Sony is already flexing its gaming muscles in preparation for the PSPs arrival and the range of titles for the handheld will aim to please us all. MediEvil will also make the transition from PS One to PSP and will attempt to achieve it in style if we are to judge by the in-game images released and available by following the download tab above. Find out more about the game and read the Q&A to find out if MediEvil is just a port...
One hundred years have passed since the evil Sorcerer Zarok was defeated at the Battle of Gallowmere, heroically cut down by a mortally wounded Sir Daniel Fortesque. Or at least, that's what the people were told; in fact poor Sir Dan was a bit of a coward, falling in the very first wave of arrows. Now Zarok has returned, turning day into night, and raising an undead army to conquer the land. As a side effect Dan has also been resurrected... now, he has the chance to defeat Zarok and in death become the hero he never was in life.
Features:
- Follow Dan's quest across the magical land of Gallowmere, taking in oodles of varied levels, gazillions of combat moves and bucketloads of weapons
- As the enchanting storyline unfolds, become enthralled in the MediEvil universe; a weird and wonderful place bursting with action and boundless humour
- Two handfuls of splendid multiplayer mini-games, with WiFi compatible multiplayer support
- In-game help system in the form of the Voodoo Witch and in-game manual located in Dan's crypt.
Piers Jackson, Producer for MediEvil, has answered a few questions about MediEvil in order to inform gamers of what they can expect to see on the PSP.
We've seen MediEvil on PS one, can you tell us what is different on the PSP version?
Pretty much everything is different! Whilst we've taken the basic story and some of the locations from the original game, all the code, graphics and voices are different and we've expanded the plot, added mini-games, multiplayer facilities and even a PSP-friendly save anywhere function.
So it's not just a port?
Absolutely not, everything has been created from scratch. The ideas that we thought worked well in the original have been preserved although in many cases their use has been altered or repositioned to keep it all fresh, even to those who played the original.
What elements have you introduced to the game to make it different enough to be considered a brand new game?
New combat manoeuvres, new levels, characters, and bosses. There have been significant additions to the plot line in the form of the Anubis Stone, which strengthens the story arc and the creation of Al Zalam to act as Dan's internal monologue and the player's guide.
Why didn't the MediEvil series appear on PS2?
Largely because we were busy on other projects. After MediEvil 2 on PS one some of the guys had been working on the MediEvil games for five years and they wanted to work on something new; by the time they'd done a game on PS2 it was time to do something for PSP and MediEvil seemed perfect.
Are there any of the original team members working on the PSP game?
Directly on the team the only person is Mitch Phillips, although he is the Lead Artist, so it's a pretty big link! Many of the original team still work in the studio though, and they're always available for hints, tips and general advice. Oh, and we're still using the original voice of Dan!
Are there many major differences in the development for a software title for PSP?
The biggest difference is that it's a new platform! We started, not only with no code or engine, but for a long time without any Development Kits - that makes for an interesting ride. Actually, logistical difficulties aside the biggest differences are in the gameplay challenges of a portable console. We were used to developing for PS2, or PS one back in the day, but now we had to consider what a player would want from a PSP, such as save anywhere features and shorter, more intense levels. It really does change the whole way you go about developing a game.
Tell us more about the WiFi elements in the game.
We've looked to incorporate WiFi game modes in two ways. All of the game's mini-games offer a head-to-head challenge mode where players can battle to survive the longest or obtain the highest score. MediEvil will also feature a checkpoint style race mode using the game's levels where one player's success penalises the other player's time offering an interesting tactical challenge balancing a straight race with seeking to complete a level more thoroughly.
Are you going to include any downloadables that can be used to enhance the title at a later date?
We're still examining the possibilities of having additional game content post release in the form of mini-games and new weaponry. Interestingly we designed and built a MediEvil style ship for WipEout Pure, so keep an eye out for that at launch!
As a developer what is the most exciting element of working on software for PSP?
To date the PSP is by far the most powerful and feature-rich hand-held available, far and away the most exciting element of developing on the system is pushing the boundaries in terms of gameplay and art on a hand-held. You really won't believe the clarity of the screen!
What features has the game got that takes into consideration the fact that the PSP is portable?
I'm sure everyone is saying pretty much the same thing, but offhand ours are a save anywhere feature, dip in and play mini-games, and a plot structured into more milestones than a conventional game to allow for shorter play sessions without losing the story-line or direction.
