E3 2001 Hands-on: SkittlesDarkened Skye

Of all the potential licenses for a third-person action-adventure game, Skittles may not be the first that springs into your mind, but nonetheless, here it is. Darkened Skye is indeed based on a candy license, but it's actually inspired by the fantasy-themed commercials rather than the candies themselves. You assume the role of Skye, a Lara Croft-type heroine, and the gameplay resembles that of Tomb Raider and other third-person action-adventure games. The story follows Skye across five different worlds (each based on a different Skittles commercial) and has several plot twists and turns, including a love interest.

Darkened Skye has 30 missions, and in them, Skye solves puzzles and battles against hordes of enemies, attacking them with her staff or using any of the different available spells. As you progress through the game, you pick up Skittles. With these, you can acquire the different spells and increase your magical power. Available spells include fireballs, the ability to levitate, and "cleanse evil," a particularly powerful spell that can clear a room full of enemies. You have a limited number of Skittles, so for different missions, it will be necessary to decide which spells to use. Spell management is done through a fairly simple interface, and it's very simple to change spells on the fly.

It's important to point out that the game doesn't take itself seriously at all. Skye is accompanied by a wisecracking sidekick, and the two have a series of witty conversations throughout each level. The voice of Skye is provided by Linda Larkin, an actress best known for her work as the voice of Jasmine in Disney's Aladdin. Darkened Skye certainly is a unique use of a strange license, and it should be available later this year.