NEWS - Friday, April 18, 2003
Secret Weapons Announced
Inspired by its celebrated Secret Weapons series of classic World War II flight combat games, LucasArts announces Secret Weapons Over Normandy, which brings the historic air battles of that era to PlayStation 2, the Xbox video game system from Microsoft, and PC this fall. Secret Weapons Over Normandy presents a dynamic, deeply engaging story-driven flight action experience that puts players in control of authentic World War II aircraft and challenges them to undertake the war’s most dangerous missions. Secret Weapons Over Normandy features gameplay accessible to all audiences. Through more than 30 exhilarating air-to-air and air-to-ground World War II missions, players engage in dogfights over the turbulent skies of 15 unique combat theaters including Europe, the Eastern Front, North Africa, China-Burma-India, and the Pacific. As a member of a secret squadron of elite pilots, players can take to the skies in more than 20 realistically modeled fighters and bombers as they progress through the course of the game. "LucasArts’ first generation of World War II flight action games, like Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe(, served to define the genre back in the late 1980s and early 1990s," says Simon Jeffery, president of LucasArts. "Given the current resurgence in popularity of World War II-genre games, we’re confident Secret Weapons Over Normandy will have strong appeal not only to fans of those acclaimed original games but also to a whole new generation of players who are seeking a fun and accessible flight action experience." "Totally Games’ development of Secret Weapons Over Normandy draws on many of the techniques we used so effectively in the X-wing series - epic missions tied to a dramatic plot, immersive combat, distinctive characters, and cool aircraft and weaponry - all of which will add up to a compelling World War II air combat game," says Lawrence Holland, chief executive officer and creative director of Totally Games. Spanning a period of four years when world domination by the Third Reich seemed a near certainty, Secret Weapons Over Normandy allows players to relive the most infamous air battles of that era to help swing the balance of power back to the Allied Forces. The game follows a historically accurate timeline of key conflicts, beginning with the dramatic Evacuation of Dunkirk; the fierce Battle of Britain; Germany’s daring planned invasion of England, known as Operation Sea Lion; the pivotal Battle of Midway; and culminating in the war’s most brutal battle, the D-Day invasion. Among a multitude of legendary Allied, German, and Japanese aircraft in Secret Weapons Over Normandy, players can pilot the twin-engine P-38 Lightning; the P-51 Mustang, one of the fastest piston-driven fighters of the era; the dangerously unstable Me 163 Komet rocket plane; Me 262 turbo jet fighter, the first-ever jet fighter in combat; and even be a gunner in the B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bomber. Secret Weapons Over Normandy features the voice of Will Lyman, best known for his narration of the PBS series Frontline. Famed Japanese actor Mako, star of the motion picture Tora! Tora! Tora! delivers authentic World War II Japanese Imperial dialect. Adding to the overall experience, the game’s sound has been derived directly from field recordings of actual World War II-era aircraft. The PlayStation 2 and Xbox versions of Secret Weapons Over Normandy offer single and multiplayer cooperative modes. The PC version includes a mission builder that will allow players to create their own World War II experience. Secret Weapons Over Normandy is being developed by Lawrence Holland and his company, Totally Games. Holland and his team created LucasArts’ acclaimed Secret Weapons World War II flight action trilogy including Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe, as well as the award winning X-wing and TIE fighter series of Star Wars games.Source: http://www.xboxaddict.com/
