Imprisoning an alien lifeform to conduct secret experiments is never a smart idea.
http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/feature/35922
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"Of Man’s First Disobedience, and the Fruit
Of that Forbidden Tree, whose mortal taste
Brought Death into the World, and all our woe..."
The connoisseurs of classic literature amongst you may have recognised one of the classic quotations from Paradise Lost, the 17th century epic poem by John Milton that tells the origin story of Satan and his temptation of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.
What you may not have noticed is that the title happens to be shared by an upcoming Metroidvania-style game currently doing the rounds on Kickstarter. It isn't the most obvious connection, given that said game prominently stars aliens, but although its debut trailer is deliberately cagey about plot specifics, the early indications are that Paradise Lost: First Contact will be giving more than just a superficial reference to its namesake poetry.
"We actually have lot of people talking about this. The fact is that the title is not only related to the events of the game, but we've also taken many parallels with Milton's poem," said Enol Martínez, designer and animator at Asthree Works, the game's three-person development house based in Gijón, Spain.
This is where the adventure begins for our tentacled alien friend, codenamed "Subject W."
Who says that aliens are the enemy? Science fiction used to dictate that any encounter with extraterrestrial beings would be met with hostility, that we were simply defending ourselves against an all-out invasion from an unknown species. More recent sci-fi stories, however, have introduced this recurring idea that maybe humans are the ones with the ulterior motives; the ones with the desire to mess with the hierarchy of the universe.
Take Subject W, the alien plant protagonist of Paradise Lost: First Contact. After crash-landing on Earth, along with various other lifeforms, W is captured in a hidden research facility for the purposes of secret genetic experimentation. It's the specimen's subsequent escape that sparks the whole impetus for this adventure.
According to Enol, the biblical tale is just one of the sources that influenced the design of Paradise Lost, both in story and gameplay terms. The non-linear 2D exploration pioneered by old-school Metroids and Castlevanias is easily seen in its DNA, but the stealth action of Metal Gear Solid and the environmental puzzle solving of the Oddworld series have also left their mark in this game world.
However, despite the significant emphasis on using stealth, the developers are looking to make it so players can tackle a situation in multiple ways. This is dependent on how players choose to use and upgrade Subject W's abilities through an RPG-inspired skill tree.
Observe the possibilities - these are three potential ways you could choose to deal with this pesky security guard.
"An important fact of the game is that you could confront situations with stealth methods or action manoeuvres, but the game is more focused on the first one," said Enol.
"On the stealth side, you got some skills like an Octocamo similar to Snake in MGS, and the decoys, little seeds that grow and move through the areas without alerting the guards and other enemies.
"When direct facing, there's skills like the shield, the gas bomb or the mental control spines," he added.
The gameplay video demonstrates the multi-faceted potential of these powers. Little decoys are used to activate mechanisms and disable security systems, and a shell-like shield helps to protect Subject W from both enemy fire and environmental hazards. We also get a glimpse of the platforming sections in Paradise Lost, heightening the evocation of Super Metroid further still.
Even more striking about the trailer, though, is the look of the game. Enol describes it as a style that allows them to 'mix simplicity with a great level of animation detail on the characters.' Certainly, the animation fluidity cannot be denied, but the fact that these characters and objects are entirely made of pixels makes it that much more impressive when everything starts moving at speed.
An escape sequence involving a platforming ascent through a vertical shaft... Ring any bells, Metroid fans?
Sounds like an exciting premise; so what are the chances that we will be playing Paradise Lost: First Contact in 2014? With 20 days to go, the Kickstarter campaign sits at over $60,000 of its initial $70,000 funding goal. For the game to be released on Wii U, however, quite a bit more money is being asked for - $250,000, to be precise.
If that appears a lofty stretch goal, the team at Asthree Works are well aware of the concerns. Their response to them highlights just how much it can cost to develop a video game in this day and age.
"Many people ask why this goal is so high and this seems to be a constant in Kickstarter projects," Enol said.
"In our case, we are a really small team. If the campaign reaches that goal, we must hire external support to complete the Wii U version as best we can, plus create a great experience with the GamePad, which takes time and money."
At this moment the game has a long way to go before its status as a Wii U title is cemented. It would seem appropriate, given its lineage to a beloved Nintendo franchise, but for now, Paradise Lost: First Contact is in the hands of the crowdfunding community.
The Kickstarter campaign for Paradise Lost: First Contact will complete its funding period on December 1. Several stretch goals are lined up, including home console support, secret chapters, and graphical enhancements. For more information, click here.
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