Red Faction II by Al Giovetti
THQ ANNOUNCES RED FACTION II FOR GAMECUBE, XBOX AND PC
Critically Acclaimed Action Game Scheduled to Ship In March 2003
CALABASAS HILLS, Calif. - January 13, 2003 - THQ® Inc. (NASDAQ NMS: THQI) today announced that its critically acclaimed action game Red Faction® II will be coming to Nintendo® Gamecube™, the Xbox™ video game system from Microsoft and PC in March. Featuring an enhanced Geo-Mod™ engine that allows players to strategically alter and destroy the game environment in real-time, Red Faction II expands and builds upon the experience and technology of the original game with blistering action, an engaging storyline, highly detailed graphics and a number of multi-player options.
Originally developed for the PlayStation® 2 computer entertainment system by THQ’s Volition® studio, these new versions of Red Faction II will feature a number of enhancements and improvements. The Gamecube version, being developed by THQ’s Cranky Pants Games™ studio, will feature custom animations, improved texture resolution and color as well as enhanced lighting specific to the Gamecube hardware. The Xbox and PC versions, being developed by THQ’s Outrage® Games studio, will include increased texture resolution, and exclusive multiplayer maps and character models.
“We are very pleased to be bringing an original, internally developed brand like Red Faction II to Gamecube, Xbox and PC,” said Alison Locke, executive vice president, North American publishing, THQ. “In addition to groundbreaking Geo-Mod technology, Red Faction II offers gamers a complete entertainment experience with new enhancements and improvements that take advantage of each system’s respective hardware.”
About Red Faction II
Featuring an enhanced Geo-Mod engine that allows players to strategically alter and destroy the game environment in real-time, Red Faction II builds upon the experience and technology of the original game. Players will defend their country as Alias, a demolitions expert, with the help of five elite squad members, each specialized in their own means of destruction. Tasked with completing multiple mission objectives in a number of diverse levels, players will have a number of vehicles and an arsenal of powerful weapons at their disposal in a rampage to overthrow the government. Red Faction II features actor Lance Henriksen (The Terminator, Aliens, Millennium) as the voice of squad leader Molov. Refined graphics, enhanced enemy AI and dynamic environments are also featured in Red Faction II along with four-player split screen action including customizable computer opponents.
For more information, artwork and to view weekly updates on the game’s development please visit www.redfaction2.com.
About Cranky Pants Games
Located in Seattle, Washington, Cranky Pants Games is THQ’s internal game development studio focusing exclusively on next generation console systems. The studio is currently working on Summoner®: A Goddess Reborn for Nintendo Gamecube and a second unannounced title on Gamecube.
About Outrage Games
Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Outrage Games is one of THQ’s premier internal game development studios responsible for high-end creations on next generation systems and PC. Its credits include the best-selling and award-winning Descent series as part of Parallax Software. The studio’s first original title for THQ, Alter Echo™, is scheduled for release in May 2003.
About Volition
Located in Champaign, Illinois, Volition is one of THQ’s premier internal game development studios responsible for high-end creations on next generation systems and PC. Its credits include the best-selling Red Faction, Summoner, the acclaimed Freespace and Freespace 2, as well as the award-winning Descent and Descent 2 as a part of Parallax Software.
About THQ
THQ Inc. is a leading, worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software for a variety of hardware platforms including PC CD-ROM, wireless devices, and those manufactured by Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc., Nintendo and Microsoft. The THQ web site is located at www.thq.com. The THQ Wireless site is located at www.thqwireless.com.
You receive help from time to time from a team of five squad members who are nano enhanced in certain areas like sniping, hacking, driving vehicles. You take the role of Alias a demolitions expert who can double as a shooter.
A surprisingly interesting feature is the removal of points for heroics for killing non-combatants. The higher your heroics points the more pictures are unlocked in the gallery and the more
There is no co-operative play option for the game even in the multiplayer mode of game play.
You intend to overthrow the government of the Red Faction and replace it with a more deserving group. Eventually many of your team betray you and you are alone against them and other bio-enhanced super warriors. You finally must kill your team leader Molov who has turned against you and now supports the Red Faction.
The Geo Mod engine allows you to blow up parts of the environment which is fun to most people. The environment is not totally destroyable, however and only some structures can be destroyed by explosives.
Lance Henriksen from The Terminator, Aliens, and Millennium as the voice of squad leader Molov. Alias, the Demolitions Expert has Christian Campbell as his voice. Shrike is Transportation with the voice of Jason Statham. Molov specializes in all forms of armed combat. Tangier is proficient in Stealth and Electronics and is voiced by Cricket Leigh. Quill is the sniper voiced by Julie Claire. Repta is a Heavy Weapons expert whose voice is that of Gary Sturges.
Christian Campbell appeared as Josh McGrath in Max Steel (2000), in Gargoyle (2002), I've Been Waiting for You (1998), Trick (1999) and Next Time (1999).
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