Universal film, “Fear,” and “Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star.” She also provided a lead voice for Disney’s recent sequel to the animated favorite “Lady and the Tramp.” She was recently seen as the title character in the Lifetime Original movie, “Wisegal,” (which she also produced).

About the Game
When Manhattan is once again overrun by ghosts and other supernatural creatures, players will take on the role of a new recruit joining the famous Ghostbusters team. Developed by acclaimed studio Terminal Reality, Ghostbusters: The Video Game will make its debut on the PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft and Windows PC. The PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system version and the Wii version are being developed by Red Fly Studios, and the Nintendo DS™ version, in which the player takes the role of one of the Ghostbusters themselves, is developed by Zen Studios. The PLAYSTATION 3, Xbox 360, Wii, and PC versions of the game are developed using Terminal Reality’s phenomenal proprietary Infernal Engine technology.

About the Film
Ghostbusters, released in 1984, is one of Columbia Pictures’ highest grossing films, spawning a hit sequel in 1989 and three successful animated television shows. Ghostbusters and its sequel grossed over $500 million world-wide. Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II, written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, produced and directed by Ivan Reitman, starred Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson as ghost hunters for hire, cleaning up Manhattan’s buildings of slime-spewing spooks.

About Sony Pictures Consumer Products
Sony Pictures Consumer Products (SPCP), a division of Columbia TriStar Consumer Marketing (CTCM), is based in Los Angeles and handles the merchandising and branding efforts for some of the most recognized properties in film and television.

Columbia TriStar Consumer Marketing is a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE). SPE is a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America (SCA), a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE’s global operations encompass motion picture production and distribution; television production and distribution; digital content creation and distribution; worldwide channel investments; home entertainment acquisition and distribution; operation of studio facilities; development of new entertainment products, services and technologies; and distribution of filmed entertainment in 67 countries. Sony Pictures Entertainment can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.sonypictures.com.

About Infogrames Entertainment and Atari:
The Infogrames group, including the Atari brand, is a global producer, publisher and distributor of interactive entertainment software for all market segments and all interactive game platforms including consoles from Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony Computer Entertainment, advanced smartphones, Personal Computers, web and online. Its games are sold in more than 60 countries through an international distribution network and direct to consumers via www.atari.com.

Atari’s extensive catalogue of popular games is based on original franchises (Alone in the Dark, Test Drive, V-Rally, My Horse & Me, Backyard Sports franchise, Total Annihilation, Outcast etc.), publishing properties (The Witcher, Legendary, Race Pro etc.), international licenses (Dragon Ball Z, Dungeons & Dragons, Jamie Oliver etc.) and classic games covering the entire history of the video game industry (Pong, Missile Command, Asteroids etc).

© 2009 Atari Europe SASU. All rights reserved.
Atari word mark and logo are trademarks owned by Atari Interactive, Inc.

“GHOSTBUSTERS”, The Video Game © 2008 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. “GHOSTBUSTERS” with the “GHOST DESIGN” is a registered trademark of Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. “GHOSTBUSTERS”, and “GHOSTBUSTERS 2″ movies © 1984, © 1989 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. Game Software excluding Columbia Pictures Elements © 2008 Atari, Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.

Microsoft, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox LIVE, and the Xbox logos are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies.

“PlayStation”, “PLAYSTATION” and “PS” Family logo are registered trademarks of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Wii and Nintendo DS are trademarks of Nintendo. © 2006 Nintendo.

Windows and the Windows Vista start button are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries and are used under license from owner.

# # #

The proposed bailout of the American auto industry broke down Thursday night after Senate Republicans blocked its passage. Making matters worse, the bailout broke down right after its warranty had expired.

The bailout plan rejected by the Senate would have had the car industry overseen by a government appointed “car czar.” The position would have been more appealing than the comparable job for the bailout of the financial industry: the bank skank.

In a lunch with GOP Senators on Wednesday, Dick Cheney proclaimed that if aid to the auto industry was rejected it would be Herbert Hoover time. At that same lunch, President Bush proclaimed that it was Peanut Butter Jelly time.

According to the state controller, California will run out of money by March. California will then have to sell its PT Cruiser and move back into its mother’s basement.

Anti-government riots by Greek youths that began after the shooting death of a fifteen-year-old boy have continued into their second week. Observors said it was the angriest they had ever seen Greek youths over anything that didn’t involve old philosophers buying them from them families and repeatedly sodomizing them.

A commission has concluded that New Jersey legislators should pass a law allowing gay couples to marry. The law would be largely symbolic, however, as no self-respecting homosexual would ever live in New Jersey.

A new poll says the average American is working 46 hours a week in 2008, up from last year’s average of 45. However, the average in 2009 is expected to drop to zero.

Due to budget shortfalls, NPR will lay off eighty-five people and cancel two of its programs. To save even more money, NPR is changing its afternoon news program to “Only a Few Things Considered.”

Oprah Winfrey explained that her weight has increased to 200 pounds because she fell “off the wagon” of good health. And then she ate the wagon.

Michael Jackson’s famous glittery glove will be sold at an auction next year. As a special bonus at the auction, boys’ pants will be half off.

Jennifer Aniston appears nude on the January cover of “GQ.” Not to be outdone, Angelina Jolie appears nude in bed with Brad Pitt every night since 2005.

Nine-year old Alec Greven has sold the movie rights for his recently published self-help book, “How to Talk to Girls.” Greven will also write the script, since there aren’t any screenwriters who know how to talk to girls.

Tara Reid’s publicist announced that the actress has checked herself into rehab. The most shocking fact in this story: Tara Reid can afford a publicist.

Legendary gaming system Atari, which has been hoping to reinvigorate itself, has been purchased by French game publisher, Infogrames. So look for next year’s exciting new releases, Depardieu and Transportation Strike.

A man in Minnesota has what may be the oldest fruitcake in the world, which was reportedly baked in 1911. All other fruitcakes were baked in 1912.

New research shows that people have an easier time losing weight when they are rewarded with money. On the other hand, people have a harder time losing weight when they are rewarded with cake.

Diego Montoya, whose Colombian cartel exported nearly 70 percent of the cocaine sold in the United States and Europe, was extradited to the United States on Friday. Responded Montoya: “My name is Diego Montoya. You killed my cocaine cartel. Prepare to die.”

Irish officials confirmed that cattle on three farms have tested positive for the cancer-causing substance, dioxin. The cattle have also tested positive for blarney.

A new survey reveals that thirty-eight percent of adults use alternative medicine instead of traditional health care. That number fell to two percent, however, once participants were informed that alcohol and marijuana do not count as alternative medicine.

And finally, 1950’s pinup queen Bettie Page died Thursday of pneumonia at age 85. Page will be buried topless to encourage the next generation of dead to loosen up a little.

Champions Online and Star Trek Online now fully owned by Infogrames (who also own the zombie Atari label).

Cryptic’s titles were going to be published by 2K Games; Ten Ton Hammer got a hold of 2K and got a “Uh… they did what? Uh, we’ll get back to you guys.” comment.

Not too many independent MMO producers left; Cryptic was one of the bigger ones.

Who you gonna call?

Apparently a French owned company. Infogrames subsidiary Atari has confirmed that they have secured the Ghostbusters video game which was given a vague release date of 2009. The rumor started after Dan Aykroyd told a radio that Atari was about to sign for publishing rights.

In the wake of the Activision-Blizzard merger several games are left homeless and it seems that Atari is picking up the best choices (Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena)…at least the ones I’m most excited about, as opposed to THQ who picked up the next 50 Cent game.

Atari to Publish ‘The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena’ Worldwide Spring 2009

NEW YORK, Oct 30, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ — – New Follow-up to Acclaimed First Person Shooter ‘Escape from Butcher Bay’ Sends Anti-hero Riddick on a Brutal New Adventure -

Atari, one of the world’s most recognized video game publishers, today announced that first person shooter The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena is joining its 2009 publishing and distribution line up. In conjunction with Universal Pictures Digital Platforms Group, Tigon Studios and acclaimed developer Starbreeze Studios, Atari is bringing the franchise to the new generation of consoles for the first time packed with thrilling new adventures. The highly anticipated title is scheduled for launch on the Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION(R)3 computer entertainment system and Windows(R) PC in spring 2009.

Previously announced as a remake of hit title The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay with added content, Atari can today reveal that The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena contains a brand new full-length campaign. This exciting announcement promises a title which will include the original game re-imagined for a whole new audience, an entirely new chapter in the Riddick saga and, for the first time, intense online multiplayer combat, making The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena a must-have experience for any fan of intense action gaming.

“It’s very exciting to have Assault on Dark Athena as part of Atari’s 2009 publishing line-up,” said Phil Harrison, President of Infogrames Entertainment, the parent company of Atari. “The first game in the series was a landmark in action gaming and the outstanding team at Starbreeze are creating a feature-packed follow-up which will delight fans and new players alike.”

“The Riddick IP offers a rich universe from which to develop no-holds barred games, and we’ve believed that since the days of the Pitch Black film,” said Bill Kispert, Vice President and General Manager, Interactive, Universal Pictures Digital Platforms Group. “Assault on Dark Athena extends the franchise fiction; adds to the mythology with new storylines, characters and locations while remaining true to the original material; and gives fans an experience they haven’t seen before. As we introduce this new Riddick chapter, we are also excited to welcome Atari to the Riddick family.”

“We’re thrilled about this remake and expansion of Escape from Butcher Bay.” said Ian Stevens, Head of Game Production, Tigon Studios. “Assault on Dark Athena tells a new story in The Chronicles of Riddick, while at the same time sharing our original vision with a larger audience. We’re excited about the coming months and talking more in-depth about new features like the addition of Multiplayer!”

“Working with the Riddick franchise for us is an extraordinary experience,” said Johan Kristiansson, CEO, Starbreeze Studios. “We are deeply enthusiastic about the partnership with Atari that will bring this rich game experience to a new generation of consoles. With this release we’ve pushed the limits of the Starbreeze engine, delivering an extensive game package designed to thrill gamers worldwide. We can’t wait for it to hit the shelves.”

In The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena the player takes the role of Riddick, as played by Vin Diesel, using stealth and action to overcome the merciless crew of the predatory Merc-ship Dark Athena which awaits its prey in the dark reaches of space. Cheating death through a series of spectacular battles and events, Riddick will fight for his life amid a storm of malevolence and horror. The Chronicles of Riddick series of games takes the player deeper into the universe of Universal Pictures’ films The Chronicles of Riddick and cult classic Pitch Black, which first introduced Vin Diesel as enigmatic anti-hero Riddick.

Featuring a brand new exhilarating adventure, a high-definition re-imagining of the classic Escape from Butcher Bay campaign and new multiplayer options, The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena will thrill fans when it launches in spring 2009.

Introduction
There are no two words that send chills as quickly down the spine of gamers, no matter what system they prefer, like that of the phrase: ‘Licensed Game’. While you would expect that most fans of whatever franchise that is being rendered into the polygonal world should be ecstatic, usually they are quaking in fear. No other genre of gaming has been so effectively mutilated by the gaming industry as those that are based on another company’s property. Only recently has the trend started to change, with a few examples like The Lord of the Rings and Spiderman being worthwhile endeavors that just happened to be based on a blockbuster movie. Each system, dating back to the Atari 2600, has had their share of royal stinkers, and most of these have been licensed material including: E.T. (Atari 2600), The Fantastic Four (PSOne), Superman 64 (N-64) and Enter the Matrix (PS2/Xbox).

The question that one should next ask would be, “Why did this happen, and why does it continue?” Most developers complain that they are too restricted by the licensing agreement, which ties their creative hands. Others quote the fact that most of the available funds go to purchasing the agreement, so not much is left over for the actual development of the game. No matter what the reason, the outcome is crystal clear and it stinks to high heaven. The truly sad part is that no matter how many times fans have been burned by horrible creations, they still continue to be drawn to them uncontrollably, like moths to a flame. If you are wondering why I am up on my soapbox ranting about these problems, it’s because I am one of these gamers also.

When the boss walked up to my desk a few days ago and slid a copy of Looney Tunes: Space Race (LT:SR) onto it, my first thoughts ran wild with ecstatic joy. These guys were my buddies growing up. I lived for each Saturday morning, when I could sit in front of the television, munch on a box of Fruit Loops and watch the Bugs Bunny and Friends Show. Now, I could have the chance to become part of their wackiness and secretly revisit my childhood. Then, in all this glory, my world came crashing down around me. This was a licensed game and I should expect nothing but a lonely trip to the innermost circle of Hell. How did this adventure turn out? Read on, brave warrior, and experience the trials and tribulations of my latest quest.

Gameplay
If you cut away all the fancy trimmings, Space Race has its genetic origins in the kart racing genre. Infogrames (known today by the moniker Atari) has replaced the wheeled variety, seen in most of these styles of games, for that of jet powered hovercraft. There are nine different craft available in the game, although some of them need to be purchased, and each one is reflective of the character doing the piloting duties. Most of the big-named characters make an appearance in the game, including: Porky, Bugs, Daffy and Wile E. Coyote. Although there are some additional non-playable cameo appearances by some characters, I was disappointed in the small character selection that Infogrames included.

Graphically, Space Race is nothing impressive. The framerate is steady, and all of the characters look like their Saturday Morning personas. All of the locales are well drawn, and the tracks are average at best. Nevertheless, there just isn’t the same feel that one gets from watching the reruns on television. You just don’t seem to fall into the grasp of nostalgia and become part of the experience.

All of the wacky vehicles handle almost exactly the same with only some very minor differences, which most players won’t even realize. Nevertheless, the control is loose enough to give you a cartoonish feel, but tight enough to keep your vehicle on the track. There is no power sliding around the turns (hovercraft do not power slide), however you do have the ability to slip sideways to miss obstructions that are placed directly in your path. Unlike a real driving experience, the brakes are hardly used and most turns can be navigated by simply letting off of the accelerator to coast through the variety of turns.

The control schemes come in four selectable, preset patterns, none of which I personally liked. Since I wanted to use the right analog stick to accelerate and brake, I was forced to have the L3 button as my turbo. This constantly resulted in accidental discharge of my turbo blast, usually when I was in a twisty section of the course, and shot right through a corner and dropped off of the elevated track. This is one option I really wish game developers would take into consideration. Every player has a unique comfort zone with the DualShock 2, and we all use it differently. Why not make the game user-friendly, so we can set up the controller to our liking? I’m sure it would result in a happier overall experience. The analog pressure ability of the dual shock is utilized, however it is very unnoticeable and unnecessary, since it’s a full acceleration race for most of the journey.

The game is broken down into five different racing modes. Most of these are self-explanatory and include the single race, tournament race, time trial, multiplayer and the ACME events. The ACME events are more of the standard single races, with some strange variables thrown in for good measure. There’s nothing too groundbreaking here at all. There are 14 unique tracks on eight different theme worlds. Track layouts are pretty standard and can usually be traversed with minimal effort. Like most kart racers, there is a wide selection of weaponry that can be acquired on the track, and all of it has that distinctive ACME feel to it. From the missile launchers, to the falling elephants and anvils, even the portable hole and earthquake tablets, everything has made an appearance somewhere in the Looney Tunes universe. The inclusion of these weapons are the only challenging aspect you have to deal with, as they can come from anywhere at anytime without any advanced warning, and getting hit when leading the pack certainly will put you back in last place. Luckily the other racers all will be giving each other the full treatment also, so usually you can regain the lead in mere moments.

All of the voice acting sounds as close to the original characters as humanly possible, since Mel Blanc has passed on to his reward and the voice talents have switched to a new diverse group of imitators. All of the important sound factors have their own volume control, and you have the standard choice of mono or stereo output. The background music is exactly what you would expect, and fits the motif perfectly. I would have liked to experience some of the classic musical selections that were heard in the cartoons, but I’m sure that classical music is not the theme of choice for a kart racer.

Extras
There are the previously mentioned ACME races and the multiplayer races, which support up to four players via the multitap. Coins can be earned in all of the events to unlock extra racers, tracks, and even the ending movie. However, some of these can be rather steep (1 Million coins just for the movie) and it will take quite a while to acquire enough of these to obtain all of the extras.

Conclusion
Looney Tunes: Space Race has a solid game engine, handling and works as a kart racer. The only real disappointment is the lack of innovation or in-depth use of the gaming license. From all of the available characters that could have been drawn upon, Infogrames really left a lot on the table with this title. Nothing really stands out for the player, and the game fails to distance itself from the plethora of others in the genre. This really is only for Looney Tune fanatics; others should stick with either Motor Toon Grand Prix or Crash Team Racing for the PSOne.

Final Score: 7.0

Managed and created the design of a Looney Tunes game based on a marketing brief : “four Looney Tunes characters fighting each other on screen”. I had a great time making this game despite staffing difficulties and spent time with Charles Carney who had initially worked on the Looney Tunes cartoons. He was an exceptional creative and had some great tales to tell. I also wrote the script for the game which was approved by Warner Bros on the first pass. A proud moment in my whole career was when Charles told me that he had submitted a proposal to rebrand the whole Looney Tunes franchise based on my ideas for the characters in this game.

The game had some truly talented people on it but a poor project lead and no producer.  It took twelve months to get a character animated on screen using Infogrames internal multiplatform engine! Neither I or the team finished this game, i left to join ex colleagues of Psygnoisis at ifone and the game was finished by a team at Warthog as Infogrames fell into difficulty. I’m really proud of the one level i finished completely “The Haunted House” level was the only one played by QA and the rest of the collection of sub game and level designs didn’t quite cut it during production.