oments after stepping into the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in San Francisco, a friendly hotel employee asked a question that couldn’t have been more obvious: “Are you here for the Sierra event?” Was it my unkempt hair? My rumpled hoodie? Whatever tipped her off, she was correct, and she pointed me in the right direction. One quick elevator ride later—and in a golden elevator, no less—and I was in more familiar territory, surrounded by other writers and the din of game demos in progress.
While the game journalists assembled at the swanky hotel might have been a little out of place, the games on display fit right in. It’s no secret that Sierra has gone through its share of tough times in recent years, but if the roster of titles on display is any indication, those dark times could be over soon. Over the course of a jam-packed day, we checked out a diverse range of games, as varied as an undersea-photography title on Xbox Live Arcade to the brutal open-world antihero game Prototype and the long-awaited return of Ghostbusters.
Read on to get our impressions from the event.
Zombie Wranglers
In the alternate world of Zombie Wranglers, the undead are a necessary part of modern life. Their single-minded determination makes them perfect for tasks like delivering mail, and their constant shuffling is used to provide power at factories. So when an unexpected outbreak occurs, dramatically increasing the numbers of zombies lurching around in various neighborhoods, people are unnerved but not completely freaked out. The event inspires a group of four youngsters to band together and bring the undead’s numbers back into control—and supplement their own allowances in the process.
Sierra Online’s Zombie Wranglers is a 3D action-adventure that’s set in a cartoony suburbia. The zombies are more along the lines of the creatures in Zombies Ate My Neighbors rather than those in Dead Rising—and with the levels we saw set in the middle of the day, the game is more about having fun than getting scared.
The game features four playable characters—Uju, a voodoo-using tot; goth-girl Monica; audiophile Amy; and Dean, the tech expert who crafted the group’s weapons and gizmos. We did notice that there were a few empty spots on the character-select-screen’s couch. When asked about it, the Sierra rep smiled and refused to elaborate. Each of the characters has standard moves like punching, which can be used to break objects (and discover hidden items) or to stun the zombies to set them up for a stronger attack. Characters have their own individual special moves, too, such as Uju’s blow dart. After sticking an undead victim, they go crazy for a short while before exploding.
Amy is equipped with a boombox, which shoots CDs in a rapid-fire action. If used too often, it will overheat, leaving her temporarily defenseless. Her special attack is an AoE music blast, which deals a crippling blow to any undead unfortunate to be within earshot.
At the beginning of each level, players are given a chore list, which is basically a set of requirements needed to move on to the next level. One we saw had players kill a number of each of that level’s variant of zombies, but we’re told that other tasks include survival and rescue missions. As players slurp up rogue zombies with their trusty Wrangler Packs, they’re mysteriously converted into cash. Players can spend that on items in the middle of the levels. We saw a Haste Helmet, which gave the character a boost of speed, letting her zip around enemies like nobodies business.
The game has a quirky sense of humor, demonstrated by a quick peek at a Katamari Damacy-like “zomball.” The zombies have a surprising amount of personality, both for being soulless members of the undead as well as appearing on an Xbox Live Arcade title. Some hang on to tattered remnants of their former lives, like the postmen trying to deliver mail or slackers killing time reading comics.
It’s set for a Q3 2008 release on Xbox Live Arcade.
Sea Life Safari
If you’re a fan of underwater life and Pokemon Snap, Sea Life Safari might be what you’re looking for. In Sea Life Safari, you go underwater and find new creatures for a research project for a Steve Zissou look-alike. It’s basically a rail shooter, only you’re looking through a camera’s viewfinder instead of down the barrel of a gun. While players can’t control their path, they’re free to zoom, spin 360 degrees and look up and down. Players can unlock alternate paths, too, so dives won’t always been deju-vu invoking experiences.
As players explore the levels, which take about 10-15 minutes to complete—they’re snapping virtual photographs. Once they resurface, the professor grades the shots. They’re rated in several categories, including the positioning of the subject, its closeness and the action. As they travel underwater, players can toss gizmos at their aquatic subjects. If a gizmo connects with a fish (or gets close enough), they’ll react in often funny ways. Pufferfish will expand, other fish will make faces or flap their fins. Those action shots are the most coveted ones available, and they’re a great way to hit the highest possible score of three gold stars.
With about 60 different critters available, the game looks like it has plenty of lasting appeal. In addition to interacting with the variety of underwater life, players can also hunt for hidden shells and hit them with gizmos. Collecting them unlocks unique fish and other collectables.
Sea Life Safari looks gorgeous, and is probably as close to an underwater adventure as many of us are likely to experience. While they’re all in the sea, levels are varied enough to seem different from one another. You might explore a sunken pirate ship one moment and then confront a grumpy kraken the next. It’s definitely something different for Xbox Live Arcade, which is always welcome. The fact that it seems tailored for family play is just a bonus.
Look for it this summer.