looking-glass-studios
Latest
Looking Glass Studios co-founder working on new Underworld game
Ultima Underworld designer Paul Neurath has formed a new studio, announcing plans to continue the long-dormant series in the upcoming Underworld Ascension. Boston-based OtherSide Entertainment has secured the rights to develop new games in the Underworld franchise, with Neurath serving in an administrative role. Neurath previously co-founded Looking Glass Studios, where he worked on landmark PC games like System Shock 2 and Thief. Further details regarding Underworld Ascension will be announced in the coming months. [Image: OtherSide Entertainment]
Steam's Daily Deal offers System Shock 2 at half price
If your life is painfully lacking in malevolent AI and angry, telekinetic monkeys, today is your lucky day: Steam is currently offering survival horror classic System Shock 2 at a 50 percent discount. Co-developed by Irrational Games and Looking Glass Studios, and designed by BioShock maestro Ken Levine, System Shock 2 drops players into the dark corridors of a faster than light spaceship where a routine rescue operation has gone horribly wrong. Armed with scavenged weaponry and a handful of special powers, players must battle the twisted denizens of deep space, all the while being mocked by SHODAN, a once helpful AI that has started to lose her virtual marbles. Despite being a "Daily Deal," System Shock 2 will remain at its current $5 price point until Monday, April 21 at 10AM PT. Would-be players need not worry about system compatibility, as Steam offers System Shock 2 in PC, Mac and Linux flavors. [Image: Night Dive Studios]
Thief homage The Dark Mod steals spotlight for itself, goes standalone
The Dark Mod, a Thief: The Dark Project-inspired mod for Doom 3, has been made standalone, meaning you no longer require id Software's sci-fi horror romp to play. The mod was originally created by Broken Glass Studios as a way to re-experience the gameplay of Looking Glass Studios' 1998 stealth classic with updated graphics. Don't expect to play through the original Thief exactly as you remember it, though. Due to copyright issues, The Dark Mod cannot use characters, names, locations or any other copyrighted material from the Thief series. Instead, the mod offers community-created, piecemeal missions which take place in an original setting that shares the medieval and steampunk vibe of the original games. It's more of a Thief ho-mod-ge. Buh-dum-tish! Anyone with a taste for first-person stealth games can now download the game, free of charge, from the Dark Mod website. If you're hungry for an official expansion to the Thief universe, the Eidos Montreal-developed Thief is planning a heist for February of next year.
PSA: System Shock 2 on Steam, 30 percent off until May 17
System Shock 2 is now available on Steam for $6.99. The first-person survival-horror game is 30 percent off until May 17. System Shock 2 found its way to the platform courtesy of Night Dive Studios, the outfit who picked up the rights as the game's publisher in February, when System Shock 2 also launched on GOG.com. To those of you that have yet to play this game: You're running out of excuses.
PSA: System Shock 2 now live on GOG
That tingle you feel down your spine? System Shock 2 is now available for download on GOG.com. If you've never played System Shock 2, know it's not only one of the most influential horror games of all time, but one of the first games to make Ken Levine a household name in our household where we can't stop talking about Ken Levine.System Shock 2 is available as a $9.99 download through GOG right now, compatible with Windows PCs. System Shock 2 is, at its core, a game about crossing barriers and embracing unconventional love, probably, so it's perfect for a Valentine's evening.
System Shock 2 coming to GOG.com, Steam
It's been a long time coming, but System Shock 2 has finally emerged from publishing limbo and will soon arrive on GOG.com and Steam. The rights were secured by Night Dive Studios, and the game will be released via GOG tomorrow at 6AM ET. At a mere $10, it should make a wonderful, horrifying Valentine's Day gift. The timing of the Steam release remains a mystery.For those unfamiliar with the 1999 PC classic, System Shock 2 is a first-person survival horror game with RPG elements. It was developed by Irrational Games and Looking Glass Studios, and it was designed by none other than Ken Levine (perhaps you've heard of him). If you need another point of reference, the BioShock series is considered a spiritual successor to System Shock. You like BioShock, right?Rock, Paper, Shotgun has a rather lengthy piece detailing how Night Dive managed to secure the rights and what to expect from the GOG.com release. The download will feature a great deal of bonus content, including concept art, an interview with Ken Levine and more. Again though, the takeaway is pretty simple: As of tomorrow, System Shock 2 is back, waiting for you to play it all over again or – if you're lucky – for the very first time.
Rumor: Thief 4 to be announced soon
This one is a stretch, but let's play along, just to not break the hearts of long-suffering Thief fans. Eidos Montreal is teasing that it'll be revealing their follow-up project to Deus Ex 3 soon and the font used for the announcement tease ... looks like one used in the Thief franchise. No, seriously, that's the story.We're not even close to convinced, but feel free to take a peek and judge for yourself.
