E3 2006 First Look Preview
When last we
left our little alien friend, Crypto, he was running about the 1950s Earth
collecting DNA samples to help re-populate his species (the Furons). Well, that
was the 50s, now it is the 60s and Crypto, who has gained a lot of power, has
grown up to be …
You guessed
it, president of the United States. Of course, he is in disguise.
But if you
think collecting DNA samples was hard on him, just wait til you see the mess he
is in now. The Soviet menace is on the rise, the Cold War is firmly ensconced,
and when the Soviets shoot down the Furon mothership, Crypto is off on a mission
to find out what is going on.
The game
will touch on other major areas of the world (not just generic town, USA),
including London, Japan and the Soviet Union. Once again, the alien star of the
game will be armed with a variety of weapons and his little ship (which is again
able to fly and has a destructo-type beam).
The game is
mission-based and there are multiple mission threads that you can go down.
Scanning thoughts and body snatching is a big part of the game, and in a very
irreverent touch, Crypto has absorbed so much DNA that he is growing his own
genitalia and living large in the world. The game’s developers (on hand at a
pre-E3 THQ event to show the game) admitted that they are pushing the humor as
far as they can, banking off every 1960s stereotype possible. The humor does
seem a little forced at times.
In DAH 2,
Crypto’s UFO can be called to various drop zones, once they are unlocked and can
be used to upgrade weapons, or use it as a gene blender, of sorts. Everything in
the world is destructible, and the game will allow for a sandbox style in terms
of game modes.
The look has
not changed much from the first game, with perhaps a few more 1960s inspired
special effects.
‘Free
spirited’ would be one way to describe this game, with a lot of action, riddled
with humor (and attempts at it – some references may be a little vague unless
you are familiar with the time frame), a good look and lots of action. Fans of
the original may find this a worthy sequel, or just more of the same, while
those new to the series will be immersed in a highly irreverent world where
little is sacred.
