In a partnership between Double Fine Studios and SEGA, a new platforming title titled The Cave is arriving very soon.
See. http://thecavegame.com/about.html for more details from the creators.
Ron Gilbert, the famed creator of gaming titles like Monkey Island, Pyschonauts, and Brutal Legend, is behind this gem. His mad genius has been embedded deeply into the core of the gameplay and design of this wildly progressive platforming game.
The basic premise.......you will play as a series of characters, each with very specific and original backstory, to flesh out the purpose for why they have come to the Cave. The Cave is alive in so many ways it is crazy to try to detail it here. Watch the video attached to the article to get an good idea.
There are dozens of reasons to be excited about this game.
Here are a few key highlights.
First and foremost the folks at Double Fine are giants in creating platforming titles that break the mold in terms of gameplay and story telling. This game is no different. With each of the seven characters playable throughout the game you get new mechanics at your disposal.
For the time traveller, she can warp through obstacles, the twins---played as one character----you get cooperative design. With the Hillbilly and Monk, you get more traditional platforming mechanics with character driven twists.
The second is visuals. You don't have to look hard to see the difference in the design. Everything is vibrant but twisted, detailed and warped, beautifully serene and horribly chaotic. (ALL AT ONCE)
This is no small feat, but Ron Gilbert is not a small mind let alone person. He is a giant in the industry for a reason. The game is set to release in January. Though no final release date has been confirmed. There are rumors that it won't make the launch date of late Winter so we may have to wait as long as late May or early June. Reports were made stating this was more from Sega wanting to push it back because of timing concerns rather than because the game is not finished. Either way, it appears to be a game that is well worth the wait.
USA Today says "A clever, charming puzzle adventure filled with humor and interesting characters."
And they aren't exaggerating. This is a highly original title poised to wow fans of the genre while converting those of you who have somehow managed to avoid traditional game designs up to this point. (Though it is unclear how any of you have never played a single Mario Bros or Sonic Game)
Third, You drive the plot forward, it doesn't drive you. As you advance you feel like you are causing the events to unfold rather then events occurring willy nilly without any control. This may not seem like an obvious point of distinction but it really matters. Sometimes a game unfolds very organically. Other times it feels like you are being proscribed what to do and have very little control over what is happening. In other words the game events are being overly scripted and leave you wanting more freedom.
There is a very delicate balance at work in The Cave.
In terms of where I put this game on my watch list, its very high.
While there are lots of reasons to be excited for spring, E3 for one major reason, we have still got some great games coming out on the current Gen systems. So don't jump ship just yet. There is still life in them yet.
Look for more information on Examiner.com as news becomes available. Until then, May your New Year boom with reasons for joy and your games roar with reasons to scream "What the ........ That was awesome!"
On another note, All of my books are currently available on the Amazon Kindle while only my Children's Chapter books are available on both. We signed exclusivity contracts with Amazon, so the novels (Were-Wolf and Vampire Series) is going to be Kindle only for a few more months. Thought you ought to know. Thanks everyone.
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