E3 2001 Hands-onDie Hard: Nakatomi Plaza

Little was known about Sierra Studios' recently announced Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza prior to E3, besides the apparent fact that it was based on the Bruce Willis action movie classic. However, the game was playable from the show floor, and we made sure to put it through its paces. What we found was a first-person shooter that will attempt to recreate many of the situations featured in the original Die Hard film.

You might've been disappointed by the low quality of the action in the official movie clip from the game we posted earlier. We're pleased to report that what's being shown at E3 looks much better--the frame rate is smoother and the enemy characters are behaving much more reasonably. Still, Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza has a way's to go.

Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza is being developed by Piranha Studios, and is currently about 50% complete and slated for a fall 2001 release--probably just about a month after the release of Aliens vs. Predator 2, the other PC first-person shooter that Sierra Studios recently signed from Fox Interactive. Like Aliens vs. Predator 2, Die Hard uses the LithTech 3D engine to render its fully 3D scenery and characters. Of course, the theme of the game lends it a rather different appearance. Die Hard is clearly aiming to have real-world authenticity in the level of detail featured in its environments--these environments being the interior of the gigantic Nakatomi Plaza building. Many scenery set pieces are breakable by errant gunfire, and the subdued colors used in the game give the graphics a gritty quality.

As Bruce Willis' character John McClane, you'll be charged with a variety of different objectives throughout the game, from shooting it out with terrorists to defusing bombs. McClane is armed with an MP5 submachine gun and a 9mm semi-automatic, and also packs a trusty Zippo lighter (useful for seeing in dark places) and an even trustier pair of wire cutters for disarming explosives. He'll also have a radio at his disposal. The game will require you to use stealth in many situations, though you'll have to shoot at least as often.

The action in the game seems pretty straightforward thus far, though the developers are planning to include a few elements not found in typical shooters. Most notably, the game will gauge McClane's morale, depending on how well he's doing in a fight. If you manage to avoid enemy gunfire and all of your own shots ring true, apparently your morale will increase, causing you to fight even more effectively and causing your enemies to break morale and flee. On the other hand, if you're trapped by suppressive fire, your morale may decrease, causing your foes to become even more aggressive. The game will also keep track of McClane's stamina--he'll only be able to exert himself so much before he has to take a breather.

No multiplayer version of Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza was shown. The artificial intelligence of the enemy characters also seemed unpolished, and the action in the game seemed toned down beyond the level of expectation; despite the deadly clashes with terrorists, the game displayed little actual violence or blood. Of course, the game is only halfway finished, so there's still much left to be done, including the implementation of the morale and stamina systems.

While Die Hard has the undeniable appeal of a great movie license, it's scheduled for release at around the same time as several high-profile shooters, including Soldier of Fortune II and Medal of Honor: Allied Assault--and even Aliens vs. Predator 2. Though some aspects of the game seem promising, time will tell whether Die Hard: Nakatomi Plaza will ultimately have something more than its movie license to distinguish itself.