January 22, 2005 - Despite lingering derisions for certain quarters of the gaming press, Nokia remains full-steam ahead with the N-Gage platform with a slate of 2005 titles that promise to push the system in the direction they had originally intended. One of the previewed titles at a press event today is tentatively called Pit Runner, a hybrid racing/vehicular combat game from the talented developer Tantalus.
Pit Runner is based in a far-flung future where humankind has zeroed in on an incredible new energy source, called Furium. Naturally, demand is strong and the galaxy has entered something of a gold rush to get it. You are a driver hired to run supplies of Furium from mines to waiting buyer. But this is no simple delivery gig. As precious as Furium is, the planet is crawling with smugglers that will attack you in an attempt to steal your playload.
We had a chance to view a very early demo of the game. There are certainly shades of Interstate 76 at work here, but that's not a bad springboard. As of now, there are a planned ten worlds, including lush green prairies, slat flats, and a crash site. Many of the worlds features hills and valleys, taking this race out of the second dimension.
Interestingly enough, this isn?t a game where you kill or be killed. It's almost a Twisted Metal meets Capture the Flag. When you are shot, you don't explode in a blinding fireball. Rather, you are frozen or flipped into the air, receiving time penalties -- and exposing your cargo to thieving runners. But don't let the lack of shrapnel deter you -- Pit Runner has plenty of artillery, such as lasers and homing missiles. There are also defensive power-ups, such a cloaking device, and another discharge to throw off locked-on missiles.
Even though this was an early sneak-peek, Pit Runner shows great potential. For one thing, it?s fast -- which is imperative for a racing game. Tantalus also made the wise choice to not have your vehicles, called a Skim, take up much of the N-gage's precious real estate. The portrait-oriented screen is not always friendly to racers, so making the Skim appear smallish in the bottom of the screen leaves you with a great view of the action -- and curves -- ahead of you.
Pit Runner is currently saddled with a Fall 2005 release date.
We had a chance to view a very early demo of the game. There are certainly shades of Interstate 76 at work here, but that's not a bad springboard. As of now, there are a planned ten worlds, including lush green prairies, slat flats, and a crash site. Many of the worlds features hills and valleys, taking this race out of the second dimension.
Interestingly enough, this isn?t a game where you kill or be killed. It's almost a Twisted Metal meets Capture the Flag. When you are shot, you don't explode in a blinding fireball. Rather, you are frozen or flipped into the air, receiving time penalties -- and exposing your cargo to thieving runners. But don't let the lack of shrapnel deter you -- Pit Runner has plenty of artillery, such as lasers and homing missiles. There are also defensive power-ups, such a cloaking device, and another discharge to throw off locked-on missiles.
Even though this was an early sneak-peek, Pit Runner shows great potential. For one thing, it?s fast -- which is imperative for a racing game. Tantalus also made the wise choice to not have your vehicles, called a Skim, take up much of the N-gage's precious real estate. The portrait-oriented screen is not always friendly to racers, so making the Skim appear smallish in the bottom of the screen leaves you with a great view of the action -- and curves -- ahead of you.
Pit Runner is currently saddled with a Fall 2005 release date.
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