Rock, Paper, Shotgun

Kieron and I have been expanding our minds and destroying our livers at the annual Develop conference in Brighton, Blighty for the last couple of the days. One of the highlights of the show so far has been David Braben, he of Elite fame, and Dave Jones, he of APB and GTA1 fame and their ‘designer mash-up.’ The concept – they play each other’s most iconic game, and provide retrospective commentary about their time making these two goliaths of gaming history. Some ramblomatic highlights below…
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The so often excellent Game Politics makes a rather astute point in light of New York governor, Eliot Spitzer’s recent resignation. The disgraced politician made a swift exit after being rumbled by the FBI as part of a prostitution ring. This would be the same politician, as GP points out, that said this in 2006:

“Like all parents, I know it is increasingly difficult to protect our children from negative influences… we have learned that when self-regulation fails, government must step in… we must do more to protect our children from excessive sex and violence in the media… Media content has gotten more graphic, more violent and more sex-based… Currently, nothing under New York State law prohibits a fourteen-year old from walking into a video store and buying… a game like ‘Grand Theft Auto,’ which rewards a player for stealing cars and beating people up. Children can even simulate having sex with a prostitute…”

Oops!

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When you’re browsing news, trying to stay abreast of the developments in the world of PC Games, you’re looking for something to stop you dead in your tracks. Something unexpected, that demands an immediate response. Escape From Paradise City managed to do so in a way which no game since Devastation has done so. I can only gawp and blink and run to Wordpress to blog a story.

Here’s the “thing”. It’s one of its three playable characters.

It’s Sean Connery! Sean Connery on Steroids, admittedly, but undeniably Scotland’s most Sean-Connery son. And now I stop to look, those two lurking in the background look kinda familiar.

(Devastation’s lead reminded everyone of Eminem, except not quite as blatantly as this.)

Apart from that, there’s not enormous amount to say. It’s from the makers of Gangland, it’s clearly indebted to GTA in appearance but actually is more of a RTS/RPG hybridything (Gangsters with GTA’s graphics engine? That sounds like it.) and it’s out on October 19th. Gamespot probably do the best preview, so let’s link to them. The trailer’s here, the website’s here and Gangsters by the Specials can be listened to here.

Still: No matter how it turns out, the one thing they can’t take from Escape From Paradise City is that the bloke on the box really does look like Sean Connery. Unless he sues them for unauthorised use of likeness, obv.

EDIT: And thanks to FluffyBunny for the save.