| Welcome to the
Deadside
Shadow Man springs
from the pages of a comic book, but to describe this
third-person shooter
from Acclaim as comical would be a grave mistake.
Shadowman fearlessly
explores the darkest corners of psychotic human
minds, in what will
likely be the most ghoulishly disturbing title on the system.
As a result, players
who become squeamish while hunting undead serial killers
may want to think
twice before entering this world ruled by voodoo and
populated with practitioners
of black magic.
Thanks to its comic
book origins, where accidental infusion of super-human
powers became cliche
long ago, the story surrounding Shadow Man is refreshingly
unique.
Cab driver Mike Le
Roi unwittingly gets wrapped up in Mob business, and the
ruthless gangsters
show their disapproval by murdering his entire family (martyrdom
is also becoming
commonplace in the new wave of comic heroes, but not yet a cliche).
Seeking vengeance,
Mike acquires the assistance of a voodoo princess, who implants
a spiritual mask
in his chest. Le Roi is then transformed into Shadowman, and is
granted the power
to travel between the world of the living and the psycho-infested
Deadside.
Playing as Mike Le
Roi, you must hunt five serial killers in the Liveside, and transform
into Shadowman to
eliminate the murderers in the Deadside. The game is loaded with
over 40 graphic
cut-scenes and plenty of voice samples to maximize the gloomy effect.
Acclaim plans to
include 16 levels, set in locations such as a Texas prison and a New
York Tenement. The
developers actually received the official blueprints of the London
Underground before
beginning work on a spooky environment set in the city's submerged
tunnels. The areas
will take on new appearances and characteristics as Shadowman
crosses from the
Liveside to the Deadside.
The nonlinear gameplay
will involve heavy exploration and complex puzzle solving, often
requiring players
to backtrack throughout levels to complete tasks. Acclaim anticipates
that most players
will require 70 hours to complete the game, and they have included
multiple endings
which vary according to the player's performance.
Shadowman will have
the ability to fire two different weapons at once, and will be able to
aim each weapon
at a different target. Similar to the device used in The Legend of Zelda:
Ocarina of Time,
Shadowman can 'lock on' to enemies and circle around them while
attacking. Players
will be able to control the camera during gameplay to provide the best
view of the action.
With its haunting
environments and gruesome cast of characters, Shadowman is shaping
up to be an engrossing
game with plenty of other-worldly action. This intriguing adventure
is scheduled to
cross over to the Liveside this Summer. |
