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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Double Fine Reveals Costume Quest

http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/111/1111523p1.html

 

According to 1UP, THQ announced it has signed publishing deal with Double Fine studios to release its upcoming title Costume Quest, a new downloadable RPG title for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 set for release this fall. The deal also includes a second project from the studio, an unannounced third-person adventure game coming in 2011. 

"We wanted to make a big impression with these, our first downloadable games ever," said Double Fine CEO Tim Schafer. "So we are coming out swinging with two great adventures from two of the most creative minds in the company." 

In Costume Quest, players will take control of trick-or-treaters on Halloween night , collecting candy, stamps, and other power-ups to use to battle monsters in the neighborhood. In Combat Mode, the kids will actually transform into larger-than-life versions of their costumes. 

"We are delighted to work with the creative genius of Tim Schafer and the entire Double Fine studio," said Martin Good, VP of THQ's casual games development. "Delivering high-quality content across a variety of digital distribution platforms is an important growth initiative for us, and we are pleased to do so with two titles whose potential appeal could encompass both hardcore and casual players." 

Schafer announced during a Develop conference in the UK last month Double Fine had four new projects in the works, all of which have publishing deals already.

Double Fine are really getting off the ground.  Developing four games at once when they were only making one game at a time before seems to be a complete paradigm shift for the company.  Hope the games are good.



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My apologies for being rude by bumping my thread but I just find it weird that people would read my above post and not reply.  Any way here is the original 1UP article.

http://www.1up.com/do/previewPage?cId=3180798

During his otherwise humorous keynote speech at Develop 2010, Double Fine Productions head Tim Schafer announced that there would be no sequel to Brutal Legend. Following Brutal Legend's mediocre sales, EA decided to discontinue the rock-inspired saga. That was the bad news.

Schafer's good news: to fill the development void, Double Fine had started work on a number of smaller titles; the first of which is Costume Quest, an adventure/RPG published by THQ and scheduled for a Fall release on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network.

Dreamt to life by Double Fine lead animator Tasha Harris, Costume Quest marks Double Fine's departure from triple-A brick-and-mortar Schafer-led titles. Harris is now one of a handful of Double Fine employees who will lead their own projects, with Schafer providing a supporting role where needed.

Make no mistake, though, Costume Quest is very much a Double Fine, or Schafer-esque, game. Set on Halloween night across spookified suburbs, rundown carnival rides, and a local mall, the story follows a young boy searching for his little sister. Costume Quest feels familiar -- like a lost SNES role-playing adventure ported in high-definition 3D -- and laugh out loud funny -- like Double Fine's catalogue.

Similar to Monkey Island's Guybrush Threepwood and Brutal Legend's Eddie Riggs, Costume Quest's hero is an everyman caught in delusions of grandeur. Or, in this case, an everyboy or everygirl -- the gender's optional.

Costume Quest feels quirky from the start. The campaign begins when the hero and little sister embark on a night of Trick'r'Treating. Lil' sis, dressed as a candy corn, comes across a monster with a sweet tooth, and things go south from there. The hero battles monsters (that appear to be summoned by his imagination) in a quest to save his sister -- and be home before curfew.

Not to say sweet-toothed monsters are Costume Quest's only obstacles. As they say, hell is other children. Completing the quest also requires befriending and outsmarting other kids.

One quest sees the hero left off the guest list to an exclusive "Patriotic Party." The game's isometric view (think SNES-era games like Earthbound and The Legend of Zelda: A Link To The Past, then done in 3D) reveals the party is being held in a suburban backyard; its trees festooned with ribbons and American flags.

This is a costume party with a simple entrance requirement -- a proper patriotic costume -- initiating a quest to find the necessary trappings of a makeshift Lady Liberty. Perhaps a broom for a bristly torch, or bed linens as impromptu toga. Completing these mini-quests generally scores some candy or info on little sister's whereabouts, and turns off the light on the front porch (an "on" light inversely represents an open quest).

For more complex missions, the hero has help from up to 4 A.I. buddies, each with their own special abilities pertaining to their Halloween costumes. The knight can guard from falling objects above with his trash can shield, while another boy sports Heely-like shoes for zipping across the map. Pieces of other special abilities can be found across the maps, affording some party customization.

Some quests can't be won by just zipping around town, deflecting falling rocks, or dressing up as the Statue of Liberty. Some require a fight. Battle scenes grow the hero and his enemies to skyscraper sizes. The party costumes manifest literally: a shabby robot costume becomes a giant Mech, while the medieval sweater grows into a towering knight.

A parsed RPG menu system controls battles. One button selects attack, another block, and another, a special attack that accumulates over time and requires a Quick Time Event to deliver maximum damage. As battles are won and quests completed, the boy collects candy wraps (XP), increases levels (represented by a gold star on the HUD) and earn Trick'r'Treat cards that go towards rewarding achievements and unlocking bonus costumes.

What Harris and her team have concocted so far shows a lot of promise. It's not Brutal Legend 2, but it is unique, funny and warm -- a trait missing from the mainstream bloodfests that shares its launch window. With a Halloween release date, Costume Quest looks to extend the spooking season. And with possible DLC down the way, maybe we'll see other holidays covered. But for now, we're eager to take the adventure door to door from the comfort of our own home. 



Apology NOT accepted.

But the bump was worth it nonetheless.    I'm jealous now!  Might have to bum a friend's console again in a few months...



My interest is piqued!



That was the innovative game they were talking about? i have to watch a trailer.



I live for the burn...and the sting of pleasure...
I live for the sword, the steel, and the gun...

- Wasteland - The Mission.

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Severance said:

That was the innovative game they were talking about? i have to watch a trailer.


I don't think they ever said the game would be innovative



Riachu said:
Severance said:

That was the innovative game they were talking about? i have to watch a trailer.


I don't think they ever said the game would be innovative


they were talking about showing a very very innovative game "Soon"

http://gamrfeed.vgchartz.com/story/81363/thq-to-announce-innovative-new-product-next-week/

it might be this.

Edit: NEVERMIND that one is for the Wii.



I live for the burn...and the sting of pleasure...
I live for the sword, the steel, and the gun...

- Wasteland - The Mission.