r e v e r i e (ex_spellboun8) wrote in e3, @ 2009-11-07 15:31:00 |
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Entry tags: | #game info, #news, nintendo wii, source: wikipedia.org |
Epic Mickey
Epic Mickey (also known as Super Secretâ„¢ Warren Spector Game Project or Junction Point Studios Project #2) is an upcoming Mickey Mouse video game designed by Warren Spector and developed by Junction Point Studios for the Wii console, using Emergnet Game Technology's Gamebryo Engine.
Epic Mickey is part of an effort by The Walt Disney Company to re-brand the Mickey Mouse character by moving away from his current squeaky clean image and reintroducing less savory aspects of his personality. Spector has been collaborating with Walt Disney Feature Animation and Pixar in conjunction with the project.
The November edition of Game Informer confirmed Epic Mickey's existence. The game was officially announced on October 28, 2009 in London.
The game was originally in development for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Development on the Wii started in 2008, when the idea of addressing a Wii port of the game was raised; Specter replied that a straight Wii port would not be viable, remarking that many of the "design ideas just won't work on the Wii, we need to give the Wii its dues". Graham Hopper of Disney Interactive then suggested dropping the development of the aforementioned platforms completely, and instead releasing it solely on the Wii.
Concept art for the game by Fred Gambino and Gary Glover depicts a "surrealistically bizarre" look at Disney characters and locations in a steampunk environment. Featured in the concept art are post-apocalyptic renditions of Goofy, Epcot's Spaceship Earth, Disney's Hollywood Studios' "Earful Tower" and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, and Cinderella Castle.
Mickey will be receiving a character redesign in this game, which will attempt to give him a "retro" look and the game uses an animation engine to replicate the stretchy athleticism of the classic cartoons.
Plot: A long time ago, the sorcerer Yen Sid created a pen-and-paper world for his forgotten characters, held in an intricate model on a table, and accessible through a mirror. Mickey who finds himself inside Yen Sid's study, sees the model, and waits until Yen Sid is gone before going back to take another look at it, fiddling with it, Mickey accidentally trips through the mirror, spilling paint thinner and twisting the world. He managed to escape without Yen Sid knowing, returning to his world he went on to live years of success and fame, but his meddling had consequences. The paint and paint thinner have destroyed the world and created an evil being called the "Phantom Blot", who has usurped power from Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, Yen Sid's first creation before Mickey, and sent the world into ruin. Years later, Mickey is kidnapped by the Phantom Blot and sent into the world. Oswald, his will lost, twisted by his jealousy of Mickey's rise to fame, has formulated a plan to destroy Mickey. The Mad Doctor works closely with the Blot, creating robotic "Beetleworx", which have the appearance of a Cartoon-style Car with a head protruding from the front bumper, made to intimidate and twist Mickey's vision of his friends. He also creates 'buddies' for Oswald, looking like Donald Duck and Goofy, as Oswald wants Mickey's life and popularity for himself. Mickey must stop the Phantom Blot, gain the trust of Oswald and save the forgotten world.
Gameplay: The game is primarily a platform game with some RPG elements and allows players to use their own solutions for getting through the levels. Epic Mickey features a morality system similar to games like inFamous and Spider-Man: Web of Shadows. The player's actions can either have Mickey hailed as a Hero, or feared as a Scrapper, with different alliances, side-quests and power-ups opened up depending on the path taken. It is even possible to avoid a boss battle if specific actions are taken. Mickey uses a magic paintbrush that can be used on enemies and painted parts of the environment. He can either use Paint to paint areas into the level, such as a bridge, or use Thinner to destroy obstacles and enemies. Both have limited reserves, letting players decide whether to use more of something to be safe, or save some and take a riskier approach.
Enemies range from Splatters, Phantom Blot's henchmen, who can be dealt with in many ways from destroying to making them friendly, Oswald's extended family, who cling onto Mickey and steer him towards dangerous areas, and Beetleworx, robots that are immune to Paint and Thinner. In between locations are 2D side-scrolling levels based on classic shorts, such as Clock Cleaners.