Raven's Singularity

[Rob_Merritt]

Was listening to Giant bomb casts from E3 (yeah I'm behind) and they were describing this game and now I'm actually interested in this game. Before based on the few screen shots I've seen I wasn't.

You are a pilot in 2010 that crashes on an Island that is forbidden. It was a sight for russian experiments in time back in 1950s. Apparently it has a lot of retro sci fi of the 1950s touches, even in the music. Time just acts weird. Different than time shit. The bomcast talks about finding people stuck in a loop, buildings that look ruin become like new and then decay as you explore.

It's on my radar now.

[Matthew Gallant]

http://www.truemeaningoflife.com/images/knight.jpg
So you're saying there's a lot of poor choosing in it?

[MSUSteve]

Game Informer had a big story on this game a few months back and it looked great. Of course all GI previews look great. I'm certainly interested in the game. Raven is a solid developer and it's nice to see them working on something of their own.

[Rob_Merritt]

So you're saying there's a lot of poor choosing in it?


I so hope so.

[Crater]

I haven't listened to the podcast, but it sounds a lot like the plot of LOST.

[Rob_Merritt]

I haven't listened to the podcast, but it sounds a lot like the plot of LOST.

They talked about the Raven guys are really pissed about this. they've been working on this game for four years and worked on the story for longer and every week Lost keeps chipping away at what Raven is making. They think its cool but they are really worried most people are going to assume they just ripped off Lost.

[Jose Liz]

Game Informer had a big story on this game a few months back and it looked great. Of course all GI previews look great. I'm certainly interested in the game. Raven is a solid developer and it's nice to see them working on something of their own.
Same here. The GI preview looked great and some of the videos look great too. Solid hook.

[intruder]

EDGE calls it a "Bioshock clone" in its preview.

It's on my radar, too.

[Adam B]

How the hell anyone would use "bioshock clone" to describe Singularity is beyond me. Singularity looks fun, though. Their art director sure does love the green ambient lighting.

[Telefrog]

I read the GI article. Singularity looks intriguing to me.

Of course, if I were Raven, I'd be more worrid about similarities to their own Wolfenstein reboot coming out.

[Jazar]

Element 99!

*shifty eyes*

[Jose Liz]

Demo confirmed before release: http://www.joystiq.com/2009/06/17/activision-singularity-demo-is-absolutely-critical/

[MattKeil]

How the hell anyone would use "bioshock clone" to describe Singularity is beyond me.

Story-heavy FPS exploring post-destruction historical site using flashback narrative device?

I think I see how they got there.

[nordhus]

Element 99!



Name: Einsteinium
Symbol: Es
Atomic Weight: 252
Most stable isotope: Einsteinium 252 with a half-life of 471.7 days.

An artificially produced transuranic element with no obvious uses except as a stepping stone to produce even heavier transuranic elements. It's time-bending abilities has so far gone unreported.

[Tom Chick]

Story-heavy FPS exploring post-destruction historical site using flashback narrative device?

I think I see how they got there.

Don't forget the look of the game. The Singularity team is really in love with BioShock's aesthetic.

-Tom

[Adam B]

I guess I look at it more from a tone standpoint...Singularity is much more action-oriented and focused on its little timey-wimey puzzles, whereas BioShock uses action as a way to move its story forward and break up the dialogue.

I'm not buying Singularity as "story-heavy." Maybe I'm wrong, and hell, I'd love for it to draw comparisons to BioShock from a narrative perspective. Seems unlikely, though.

[RepoMan]

Timey-wimey vs. story-heavy? I'm not sure which one I likey-wikey bettery-wettery.

[MattKeil]

I'm not buying Singularity as "story-heavy." Maybe I'm wrong, and hell, I'd love for it to draw comparisons to BioShock from a narrative perspective. Seems unlikely, though.

I believe the guys working on it specifically cited BioShock as an influence, so I would imagine it's not all that crazy a comparison. They have been pushing the story and setting pretty heavily so far.

[DavidKaye]

I'm sceptical that they can deliver on any kind of interesting narrative. Every Raven game I have played has shown a sound grasp of fun mechanics, but a complete absence of any creative flair whatsoever.

Quick edit: that may be harsh. Up until now, Raven has mostly been working with other peoples' IP. Perhaps this is the passion project where they finally get to showcase all that bottled up creativity. We'll see, I guess.

[intruder]

I also recall that Edge compared something in Singularity with Bioshock's plasmaid" system.
Hope that makes sense to someone that played a build already.

[notatiger]

I'm sceptical that they can deliver on any kind of interesting narrative. Every Raven game I have played has shown a sound grasp of fun mechanics, but a complete absence of any creative flair whatsoever.

I was about to disagree with this, citing the X-Men rpg brawlers, but then I realized that just furthered your point. Maybe they can do something interesting enough with time mechanics to carry the game. I wouldn't be surprised.

[Chris Nahr]

Quick edit: that may be harsh. Up until now, Raven has mostly been working with other peoples' IP. Perhaps this is the passion project where they finally get to showcase all that bottled up creativity. We'll see, I guess.

I guess you haven't played the old Raven classics -- Shadowcaster, Hexen, Heretic. Those were the best games Raven ever made. Then they switched to bog-standard shooters based on licensed IP because that was more profitable. :(

[Adam B]

Timey-wimey vs. story-heavy? I'm not sure which one I likey-wikey bettery-wettery.

You, sir, need to watch more Doctor Who.

[DavidKaye]

I guess you haven't played the old Raven classics -- Shadowcaster, Hexen, Heretic. Those were the best games Raven ever made. Then they switched to bog-standard shooters based on licensed IP because that was more profitable. :(

I played Hexen and Heretic. They were fun. I'm not saying Raven can't make fun games. I just don't see any evidence of the imaginative spark that makes games like Bioshock, Plants vs Zombies or STALKER special.

[Chris Nahr]

The Raven classics were imaginative enough for me. I enjoyed then more than Bioshock or Plants vs Zombies, and I'd be happy if they only came back to that level. (Also, seriously? Plants vs Zombies?)

[bago]

Wolverine is a Raven Classic. You tear up everything in that game, from soldiers to scenery. Do they have a gore director who has been working on dismemberment since Soldier of Fortune?

[Adam Sensoy]

I finally saw the trailer the other day, and I really, really like the look of this game. A little bioshock, a little extra time funky power stuff thrown in, cool visuals, interesting enough story. Yeah, I'm looking forward to this one.

[Roy Ziegler]

Looks good. Mostly interested in what they do with time in terms of gameplay.