Afrika journeys to PS3 this fall

The PlayStation 3 is becoming known for its range of quirky, nontraditional games, such as Flow, Flower, and Noby Noby Boy. Now, one of the first announced titles to fit into this alternative category has been given a due date. Natsume said today that Rhino Software's Afrika would arrive on North American retail shelves for the PlayStation 3 during "early fall" 2009.

Afrika's gameplay involves players venturing forth into a virtual wildlife preserve, with the aim of photographing wildlife in their natural habitat on an open African plain. The family-oriented title was produced in conjunction with National Geographic and features a knowledge bank offering encyclopedic data on the various animals in the game.

As told by Natsume, animals and environments have been rendered in photo-realistic detail, and players will be charged with capturing images of these beasts at rest or in conflict with other wildlife. Players will then be judged on the quality of their photos, earning money to purchase upgraded cameras and safari equipment.

Initially revealed during Sony Computer Entertainment's 2006 Electronic Entertainment Expo press conference, Afrika resembled more of a tech demo than a game, thanks to the immensely detailed animals and environments shown during a brief demonstration. The title was subsequently kept largely under wraps until May 2008, when Sony launched a Japanese-language teaser site for the game. Sony went on to release the game for the PS3 in Japan last August.