Octagon Announces Representation Agreement For "The Unseelie", First-Person Adventure Shooter for PC
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CHAPEL HILL, NC - September 1, 2004 - Octagon Entertainment, Inc. announced today an agreement of representation with Australian developer KaWoW! to secure publishing for The Unseelie, a first-person shooter with adventure and horror elements. The Unseelie is expected to go gold for the PC in late 2005.
Story
An unsuspecting driver smashes into a tree while trying to avoid what appears to be a child in his path. Upon awakening he is led to an ancient forest that is later revealed to be "Tir-Na-Bràch-Marbh" (Land of the Eternal Death). Its supernatural limbs and roots have engulfed a 17th century Irish village, severing its contact with the rest of the world and slowing time to a crawl. The outsider learns that in order to return home, he will have to battle "The Unseelie" (pronounced "Un SHEE Lee"), the accursed and unblessed of the fairy race of Celtic myth. With the defeat of each demon lord he will obtain one of seven Celtic elements that will eventually allow him to escape the clutches of Finvarra, the King of the Dead.
Gameplay
The action remains engaging through suspenseful adventure elements and unpredictable combat scenarios. Melee combat in first-person perspective keeps its appeal with wide-ranging protagonist and enemy attack patterns. Fighting automatically increases in complexity, variety and speed with each advance. Through courage and cunning the player must unravel the illusory designs and deceptive puzzles of The Unseelie. Health in the form of manna and ammunition based on the seven elements are found throughout the levels and left behind by slain enemies.
Feature List
- Mythical Irish Celtic characters, ideas and symbols deepen the storyline and enhance the first-person perspective.
- Stunning reflections and shadows from multiple sources of light - even fireflies - are all rendered in real-time.
- Dramatic 3D environment and lucid sound effects deliver a lifelike experience.
- Primary weapon is a living eternal staff that transforms with upgrades based on the seven elements of Celtic folklore: Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Wood, Metal and Spirit.
- Puzzle elements further immerse the player by promoting exploration of the landscape.
- Artifact power ups supply tactical advantages - for example combine fire and metal to shoot out a stream of molten metal.
- Experience points yield new attacks, intensified weapons and sharpened skills.
"The Unseelie is a great game to work with because of the way it uniquely combines Celtic mythos with popular first-person gameplay," said Lloyd Melnick, Co-Founder of Octagon. "We are not seeing any other game in development that offers this type of character development and symbolism."
"We used all of the visually stunning rendering techniques of our engine and combined them with the sinister forest setting of Celtic legend and some engaging game play design to make something that makes you want to play but keeps you looking over your shoulder," explained Steve Woodgate, KaWoW! CEO. "We're pleased Octagon saw the potential of the concept and look forward to working with them on The Unseelie."
Founded in 1993, Octagon Entertainment arranges financing, licensing and distribution agreements for developers and publishers of computer and video games worldwide. Octagon currently represents titles such as Painkiller, Gangland and Celtic Kings: The Punic Wars, which has been published as Nemesis of the Roman Empire in North America.
KaWoW! is a games development studio with a high energy, results oriented team and a focus on creating truly great games. Since its formation in 1997, the KaWoW! team has established a proven track record for delivering software that's critically and commercially successful. Combining creative talent with technical skill and sound project management has been the KaWoW! formula for consistent delivery of quality games that are fun to play.
Contact:
Dana H. Cowley
Octagon Entertainment, Inc.
+1 919 918 4111