Radar Group Says Goodbye to Earth
Earth No More, Incarnate, and Prey 2. There's no catchy heading for this one, just the facts.
Published: March 19, 2008
“Original Thinking” is a great mantra, especially in an industry where sequels are king. Radar Group, founded in 2007 and just now throwing themselves to the public, is hoping that mantra will propel them through the stratosphere. Maybe it will, maybe it won't. They certainly think they have it in them to turn this industry around, however.
“We’re something our industry desperately needs,” says Scott Miller, Radar’s Chief Creative Officer. “Radar is teaming up with many of the industry’s top independent studios to help them create original IP in which they own a substantial ownership stake. Why is this important? Because in today’s industry it’s nearly impossible, unless you’re Epic or Valve, to create original games and not give away full IP ownership to the publisher. Radar believes that creators should share ownership, and all of the long-term benefits that come from that.”
That's very noble of them. And if anyone is worried about the credentials of the guys running the company, there's no need. FormGen, ARUSH Enter, Apogee Software, and 3D Realms are all in the cards, companies notable for their emphasis on quality shareware gaming.
So what about the games? Alright, stop chomping at the bit, we're getting to them. We all know about the Prey series, so we'll save that for last, but what about Earth No More and Incarnate?
Earth No More throws away the bald space marine (alright, there might be one, you never know) and focuses, instead, on an ensemble cast working together to survive an extinction level event. Players take the role of Will Foster, DHS chemical weapons specialist, who responds to a gas attack on Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, Will Foster soon finds out that the gas attack isn't as simple as it sounds and that something sinister is definitely waiting in the wings.
As for Incarnate, it's going the philosophical route by asking the question: can evil ever die? Present day Chicago is witnessing a convergence of the most evil people in history. Players step into the shoes of Thomas Ludlow, who is recruited to capture these 'Incarnates'. Of course the more Thomas learns, the more sinister things become and the less clear his mission grows. The game will feature an open city ripe for the taking, depths that wait to be plunged, and puzzles just begging to be solved. Sounds like a good time for an evil thriller.
Prey 2 lets players get back into Tommy's skin, the warrior who saved Earth from an alien invasion in the first game. However, he's alone and framed for his family and girlfriend's disappearances this time around and must escape a hostile Earth that has no future for him. All of the staples of the original are back with new innovative twists.
Radar Group hasn't announced systems for any of the games besides Prey 2 (which is an Xbox 360 and PC release), so Earth No More and Incarnate have a chance of making it to PlayStation 3. For that reason, they're still on my radar. We'll be waiting to see what turns up from the company.
“We’re something our industry desperately needs,” says Scott Miller, Radar’s Chief Creative Officer. “Radar is teaming up with many of the industry’s top independent studios to help them create original IP in which they own a substantial ownership stake. Why is this important? Because in today’s industry it’s nearly impossible, unless you’re Epic or Valve, to create original games and not give away full IP ownership to the publisher. Radar believes that creators should share ownership, and all of the long-term benefits that come from that.”
That's very noble of them. And if anyone is worried about the credentials of the guys running the company, there's no need. FormGen, ARUSH Enter, Apogee Software, and 3D Realms are all in the cards, companies notable for their emphasis on quality shareware gaming.
So what about the games? Alright, stop chomping at the bit, we're getting to them. We all know about the Prey series, so we'll save that for last, but what about Earth No More and Incarnate?
Earth No More throws away the bald space marine (alright, there might be one, you never know) and focuses, instead, on an ensemble cast working together to survive an extinction level event. Players take the role of Will Foster, DHS chemical weapons specialist, who responds to a gas attack on Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, Will Foster soon finds out that the gas attack isn't as simple as it sounds and that something sinister is definitely waiting in the wings.
As for Incarnate, it's going the philosophical route by asking the question: can evil ever die? Present day Chicago is witnessing a convergence of the most evil people in history. Players step into the shoes of Thomas Ludlow, who is recruited to capture these 'Incarnates'. Of course the more Thomas learns, the more sinister things become and the less clear his mission grows. The game will feature an open city ripe for the taking, depths that wait to be plunged, and puzzles just begging to be solved. Sounds like a good time for an evil thriller.
Prey 2 lets players get back into Tommy's skin, the warrior who saved Earth from an alien invasion in the first game. However, he's alone and framed for his family and girlfriend's disappearances this time around and must escape a hostile Earth that has no future for him. All of the staples of the original are back with new innovative twists.
Radar Group hasn't announced systems for any of the games besides Prey 2 (which is an Xbox 360 and PC release), so Earth No More and Incarnate have a chance of making it to PlayStation 3. For that reason, they're still on my radar. We'll be waiting to see what turns up from the company.