Clive Barker's Undying First Impression

Undying is a first-person shooter with a marked mystical look and feel. Players assume the role of Magnus, who's described as a spiritual version of Indiana Jones. The game is set in Ireland during the 1920s. Magnus is called upon by one of his friends who's recently been haunted by the spirits of his dead siblings. In order to save his friend, Magnus must unravel the secret of the siblings' death and embark on five quests that span two different planes of existence.

Available to Magnus will be eight weapons, some of which, like the shotgun, are standard fare. Others, like the Tibetan war cannon, are much more arcane. Magnus will also be able to make use of eight offensive and eight defensive spells. These spells can each be improved by a factor of five, one for every amplifier found throughout the game. Magnus is capable of wielding his weapon in this his left hand and cast a magical spell in his right for double the offensive potency. The game's levels are simply gorgeous, even this early on in development. Undying is brought to life using a heavily modified version of Epic's Unreal Tournament engine, and only the most discriminating eye will be able to note any similarities between it and other Unreal-powered games of past.

Undying will be available in the fall.