Welcome to this week's Gist List:
Quake 3: MAC First?
The Quake 3: Arena test is out there…but only for Apple computers! In a
surprise announcement over the weekend, id Software decided to release the first test
version only for the Macintosh, with the promise of a Windows-based release down the road.
Although id is entitled to release the game as they see fit, the last-minute decision to
go with the Macintosh was a surprise to most Windows-based gamers who had been anxiously
awaiting the test version (which was originally scheduled for March). Although I have no
doubt a lot of developers will be rushing out to CompUSA to buy PowerMac G3s this week,
it's too bad that id didn't give the community more notice of their decision to go with
Mac first. Let's hope the Windows release will soon follow!
Warpath: Jurassic Park
Dreamworks
Interactive has had a pretty spotty history with their games, and last week they announced
their latest title, Warpath: Jurassic Park, a fighting game with dinosaurs, which looks
nearly identical to Time Warner's Primal Rage from the mid-90s. Is this really how low
Dreamworks is going to stoop? Their last two Jurassic Park titles (The Lost World and
Trespasser) both failed at retail, and now they are going for a typical fighting game
between dinosaurs. We will get our first look at the game during E3 this year, and perhaps
I'm wrong, but from the looks of it Warpath: Jurassic Park is a shameless attempt to
cash-in again on the Jurassic Park license.
Celebrity Deathmatch
Although a Jurassic Park fighting game might not be the best
idea, a friend of mine who hardly plays any games had a great idea this weekend: She said
there should be a Celebrity DeathMatch fighting game on the consoles based on the popular
MTV Claymation show. When you think about it, it's a fantastic idea. Mind you I'm sure
some celebrities wouldn't want to be included in the game, but it certainly would be a
unique and interesting twist on the fighting genre. Yet I'm sure a lot of developers are
trying to stay as far away from clay as they can after the horrible Clayfighter 63 and A
Third from Interplay. However, I think a Celebrity Deathmatch game could really be a
worthwhile product if done right.
Theme Park World
One of my guilty pleasures from the mid-90s was Bullfrog's
Theme Park, a brilliant concept that was admittedly somewhat flawed in execution. I've
always wished that Bullfrog would go back to Theme Park and re-think some of the
interface, while at the same time make use of the latest 3D technology to actually let you
experience the rides you build in first-person perspective. Well, last week work leaked
out that Bullfrog is starting development on Theme Park World, which will be full 3D, let
you experience your rides first hand, and hopefully address some of the interface and
design issues related to the first game. Still, I love the idea of designing my own
Rollercoaster and riding it in 3D. Disney released a game back in the early 90s that
allowed you to do this, and I've always wanted an updated 3D-accelerated version.
Hopefully the game will be on display at E3.
Gabriel Knight 3
Although
discussing adventure games seems to almost be a taboo subject these days, Sierra is hard
at work putting the finishing touches on Gabriel Knight 3: Blood of the Scared, Blood of
the Damned. Although the game has been in development for quite some time, the developers
recently released some new screenshots that show the visuals are really improving –
Now the characters have much more detail on their faces and the environments look
stunning. When these visuals are meshed with the master storytelling of Jane Jensen, I
have high hopes the game is going to dazzle us later this year – It's just too bad
there hasn't been more buzz about it. Keep an eye out for it!
Super Hi-Res, But Playable?
A few months ago I wrote about the disturbing trend of companies only releasing
3D-accelerated screenshots for their games, and now I have another beef – companies
releasing what I term "ultra-high-resolution" images of their games. In
particular this has been the case with games such as Deus Ex, which seem to only release
screenshots in resolutions upwards of 1600x1200. Yes, any game is going to look visually
stunning in that resolution, but just how many players are going to be able to run it like
that? I guess a developer always wants to show their game off in its best light, but
surely there has to be some compromise…If the game looks great at 1600x1200, let's
hope it plays great too.
The E3 Outlook:
Anachronox
Last
year at E3 Tom Hall gave everyone the first glimpse of Anachronox, his Quake II-engine
based role playing game that will hopefully be out sometime this year. Despite all the
negative publicity surrounding Ion Storm, the team has quietly been working away on the
project and plans to unveil the fruits of their efforts at this year's E3. We've never
seen a Quake-engine game populated with dozens of characters, but Anachronox promises to
create a real-time Final Fantasy VII-like universe, complete with turn-based combat and
even the ability to design your own weapons. Anachronox will be prominently displayed at
Eidos' E3 Booth and if Ion Storm and Tom Hall can deliver on their promises, Anachronox
could be one of this year's most eagerly anticipated games coming out of E3.
And that's The Gist of It.
Your Ideas?
Do you have a suggestion about something that should be added to next week's list?
Is there a game that gist doesn't cut it or one that does it gist
right? E-mail gistlist@gameslice.com
and we'll consider your suggestion.
Thanks for reading!
Geoff
Keighley
Editor-in-Chief
GameSlice
