With
Buffy the Vampire Slayer wrapping up its final season, hardcore fans are
looking around in a daze for the next fix, and it looks like Vivendi/Universal
has finally come through for us. The first installment in the gaming
world whetted our appetites, but left us longing for more. This time,
developers were allowed to let their own obsessive sides out to play in
the latest installment, Chaos Bleeds. As I spoke to Harish Rao,
Associate Producer of the title, on the floor of E3, my excitement grew
and grew. It was obvious that a lot of love went into this game, and
pains were taken to give the fanboys and girls at home the best Buffy
gaming fix that money can buy.
The
storyline for Chaos Bleeds was penned by Chris Golden and Tom Sneigoski
(who both wrote for the TV series). Although the big baddie for this
game is The First, the authors have created an original story
which still fits nicely with the other Buffy mythology (no Lucasesque
faux pas here). The First has created an alternate universe to attempt
to circumvent his demise, and he has enlisted the dead, the undead, and
the we-wish-they-were-dead to try and stop the Scoobies (and friends) in
this third person fighting adventure. The rogues gallery features
Kakistos, Ripper Giles, werewolves, Bat Beasts, and Zombie Gorillas
(just to name a few).
You
will alternate playing as Buffy, Xander, Willow, Spike, and Faith (as
well as Sid the Dummy starting in the second level) and each level is
set up to insure that characters special skills will be necessary to
move you through the plot. Each character has unique fighting styles and
weapons and there are tons more special moves and combos. There are
training modes for each of our heroes, and a voice-over trainer for each
of them (Giles instructing Buffy, Buffy instructing Spike, and so forth,
although poor Xander apparently gets
no one.) The developers paid
special attention to the graphics for the characters, and the faces on
our heroes have definitely evolved.
There
are 12 levels of puzzle solving, butt kicking action in the single
player mode, but the best part about this game is the multiplayer
function. You can have up to 4 players in modes which include Last Man
Standing, Domination, Versus, and Anyas favorite, Bunny Catcher. This
game seems to have added lots more depth in the single player mode and
the addition of multiplayer action gives this version a huge advantage
over its predecessor. A console game that allows you to invite your own
gang over for slaying carnage has a much longer shelf life than one that
only lets you play by yourself. And Harish Rao hinted at two secrets to
be discovered in the multiplayer mode (what a tease
I cant wait!).
Last
but most certainly not least, for all the fans out there, the original
cast members are back for all the voice-overs and cut scenes. The title
also includes great bonus content, including cast interviews, photos,
storyboards, a "making of" for the game, and a bonus e-comic. With so
much love for the fans, I am willing to bet that Chaos Bleeds will be
just the thing to combat our Buffy blues. This game comes out on all
three platforms (another bonus over its predecessor) in late
summer/early fall 2003.