Ice Nine E3 2003 Preshow Report

Bam Entertainment will be showing Ice Nine, a first-person shooter for the PlayStation 2, at E3 2003. Developed by Torus Games, Ice Nine will let you assume the role of Tom Carter, a new agent trainee for the United States Central Intelligence Agency. The plot centers on the theft of a computer virus called Ice Nine that has the unique property of being able to spread through power lines, disabling the electric power grids of any city where it's deployed. You'll start the game taking orders from a high-ranking CIA officer, but you'll soon uncover a larger conspiracy surrounding the virus. At some point during the game, you'll be able to choose to join a Chinese terrorist organization called the Xu and become a double agent or stay true as an operative for the United States. These choices open up multiple gameplay paths and allow for multiple endings based on the decisions you make in the game.

You'll use disguises stolen from the enemies you kill in order to stealthily sneak through 12 different levels ranging from the CIA's training facility, called The Farm, to a secret, offshore Chinese terrorist installation, outfitted with a submarine bay. The game boasts more than 15 different enemy types, with varied behavior, appearance, and personality. The game's AI will be advanced, allowing enemies to hide, run away when they're out of ammo, and communicate with each other at appropriate times during battle. Ice Nine also includes a physics engine that allows for destructible walls and furniture and other special effects, like objects on tables moving when the table is disturbed. You'll also have a nonplayer character partner, Agent Hannah Stone, who can be instructed to help you achieve mission objectives and attack enemies. You'll even have 20 different weapons and gadgets at your disposal, ranging from rocket launchers and remote-controlled mines, to audio bug devices and various automatic weapons.

Ice Nine is slated for a June 2003 release on the PlayStation 2 platform. We'll post more information on the game as it becomes available.