LucasArts and development partner Day 1 Studios today announced Fracture™, in which players reshape the battlefields in a futuristic conflict with global implications. This epic war fought on American soil pits cybernetically enhanced soldiers against warriors augmented by the benefits of advanced genetic engineering. The company that brought you Star Wars and Indiana Jones, as well as successful new intellectual properties such as Mercenaries (the No. 1 new IP in 2005) and Thrillville (the No. 1 original children's IP of 2006), presents a new franchise full of groundbreaking next-generation gameplay, an intriguing storyline and compelling characters.
"Exciting new intellectual properties serve a vital role to the growth of LucasArts," said Jim Ward, president of LucasArts. "Fracture represents the next step in this company initiative, complete with the intriguing story and compelling characters audiences expect of a LucasArts release."
Fracture advances players to the year 2161, where ecological and seismological disasters have radically altered the planet's landscape, and a clash in ideologies places society on the threshold of war. Players set foot on the frontlines of this epic conflict in the role of Mason Briggs, a demolitions expert fighting for the Atlantic Alliance, the side that relies upon cybernetic enhancement. Pitted against the genetically enhanced soldiers of the Pacifican army, players will experience a revolution in 22nd-century warfare. In utilizing the core gameplay mechanic of Fracture, a destructive next-generation technology known as Terrain Deformation, players are equipped with an arsenal of futuristic weaponry to strategically reshape their surroundings on the fly. Every action they perform dynamically reshapes the earth in ways no videogame has ever seen. When Briggs throws a tectonic grenade on a level battlefield, the ground blasts upward to provide access to an otherwise unreachable area. Moving on, when he comes across what appears to be an impenetrable structure, Briggs utilizes the alt-fire functionality on his rocket launcher to create enormous craters to burrow underneath the wall. Surrounded on all sides by enemies, Briggs heaves a vortex grenade, creating a swirling tornado-like mass of boulder, dirt and debris to dispatch his foes. These are just a few samples of the possibilities for Terrain Deformation. Players not only change the battlefield - they change the face of the battle itself.
"LucasArts' excitement for Fracture is palpable, and it only inspires us even further to ensure the game lives up to its lofty expectations," said Denny Thorley, president of Day 1. "The opportunity to work with a company such as LucasArts, that knows not only how to launch large entertainment properties, but also successfully bring new IP to market, is truly a privilege. With Terrain Deformation leading the way, we know we're creating something special, and we have absolutely no doubts that LucasArts is the only company to make sure Fracture receives its due."
NCsoft today announced that closed beta testing is beginning for the company's highly anticipated online computer game, Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa™. The start of closed beta marks the game's final development stages as Tabula Rasa approaches an anticipated launch this fall in North America and Europe.
Richard Garriott's Tabula Rasa is a massively multiplayer online (MMO) role playing PC game that places players in an epic sci-fi story where they will be challenged by dynamic and fast-paced adventures on alien worlds.
Garriott's signature creative vision introduces several fresh features to the MMO genre such as a character cloning system, role-playing on the battlefield and a mystical "Logos" language and powers system. They are the types of touches that players have come to expect over the years from a Richard Garriott game.
(Click to Enlarge!)
"This is an exciting time for the Tabula Rasa team," says Garriott, executive producer at NCsoft and the Austin, Texas-based Destination Games™ development team. "With closed beta testing now in progress, we're excited to hear more what our players think. With fast-action and tactical combat in an RPG setting, a deep and interesting fictional universe, and many feature innovations, we think we've created a game that represents the next generation of MMO games and will revolutionize the way people play online games."
Geforce 8800 Ultra Reviews05:42 pm
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- hardware: General News
(11 comments)
Have $830 burning a hole in your wallet? Do you really want, and need the extra half of one frame-per-second it offers over the 8800 GTX? Well, NVIDIA is releasing the Geforce 8800 Ultra on May 15th for the rock bottom price of €699. Here are some early reviews:
Download The Original Fallout 3 For Free11:37 am
- Andrew Burnes
- Games: Action / Strategy
(10 comments)
Before Bethesda's Fallout 3 there was Black Isle Studios', which was sadly cancelled. Now, thanks to No Mutants Allowed, you can legally download and play with the technical demo they created for prospective publishers.
It's rough, highly buggy, and entirely composed of real-time gameplay, but it offers an exciting look at what could have been had Black Isle been given the resources to create a new Fallout with their in-house 3D technology.
We've updated the Fallout site with a countdown to the release of the Fallout 3 teaser trailer. On the site you'll find concept art we created in conjunction with noted concept artist Craig Mullins, as well as a streaming version of the Fallout 3 title track. We hope you like it.
We'll be updating the site weekly with new art as we approach the release of the teaser.
Global MU Online Peek #2
We learn about the Battle Soccer league coming to K2 Network's western version of Webzen's persistent state game - Includes eight exclusive 1280x1024 screenshots
White Gold: War in Paradise Media #2
Developer Deep Shadows takes us on a trip across part of the countryside in its upcoming blend of action and RPG - Four exclusive screenshots
Jonric's Blog
BioWare's Damion Schubert blogs about hardware accessibility
In Other News...12:45 am
- Robert 'Apache' Howarth
- In-House: In Other News...
(42 comments)
Is David Jaffe batsh*t crazy or what? That was awesome. All we need now is Paul Steed to resurrect his .plan file and threaten to punch people in the face. Ah, the good ole days before we had public relations departments. Pissed off rockstar game developers, how I miss thee...
Today's question is from bloodyhell2, who asks:
What are some positive PR moves that Sony could do to improve their position in the current gen console race? What changes to the console would make you buy the system?
(29 comments)
