A wholly original next generation game concept, with a working title of "Prisoner of War", is today confirmed as one of Codemasters priority titles for winter 2001/2, due for release on PlayStation 2, PC CD-ROM with further platforms planned.
Developed by Wide Games, Prisoner of War is the first in a series of new brands Codemasters is introducing to its next-generation publishing portfolio, which already includes MTV Music Generator 2, World Championship Snooker and LMA Manager.
Prisoner of War captures the intrigue, danger and heroism of Allied escape attempts from prisoner of war camps during World War II. Gameplay delivers a tense 3rd person action adventure game where bravery, stealth and cunning will win the day.
Set in 1941 across four German Prisoner of War (POW) camps (Salonika, Stalag Luft I, Stalag Luft III and Colditz Castle), players control four Allied Officers (British, French, Dutch and US) captured by the Germans. Each character is an expert escapee - specialising in different fields but all with the same goal.
Characters are controlled independently as they attempt to escape from their respective POW camps before ultimately meeting in Colditz - the Germans highest security escape-proof camp - and co-operate in the most daring breakout of the war.
Using the powerful 3D Atlas engine, Prisoner of War will provide a visual feast for the player, utilising graphics and audio features to vividly recreate the unique nerve-wracking atmosphere of the camps during day and night. Each prison camp will be modelled in unprecedented detail with practically all characters and objects in the environment will be interactive, providing an incredible level of freedom and involvement.
The in-game characters are all specialists in the key skills needed to escape from POW Camps; from athleticism, to stealth, espionage, charm, and linguistics - all vital components of an escape plan and utilised in challenging missions.
The daring escapes feature dramatic action sequences, which can be of the player s own devising; such as an escape using explosives, or flying out of a prison camp during an air raid in an improvised glider. At other times the drama will be less welcome - get discovered in a restricted part of camp and experience the wrath of the German guards. Even by using stealth techniques, whether in a restricted area or out after curfew, players are under constant threat of capture and punishment, keeping the suspense high at all times.
Says David Darling, Codemasters Chief Executive: A key title for the winter season, Prisoner of War marries a balance of stealth and action, creating an immersive gameplay experience. Coming from Wide Games, it s one of seven projects currently being created by external development partners. We have had great success working with external teams and they remain an important part of our ongoing development plans.