Preview: Gift
Developer: Eko Software
Publisher: Cryo Interactive
Projected Release Date: November 2000 (PC/GBC), April 2001 (PS2)
Platform: PC, Game Boy Color, Playstation 2
Gift is an upcoming 3D action/adventure game being developed by Philippe Ulrich (Captain Blood, Dune; cofounder of Cryo) and Régis Loisel, France’s leading comic book artist/writer.
Gift is the name of the hero, a little red guy who looks like a cross between a Teletubby and a bug. According to Cryo’s PR materials, he will be affectionate and mischievous. He will have the “ability to fly, swim, climb, jump and even undertake death-defying leaps.”
Gift will face the enemy, “the Shadow of the Black Deep Dark Night,” armed only with a magic staff, through seven levels in his quest to rescue the beautiful princess Lolita Globo. “Our relentless hero must do battle, solve puzzles, be resourceful and constantly test his abilities to survive and ultimately conquer the opposing dark forces.” Each of the levels (“worlds”) is led by one of seven dwarves with seven different personalities, each of whom provide clues to the location of Lolita. The objective is to surround Lolita with the seven dwarves, thereby effecting her release from the evil forces.
The game is touted as a cross between Crash Bandicoot and Tomb Raider, a hybrid of the platform and action/adventure genres, and a contemporary, sophisticated, and unique game, all the while parodying classic games and movies such as Quake and Star Wars and incorporating shades of Oddworld and Rayman.
Gift is being designed to attract older gamers who generally tend to think arcade titles are aimed at younger players. It sounds like Eko Software might just succeed in breaking a couple of genre molds with this entertaining product.
More information, including character artwork, can be found here, and screenshots can be found here.
