Shrygue
January 17th, 2008, 17:01
via IGN (http://uk.xbox360.ign.com/articles/846/846098p1.html)
Gamers love cult movies. It was only a matter of time before the '80s classic The Highlander made its way to the videogame realm. The tale of immortals who lop one another's heads off is coming to PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 this year courtesy of Eidos.
In Highlander: The Game, you play as Owen MacLeod, ancestor of the feature film's Connor MacLeod. Born in Gaul more than two millennia ago, Owen is the son of a tribal chieftain. As is the popular trend of the times, Owen's village is invaded and he becomes prisoner of the mighty Roman Empire. Forced into gladiatorial combat in Pompeii, Owen gets himself killed. Good news for Owen: he's immortal. Rising from the dead, Owen begins a journey through the centuries, learning to become an incredible fighter (and lopper of immortal heads).
The story eventually lands us in a futuristic New York City, where Owen is being hunted by a mysterious all-powerful immortal. The only way Owen can defeat this nemesis is to find three missing stone fragments that, when placed together, grant the wielder immense power.
Not that Owen doesn't have some serious power sans mystical stone. He is, after all, immortal and can only die if he loses his head. This allows for some interesting combat techniques. Owen can use his body as a conduit for electricity or fire, disarm enemies by purposefully impaling himself on their weapons, and survive great falls. Each time Owen chops the head off an immortal, he experiences The Quickening. Think of it as an mystical orgasm, where the knowledge and power of the victim is consumed by the slayer. Over the length of his journey, Owen learns new combat skills and uses a variety of swords. Expect to heft a claymore, katana and twin gladius as you cut your way from the heart of the Roman Empire to Times Square.
"Eidos is excited to present the classic Highlander franchise for the next generation of video gamers," said Robert A. Lindsey, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Eidos Inc. "Gamers will get the chance to explore the powers and abilities that only being an Immortal has to offer. Highlander boasts an incredible level of graphical quality and gameplay capabilities such as an advanced sword fighting combat system and destructible environments."
"For the first time, Highlander comes to fans in a new medium that allows players to dive into the Immortal universe," said Peter Davis of Davis-Panzer Productions. "The interactive experience permits players to gain a completely different perspective of the mythos, and experience the powers and advantages of immortality through the eyes of a MacLeod."
The Highlander is written by David Abramowitz, who also wrote for the TV show. It uses the Unreal Engine, which means it will likely be quite pretty. Look for it later this year.
Screenshots here (http://uk.media.xbox360.ign.com/media/774/774092/imgs_1.html)
Gamers love cult movies. It was only a matter of time before the '80s classic The Highlander made its way to the videogame realm. The tale of immortals who lop one another's heads off is coming to PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 this year courtesy of Eidos.
In Highlander: The Game, you play as Owen MacLeod, ancestor of the feature film's Connor MacLeod. Born in Gaul more than two millennia ago, Owen is the son of a tribal chieftain. As is the popular trend of the times, Owen's village is invaded and he becomes prisoner of the mighty Roman Empire. Forced into gladiatorial combat in Pompeii, Owen gets himself killed. Good news for Owen: he's immortal. Rising from the dead, Owen begins a journey through the centuries, learning to become an incredible fighter (and lopper of immortal heads).
The story eventually lands us in a futuristic New York City, where Owen is being hunted by a mysterious all-powerful immortal. The only way Owen can defeat this nemesis is to find three missing stone fragments that, when placed together, grant the wielder immense power.
Not that Owen doesn't have some serious power sans mystical stone. He is, after all, immortal and can only die if he loses his head. This allows for some interesting combat techniques. Owen can use his body as a conduit for electricity or fire, disarm enemies by purposefully impaling himself on their weapons, and survive great falls. Each time Owen chops the head off an immortal, he experiences The Quickening. Think of it as an mystical orgasm, where the knowledge and power of the victim is consumed by the slayer. Over the length of his journey, Owen learns new combat skills and uses a variety of swords. Expect to heft a claymore, katana and twin gladius as you cut your way from the heart of the Roman Empire to Times Square.
"Eidos is excited to present the classic Highlander franchise for the next generation of video gamers," said Robert A. Lindsey, Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Eidos Inc. "Gamers will get the chance to explore the powers and abilities that only being an Immortal has to offer. Highlander boasts an incredible level of graphical quality and gameplay capabilities such as an advanced sword fighting combat system and destructible environments."
"For the first time, Highlander comes to fans in a new medium that allows players to dive into the Immortal universe," said Peter Davis of Davis-Panzer Productions. "The interactive experience permits players to gain a completely different perspective of the mythos, and experience the powers and advantages of immortality through the eyes of a MacLeod."
The Highlander is written by David Abramowitz, who also wrote for the TV show. It uses the Unreal Engine, which means it will likely be quite pretty. Look for it later this year.
Screenshots here (http://uk.media.xbox360.ign.com/media/774/774092/imgs_1.html)