X05: Too Human First Look

AMSTERDAM--Microsoft gave attendees of its X05 press event in Amsterdam a glimpse of the Xbox 360's future with new game announcements. One that is sure to excite longtime fans of developer Silicon Knights is the unveiling of Too Human, the Canadian developer's first game for the Xbox 360. In a brief trailer shown for the game, which flashed provocative phrases referencing a conflict between mortals and deities, we saw humans in futuristic suits fighting insectlike critters in ruins. The teaser showed a mix of standard hack-and-slash action, albeit with a wicked laser sword, and some good old-fashioned Matrix-style gunplay, used to do away with a swarm of enemy mobs. One of the centerpieces of the action was a battle between a mech and one of the humans, which left the mech getting a messy lobotomy by a human wielding one of the aforementioned laser swords. The final element of the well-produced trailer was the intimation that the game was part of an epic trilogy.

As cool as the trailer was, we were obviously anxious to find out more about the game, since (we're trying not to sound too jaded), we've seen more than our fair share of kick-ass trailers over the years that have amounted to less than kick-ass games. Our digging yielded some interesting info. For starters, the game is being developed using the Unreal Engine 3. The story casts you as the cybernetic god, Baldur, who is in the midst of an ongoing battle that threatens the existence of mankind. You are forced to use your godly hand when an ancient machine sets out to eradicate human life. Too Human, the first in a trilogy of games that will take place during Baldur's saga, will catch up to Baldur as he is defending mankind from hordes of war machines.

We're intrigued by the sound of how Baldur's clash with the war machines is going to play out as, god or not, he's going to have to work to do his job. Though we would personally use our godly powers to smite our foes, it sounds as though Baldur will be taking a more "hands-on" approach and engaging in melee and weapon-based combat with massive mobs of foes. There will be a seamless blend of melee and firearms combat to let you engage foes up close and at range. The game is also ambitiously attempting to offer an accessible combo system that will be flexible enough for novices to pick up, but challenging enough for veterans to master. Silicon Knights aspires to complement its combat system with a cinematic presentation and powerful soundtrack. The goal of the Too Human team is to offer a dynamic, cinematic experience that makes savvy use of hi-def visuals and rich music.

Too Human is slated for a 2006 release, exclusively for the Xbox 360. Look for more on the game shortly.