DEAD LIGHT - FIRST LOOK / Q&A
The game is being created by Tequila Works (yeah, me neither), a Spanish (maybe that's obvious) third-party development studio for Microsoft. Though to give them credit, this seems like their first project and it's looking absolutely phenomenal.
As Tequila Works describes on their website, Dead Light depicts an apocalyptic world where existence is futile, and only a solitary man treks the American west coast.
The year is 1986 and a mysterious disease has decimated mankind, transforming people into killer automatons. Survival is the measure of all in this original cinematic puzzle platformer. Deadlight is the frightening odyssey of an ordinary man fighting extinction like a flame in the desert. Hopeless and unable to escape the horrors of a dying world, Randall Wayne will reveal himself as a natural born survivor.
I'm sure you may have picked up on the numerous genre clashes in the above statement such as 'puzzle platformer' and 'apocalyptic world'.
Though judging from the videos and screenshots they pull it off brilliantly. Playing much like classic such as Another World, Flash Back and Prince or Persia but looking as beautiful as modern hits like Shadow Complex, Tequila Works have truly created a fresh breath of rotten, putrid, Zombie air to the platform / survival / puzzle genres.
As gained from watching the videos, the player must avoid contact as much as possible with the near unstoppable walking dead in order to gain ground. Though doing this may require the player to distract the zombies, lure them into a trap or barricade them behind doors. The developer also hints that there is no inventory so picking up items and searching for key items is essentials and adds 'hardcore' elements to the game.
Due to my anticipation and not knowing a whole lot about the game I decided to email Tequila Works with a bunch of questions...
1. When will the game be released?
<< Summer 2012
2. Will it only be on XBLA?
<< Yes, it is an XBLA exclusive title
3. What survival aspects will there be in the game?
<<Deadlight is not a zombie shooter, you must better avoid confrontation whenever you can.
When you are in a dead world, every little sound is amplified. Zombies can be dumb but they are tireless. The player must take care of that, but also it’s an ability at his/her disposal. For example, Randall can scream or taunt to catch their attention. It can sound not very smart of him, but you will understand when you play the game.
Combat is always an option, albeit a poor one. There are more enemies than bullets, and noise is a key mechanic in Deadlight.
4. Is the game primarily a puzzle game? If so, what kind of range of puzzles can we encounter?
<< One of the main inspirations for Deadlight are the classic cinematic platformers, like Prince of Persia, Another World and Flashback. The environment is a character itself; there are deadly traps and a misstep means death. Randall, our hero, has a variety of navigation, combat and interaction with the environment that allow him to advance and solve the physics-based puzzles. There’s no inventory or “find the red key” puzzles in Deadlight.
<< Summer 2012
2. Will it only be on XBLA?
<< Yes, it is an XBLA exclusive title
3. What survival aspects will there be in the game?
<<Deadlight is not a zombie shooter, you must better avoid confrontation whenever you can.
When you are in a dead world, every little sound is amplified. Zombies can be dumb but they are tireless. The player must take care of that, but also it’s an ability at his/her disposal. For example, Randall can scream or taunt to catch their attention. It can sound not very smart of him, but you will understand when you play the game.
Combat is always an option, albeit a poor one. There are more enemies than bullets, and noise is a key mechanic in Deadlight.
4. Is the game primarily a puzzle game? If so, what kind of range of puzzles can we encounter?
<< One of the main inspirations for Deadlight are the classic cinematic platformers, like Prince of Persia, Another World and Flashback. The environment is a character itself; there are deadly traps and a misstep means death. Randall, our hero, has a variety of navigation, combat and interaction with the environment that allow him to advance and solve the physics-based puzzles. There’s no inventory or “find the red key” puzzles in Deadlight.
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