|
|
| Thursday, August 25, 2005 |
 |
| Another Preview on Action Trip - Dan - 1:51:26 PM EST |
Another me-too preview of Dark Messiah is up at Action Trip, which along with the same information as usual, features the writer acting like a dork with plenty of off-topic nonsense.
| Wednesday, August 24, 2005 |
|
| Dark Messiah Preview on Jolt - Dan - 1:35:32 PM EST |
The preview on Jolt is more coverage for the game, but if you've read the other previews already, you won't get anything new from this one.
|
| Two Gameplay Videos on IGN - Dan - 10:27:42 AM EST |
IGN has released the gameplay clips that look astonishingly similar to what was described at Gamespy (aren't they the same network now, anyway?) Click here to go check out those videos for a close look at the action in the game.
tell us what you think.
| Saturday, August 20, 2005 |
|
| Dark Messiah in PC Gamer Redux - Dan - 6:51:52 PM EST |
I was able to sneak a look at the Dark Messiah preview in the latest PC Gamer. It's a brief 2-page spread which is mostly images, though nothing we haven't seen on the official site. The article also doesn't offer any new information (the Gamespy Preview still leads the pack) but does briefly talk about body awareness, though they seem to think that it's something new (guess they never played Arx or Thief 3). On the other hand, they do point out that this is one of the rare titles being developed for the PC, which should make some people happy.
|
| 1Up's Preview of Dark Messiah - Dan - 10:30:55 PM EST |
Another article has popped up on 1up and though it doesn't offer the same look at the game that the Gamespy preview did, it's still work a glance.
By using Valve's Source engine to power their game, developer Arkane has the means to offer plenty of interactive objects in the game world. Use a fireball to shoot down a rock pillar and it may collapse onto your enemies. Another nifty feature was the freeze spell. Once enemies are frozen, you can either hack them to pieces, or opt for the more fun option. We were shown a sequence where and enemy was frozen while standing on a rope bridge. The player the proceeded to chop down the bridge supports and watch the frozen enemy fall and then break into a million pieces upon impact with a rocky bottom.
|
| Great Preview on Gamespy - Dan - 10:26:08 PM EST |
Go here right now and read! This is the article I've been waiting for. I want to quote the whole thing... we'll settle for these.
Producer Romain De Waubert De Genlis calls it "working on the immersion of the player," which doesn't sound too exciting on paper until you see it in action. His team at Arkane Studios (creator of the ambitious Arx Fatalis) is creating Dark Messiah of Might & Magic, a spectacular fantasy epic that should wow people with its interactive environments and open-ended gameplay. It's nominally a role-playing game: you create a character and advance your different skills based on how you want to play the game. But it plays like a fantasy first-person shooter, one where anything goes.
....
First, as a warrior, we ran headlong into the fray. We shield-bashed an orc, then kicked him off of the cliff where he plummeted to the rocks below. Next, on the platform, we fought sword-to-sword against another orc, sparks flying. Using a special combat move we ripped away his shield. Then we grabbed his neck, plunged a sword into his gut, and kicked the body off of our sword and over the edge of the platform. By now, more orcs had rushed toward us to investigate the noise. We ran inside the room, which was filled with barrels and a side of beef hanging from the ceiling. As we fought tooth and nail with these guys, barrels fell over and smashed or rolled around the room. At one point we kicked the side of beef and sent it hurtling toward our opponents. It was as vicious of a fight as you could get: the camera even goes to slow motion for spectacular killing blows.
Read it, then come onto our forum to share your thoughts.
|
| Dark Messiah in PC Gamer - Dan - 9:13:31 AM EST |
Dark Messiah will be on the cover of the PC Gamer (US) released within the next few days (if not already) and is included in their feature on 3D Action games. Of course, it lists the game as a "shooter" but we already know this not to be the case. We will not be able to post scans from the article, so please do not send them (though thank you if you had considered doing so).
|
| High-Res Dark Messiah Video - Dan - 9:09:29 AM EST |
A much higher-res version of the video previously released is now available, giving you a better look at the scenes in the game. On the other hand, it's no brighter, in fact maybe darker, than the original, so the hard-to-see parts are still obscured.
| Thursday, August 18, 2005 |
|
| Dark Messiah Coverage - Dan - 1:39:49 PM EST |
Yesterday we were finally given some real information about Arkane’s new game, Dark Messiah. While there is still a great deal to be told (and certainly seen) what we’ve been given is a good start. First off, the screenshots, collected from the official site and high-res versions from IGN.
  
   
Possibly more important was IGN’s interview with Gabe Newell of Valve. Though Gabe is not involved with the development of Dark Messiah, he is good friends with Arkane and definitely responsible for the engine it’s running on. To entice everyone to actually watch the video, I have some screen grabs below. It’s low res because I am not paying money to IGN to see their pretty high res version. :)
And finally, the information. IGN has three previews of the game up. In addition to the fact sheet on VE3D and the brief preview at IGN, a second longer preview has been posted.
As you would expect, the warrior took a more direct approach, bashing and slashing his way through the level. The wizard, on the other hand, used his vast arcane knowledge to burn, freeze and levitate opponents. One of the neatest spells we saw the mage use was a shrink spell. After reducing an orc to the size of a rat, the wizard stepped on the now frightened weakling with a satisfying crunch. The rogue character used stealth and covertness to make his way around the opponents in the level through hidden shafts and walkways, backstabbing the unsuspecting fools with his duel daggers in the process.
To attack enemies, you can either do a fast attack by clicking the mouse button repeatedly or hold the attack button and save the strike for a more powerful hit. In addition to typical health and magic bars, you also have an adrenaline bar which comes into play during combat. If your adrenaline bar is full and you hold down the attack button to store up the hit, you will perform a "fatality" move, and may strike your opponents down in one blow, cutting off limbs with your trusty sword in the process.
Thank you IGN! Also, a little bird told me that we can expect to see a feature in PC gamer in the coming weeks, so keep your eyes on the news stands.
| Wednesday, August 17, 2005 |
|
| Further Information on Dark Messiah - Dan - 10:29:10 PM EST |
Voodoo Extreme has expanded upon IGN's article about Dark Messiah with pile of information on the game.
Players will embody the young hero Sareth, who has been trained in the arts of magic and war in order to battle the prophetic Dark Messiah. Players will have the choice to become expert warriors, mages or assassins, each with their own cache of devastating weapons and spells to use in battling huge and vicious enemies. Through combat, players will unlock new skills and equipment, advancing Sareth's experience and improving his performance, battle combos, hits, spells and techniques and setting his course for his destiny.
|
| Screenshots of Dark Messiah, plus Interview - Dan - 2:18:29 PM EST |
IGN is reporting at the games show in Germany about Dark Messiah, showing the first screenshots and featuring an interview with Gabe Newell that also contains important bits of gameplay. The official website has also opened, though it is mostly empty so far. Hopefully we'll have even more soon to come.
| Thursday, August 11, 2005 |
|
| Dark Messiah of Might & Magic Forum at Ubisoft - Dan - 9:52:35 PM EST |
The title says it all, click here to have a visit. Of particular note though is the graphic at the top of the page, which shows a close-up of one of the creatures from the game, along with some very Arx-like texture background.
|
| Arkane is Hiring - Dan - 9:36:32 AM EST |
Arkane Studios, the group behind the RPG Arx Fatalis, is hiring for a level design position in their Lyon, France office. Applicants must be an expert at Hammer (Half Life 2 Editor) and be familiar with the way entities work in the Source™ Engine, for development of Dark Messiah of Might & Magic. Contact them at job@arkane-studios.com. At the moment Arkane is unable to relocate applicants from overseas.
At the moment, the team behind Dark Messiah is Arx core team, along with Purah, Mike Ryan, and the SS2 Rebirth guy (Blutch), with Randy Smith consulting and Kemal (did audio on Thief/SS2/Arx, now at Floodgate) doing audio work. You could join them. :)
| Thursday, August 04, 2005 |
|
| Arkane's Next Game is Revealed - Dan - 4:15:16 PM EST |
Here it is, the news we've all been waiting for:
UBISOFT ANNOUNCES DARK MESSIAH™ OF MIGHT & MAGIC®
New Might & Magic® game to be powered by Source™ Engine from Valve
SAN FRANCISCO – AUGUST 4, 2005 – Today Ubisoft, one of the world’s largest video game publishers, announces the development of Dark Messiah™ of Might & Magic®, a new first-person action game for the PC, powered by an enhanced version of the Source™ Engine, the award-winning game technology Valve created to power Half-Life®2.
Developed by Arkane Studios, the team behind the critically acclaimed Arx Fatalis game, Dark Messiah of Might & Magic puts players in a first-person perspective, allowing them to immerse themselves in the legendary Might and Magic universe as never before. It is also the world’s first fantasy action game to feature a complete first-person combat system. It takes full advantage of the Source™ Engine’s exceptional technological enhancements in areas such as character animation, advanced AI, real-world physics and shader-based rendering.
Ubisoft acquired the Might and Magic brand in 2003, and Dark Messiah of Might & Magic is the second title Ubisoft will be launching as it restores this famed franchise to glory. Dark Messiah of Might & Magic is scheduled for a summer 2006 release and will be shown for the first time at the Games Convention in Germany on August 17, 2005.
Discuss!
|
|
