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Syndicate details leak online via Origin
Back in April of last year, a copyright document ferreted out by Superannuation revealed that Starbreeze, the developer of Escape From Butcher Bay and The Darkness, was hard at work on a revival of the Syndicate series for EA. Now it appears that we're all about to get our first look at the fruits of Starbreeze's labor, judging by an early posting to EA's Origin store, caught by the all-seeing eye of Mordo – we mean, gaming forum NeoGAF. There's plenty of info over at GAF, but the particularly interesting bits include Chips, which add new abilities and skills, four-player cooperative play, and a story penned by Crysis 2 scripter (and author of Altered_Carbon, Black Man/Thirteen and more) Richard K. Morgan. The scuttlebutt indicates that Syndicate will debut in next week's Gamesreactor magazine (a Swedish publication), and really, EA couldn't have picked a better time to reveal a Sci-Fi Noir action-adventure title, could it?
Rumor: Syndicate script slips out
Siliconera has published alleged "chunks" of a script for Starbreeze's long-rumored Syndicate game. If authentic, the excerpts would join some trademarks in a modest pile of evidence pointing to a reboot of EA's dormant cyberpunk series, created by the now defunct Bullfrog Productions in the early 90s. The narrative and dialog excerpts share some commonalities with the old Syndicate games' bleak, corporate cyborg–regulated world -- namely, the suggestion of brain-implanted "chips" -- but don't otherwise let on to any gameplay elements. In June 2009, Sean Cooper, who designed the original, isometric tactical shooter, commented on EA's failed attempts to revive the franchise. "Every time I've seen a prototype of a new Syndicate it's just been misguided," he told IncGamers. Cooper did not appear to have any knowledge of Starbreeze's possible recreation, which is rumored to have been in development since August 2007. "The essence of the game was killing people -- and that was it," Cooper said of Bullfrog's 1993 classic. "Big guns, strong dudes; Terminators essentially. If I have to kill everyone, I will. That to me was the essence of the gameplay." [Screenshot source: MobyGames (with script overlay)]
Starbreeze: Giving The Darkness 2 to Digital Extremes was out of our hands
Those anxious for a Starbreeze-developed The Darkness 2 may still be looking for an explanation. Starbreeze CEO Mikael Nermark told CVG that the decision to tap Digital Extremes was all on 2K and out of his studio's hands. "The decision was not up to Starbreeze, and when it was decided to do a sequel we had already started working on a new project," he said. That new project is "RedLime," a new title for EA oft-rumored to be a Syndicate remake. Starbreeze had also previously began work on a Jason Bourne title, though that was canceled last year, so the studio has been admittedly pretty busy. Despite the lack of Starbreeze, The Darkness 2 is shaping up to be a fine title, quad-wielding marketing jargon notwithstanding. In both of our preview sessions, we were impressed with how capable and brutal protagonist Jackie Estacado is in the sequel -- and how his power translated into interesting gameplay.
Starbreeze says EA's 'Project RedLime' is 'biggest project' it's ever worked on
Though we don't know exactly what "Project RedLime" is (signs point to a long-rumored Syndicate remake) we do know that it's "the biggest project the studio has ever worked on." Of course, that studio is Sweden's Starbreeze and that quote is from its new CEO, Mikael Nermark. In order to get a sense of how large that scale is, you'd need to compare it to the studio's other games, including the surprisingly good movie tie-in Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay, its remake Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena, and the now-being-sequeled comic book adaptation The Darkness. Not included in this list: The studio's other EA project, a canceled Jason Bourne game. You may have spotted a trend in Starbreeze's curriculum vitae: an abundance of licensed games. No bother, says Nermark. "Whatever the project is, if it's an original IP or license, the most important thing is that you believe in the game and have fun developing it," he told CVG. In related news, Starbreeze believes in Project RedLime and is having fun developing it.
Molyneux would welcome involvement in EA's reported Syndicate remake
If an alleged remake of Syndicate is currently going on under EA's direction, Peter Molyneux, producer of the original real-time tactical game, would like the opportunity to talk with the development team (reported to be Starbreeze Studios). "It's a great feeling to see something you've created still have life or meaning," Molyneux told CVG, when asked to comment on the remake reports. "But my first thought is: 'I wish I could just spend a day with them saying what I thought was really special about Syndicate, or another [Bullfrog] title for that matter.'" EA obtained the IP rights to Syndicate from Molyneux's old studio, Bullfrog Productions, when it purchased the company in 1995. Molyneux left two years later to found Lionhead Studios. In 2004, Bullfrog was merged into EA UK (now defunct). Molyneux is confident that any team EA would select for such a project would "work it out," but notes that the situation would be like watching your kid grow up and become independent -- "you still want to be a little bit involved." He points to the DS version of Populous (a remake of his career breakout title) as being something he wished he could have had just "ten minutes" to discuss with the development team before they got started on the project. Would Molyneux be up for a visit to EA's development offices to offer advice on a Syndicate remake? "Yeah, sure."
'Bourne Ascendancy' was canceled Starbreeze game, corroborates ex-dev
According to one-time Starbreeze Studios game director Mikael Lindgren, a Jason Bourne game was indeed the studio's reported cancellation a year ago. Posting on his freelance game designer company site, Zoetropa, Lindgren lists "The Bourne Ascendancy (Cancelled)" on his resume, referring to himself as Starbreeze game director for the apparent EA-published project. (On his LinkedIn page, Lindgren dates his most recent stint at Starbreeze from August 2009 through April 2010 -- right about when Starbreeze confirmed the unnamed game cancellation.) Lindgren's claim of The Bourne Ascendancy cancellation is further evidence that Starbreeze's surviving EA collaboration -- codenamed "Project RedLime" -- is the rumored Syndicate reboot. A series of trademarks and a US Copyright Office document previously linked the two companies to a possible Syndicate game. Last month, Starbreeze licensed Unreal Engine 3 for long-term use, presumably replacing its heralded proprietary game engine -- which powered its Chronicles of Riddick series and The Darkness -- for current and future projects. Lindgren's resume also reveals a canned Avalanche Studios' game under the working title "Arcadia" that was to be published by THQ. He credits himself as a senior designer for the game and notes his Avalanche tenure as November 2007 – March 2008 on LinkedIn. It's likely that Arcadia was one of two reported publishing contracts lost by Avalanche that led to the studio's significant downsizing in late 2008. [Pictured: Partial screencap of Mikael Lindgren's "Resume" page on Zoetropa.com]
Starbreeze licenses Unreal Engine 3 for future projects
Starbreeze, developer of The Darkness and Chronicles of Riddick, has announced a "multi-year, studio-wide license agreement" to develop projects using Unreal Engine 3. CEO Johan Kristiansson has stated that the engine is "the solution that best fits [Starbreeze's] needs." Presumably, UE3 will be the engine behind Project RedLime, Starbreeze's rumored Syndicate revival for EA. The news should come as something of a surprise to industry watchers, as the company previously made a name for itself using its own proprietary Starbreeze engine. The engine was used to power both The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay and The Darkness. Riddick in particular is generally regarded as one of the most graphically impressive titles on the original Xbox.
More trademark registrations indicate Syndicate return
A modern update of isometric cyborg sim Syndicate is presumed to be the surviving half of a planned two-game collaboration between EA and Starbreeze Studios. As noted by Superannuation, EA filed three new "Syndicate" trademark registrations in August concerning "video game software," "electronic computer games" and, in one case, "collectable toy figures." Rumors of a new Syndicate sprang up over a year ago, and a document from the U.S. Copyright Office recently linked the Syndicate name to both EA and Chronicles of Riddick developer Starbreeze Studios. While the publisher has never made an official announcement, original Syndicate designer Sean Cooper stated in June 2009 that several "misguided" attempts to revisit the sci-fi franchise had been made since it debuted in the early 90s. Fans are likely to share Cooper's skepticism, especially if the marketing department signs off on Syndicate as a free download exclusive to every new copy of Dante's Inferno 2: Farewell to Frying Pan.
OFLC rates 'Project Red' for EA [update]
Australia's OFLC has rated "Project Red" for EA, classifying it with an MA 15+ label. If the classification is related to "Project RedLime," it would likely be the rating for the alleged Syndicate game in production by Starbreeze Studios and EA. Of course, without the direct RedLime connection, this could be a rating for ... well, anything. Also, if you find it strange (like we do) that the OFLC is rating games by using code names, this is just the most recent example. Last year, The Beatles: Rock Band was titled Rock Band Project 9. EA has apparently figured out how to get its paperwork into the OFLC without accidentally revealing a forthcoming game announcement. Update: AustralianGamer got hold of the documents. It's Bulletstorm. %Gallery-92124%
Starbreeze and EA partnership revealed by Syndicate copyright docs
Given the years of back and forth we've seen over the possibility of an updated Syndicate for current-gen consoles, we're looking at the handful of recently discovered copyright documents -- that seemingly reveal a collaboration between Starbreeze Studios and EA -- with a fair amount of skepticism. Internet supersleuth Supererogatory spotted the three filings on the US Copyright Office website (confirmed by Joystiq this morning, though not linkable), each for the title "Syndicate" and one of which is co-filed by EA and Starbreeze. Back in 2008, the two companies officially announced that they were working together on revisiting one of EA's "most acclaimed classic franchises," dubbing the collaboration "Project RedLime" (and leaving us to speculate on what that classic franchise might be). We've reached out to both EA and Starbreeze for comment on the filings and will let you know if we hear anything back. (What next, an XCom revival? Oh.)
Enclave Wii port to be published by TopWare
It's been quite a while since we've heard anything about the upcoming Wii port of the 2003 Starbreeze Xbox and PC title, Enclave. Now we've got a few new tidbits on the Wii port. First and foremost, the game now has a publisher in TopWare Interactive, the same publisher behind the upcoming open-world fantasy Two Worlds 2. TopWare has acquired the worldwide IP and trademark rights for the game and will bring it to the Wii with the new title Enclave: Shadows of Twilight. Shadows of Twilight will take advantage of the Wii Remote and will add some other new features including a better save system -- you can actually save at any time now -- and a new tutorial. Furthermore, both the light and dark campaigns will be unlocked from the beginning. There is, unfortunately, one detail still missing from the press release: The release date. As of last year, the game was slated for "early 2010" so hopefully we'll hear something soon. In the meantime, check out a trailer for the original game after the break.
Report: Bourne game is Starbreeze's canceled EA project
Yesterday, we reported that one of two Starbreeze games being developed for EA had gone the way of the dodo. Now, the LA Times blog reports that the canceled game is in fact the title based on the Bourne franchise -- and not the believed Syndicate reboot, Project RedLime. This news doesn't eliminate the possibility for a new Bourne game sometime down the line, however. EA signed a ten-year deal with the Ludlum estate, and an EA spokesperson said, "EA and the Ludlum Estate are still discussing making a game based on the Bourne franchise."
Starbreeze's 'Enclave' being ported to Wii
Remember Enclave? It's back ... in Wii form! Oh, you don't remember Enclave? It was a 3D fantasy action game for the Xbox and PC, developed by Starbreeze Studios immediately prior to its breakout hit The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay.According to Eurogamer, some progress was made years ago on a GameCube port of the game, which the site speculates is the basis for this Wii version. However, Starbreeze isn't working on the Wii game -- instead, a German developer called Village1 Entertainment is handling the port. Village1 expects to release the game in "early 2010," though without a publisher, it has basically no way of knowing when the release date will be.
Syndicate creator skeptical of a series revival
Syndicate creator Sean Cooper says he remains skeptical any revival of his 1993 cult-classic title will be able to capture the "essence" of the original. "Every time I've seen a prototype of a new Syndicate it's just been misguided," Cooper told IncGamers.In October 2008, rumors swirled about the possibility of Riddick dev Starbreeze reviving the Electronic Arts property. Last March, GI.biz stated that "sources confirmed" the rumor was true. No official announcement has ever been made.According to Cooper, Electronic Arts has attempted to revisit the real-time tactics title many times in the past, citing memories of failed prototypes brought to his attention. However, Cooper fears EA won't be able to capture what made the original so popular: "The essence of the game was killing people - and that was it," Cooper said. "If I have to kill everyone, I will. That to me was the essence of the gameplay."Syndicate was developed by Bullfrog Productions, a company co-founded by Microsoft Game Studios Europe creative director Peter Molyneux. In 2006, Syndicate was included in the PSP-exclusive compilation EA Replay -- unfortunately, it was a terrible version.
Starbreeze: Indie studios 'always' more creative than corporate studios
Speaking with Develop, Starbreeze Studios CEO Johan Kristiansson discussed his feelings about game development, specifically as it relates to independent studios. The subjects of the interview range from the decision to release Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena in April -- the game debuted at #2 in the UK but failed to make the top 10 in North America -- to the advantages of using established franchises versus creating new IP. Perhaps the most interesting part of the interview comes near the end, when Kristiansson discusses the differences between the independent and corporate development environments.According to Kristiansson, corporate development environments can stifle creativity, as decisions are made more slowly. He stated that independent developers have "a stronger feeling of ownership-attachment to their properties," adding that indie studios can develop "a more tightly knit team" over time."An independent studio is always going to be more creative," said Kristiansson, noting that publishers should allow developers to maintain control over production. He concluded, "If indies are too close to their publishers, that can also damage the decision making process and the overall game quality."
NPD chronicles 100K debut for Riddick's Assault on Dark Athena
Despite staying well outside the game media's chronicles of ridicule, Starbreeze's Vin Diesel star vehicle (note: not the one that's about him driving vehicles) failed to appear among the NPD group's list of top sellers for April. According to the NPD's Anita Frazier, The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena sold 100,000 units across all platforms during its debut month. Oddly, the NPD data includes figures for March, even though the official North American release was on April 7th.Since Starbreeze's previous effort, gothic comic adaptation The Darkness, broke into the top ten in June 2007, Riddick's performance may seem disappointing, especially in the face of positive word-of-mouth and a relatively quiet release month. Without a new tie-in film to generate buzz, the impetus fell on Atari's marketing -- and it seems to have failed to convince gamers that Vin Diesel still has some gas left in him. Atari hadn't responded to our calls at the time of publishing, nor our suggestion to feed Vin a spicy burrito.
Riddick: Dark Athena debuts at #2 in UK charts, only new game to make top 40
Who would have thought The Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena would be so successful? In the UK, the Vin Diesel-starring, sci-fi adventure came into the charts at the number two spot, being the only debut entry for the week to make it into the top 40 (obliterating other debut titles like Rock Revolution and Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 2).So, what was the only game keeping Vin Diesel from full-out domination? It's Wii Fit, which still reigns supreme in the Isles. Sorry Vinny, you can't dethrone Wii Fit -- not even with those weird glowing eyes of yours. But hey, fans still love you; they're keeping Wheelman afloat at #22.
Joystiq interview: Ian Stevens, Tigon Studios' head of game production
Ian Stevens has a lot on his plate. Between launching two games this month in Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena and Wheelman and working on Vin Diesel's dream game (not to mention two games still in the concept stage named Melkor and Perrone), we think this gentleman could really use a vacation. Busy as he is, he was nice enough to take time out of his schedule last week to speak with us about a few things. Number one on the agenda: What is it exactly that Tigon Studios does? If Starbreeze developed Riddick and Midway Newcastle developed Wheelman, where does Tigon fit into this mess? His answer just might shock you! [Disclaimer: Ian Steven's answer will likely not actually shock you, but you may find it interesting. So there's that.]%Gallery-38368%
Joystiq Review: Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena
This is an exceedingly weird release. On the same disc, you've got an older, graphically-juiced version of the classic Escape from Butcher Bay paired with Assault on Dark Athena, a modern take on the same game, but one that never feels like anything more than an expansion.So, as the game's targeting a lot of different audiences, I thought I'd write short, separate reviews for each of these groups. I know, it's totally Web 3.0.If you played and liked Butcher Bay: You're going to want this. You can't play your old version on your 360, and besides, the new version looks great. The one thing you may have forgotten from BB that hasn't aged so well? Load times. Seriously, when you're going from one area to another in the prison, it's brutal. We're talking 13 to 15 seconds every couple of minutes in some sections. The good stuff's still there, though. Melee combat is satisfyingly brutal, voice acting's great, and the stealth is really intuitive and well-handled.%Gallery-38368%
Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena trailers to tide you over
For some, the April 7 release of Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena can't come soon enough. To help ease the pain of waiting, we present two new trailers from the game (viewable after the break). The first clip shows our anti-hero storming one of the ship's generators, while the second clip showcases the many enemies that try to get in Riddick's way. Oh, you silly NPCs ...If you want your experience to be extra authentic, shave your head, turn off the lights, and don some shades while watching. Around the office, we call that Vin-O-vision.Source - Generator room gameplaySource - Riddick's enemies vignette
