It has been announced that Global Star Software, a subsidiary of Take Two, has acquired the development and publishing rights for the game based on Warner Bros’ forthcoming Charlie and The Chocolate Factory film. Planned to coincide with the release of the new Tim Burton directed movie, it should be ready for release in 2005. Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, written by Roald Dahl, is one of the most enduring pieces of children’s fiction of the 20th century: and is more than worthy of a videogame conversion.
However, whilst many will remember the carefree stylings of Quentin Blake’s illustrations that accompanied the original book, the game will embrace a more Burton-esque atmosphere. With Johnny Depp as the indomitable Willy Wonka, and Burton’s sinister imagination driving the mood of the movie, the final product could well turn out to less ‘kiddy’ than one might imagine.
There have been no gameplay details mentioned thus far, but there are some obvious options that could be exploited. A less adventurous approach could see players guiding Charlie around various levels of the factory, collecting sweets and jumping on oompah-loompahs’ fat little heads (a bit like the 1985 Spectrum version!). A more intriguing prospect would open up the explorative possibilities of a massive factory, brimming with bizarre puzzles and sub-quests.
As soon as we get the full picture, we’ll fill you in accordingly.