SEGA Points in the Right Direction
It’s another novel-gone-theatrical adaptation, as SEGA preps The Golden Compass for multiple consoles this fall.
Published: February 27, 2007
If you ever want to make it big as a novelist, our advice is this: string together come multi-part fantasy epic and wait for the royalties to pour in. Seriously, just look at The Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter, which have gone from best sellers amongst the bookworms to spawning major motion pictures and soon enough – well wouldn’t you know it – licensed videogames.
History does indeed repeat itself, so we can’t say we were terribly surprised to find out that The Golden Compass, the first in the award-winning fantasy fiction trilogy, His Dark Materials, from author Philip Pullman, is getting the same treatment. Ok, so we knew about it back in September, but today brings some finer details on the project. New Line Cinema is doing the theatrical honors, with a grand opening planned for December 7, 2007 (hey, this editor’s birthday!), but videogame adaptation duties go to SEGA (with Shiny Entertainment, who handled the Matrix games, at the development helm), and consequently, a slew of consoles will be hosting the fantastical adventure this holiday season.
In a parallel world, not far from our own, a kingdom is ruled under the iron fist of… giant… armored… bears, majestic witches traverse the skies and humans are accompanied by loyal animal companions, or daemons. In just such a world, a young girl named Lyra is making a voyage through the frozen North, with her faithful daemon Pantalaimon (or, more affectionately, Pan), at her side, in search of her missing friend, who is said be held captive by a shadowy organization known as The Gobblers.
As you can imagine, this seemingly straightforward quest will soon become all-encompassing, roping in the fates of both their world and our own. As Lyra, players will have to collect special items scattered throughout the world in order to “explore, evade, and deceive” their way around encounters with the Gobblers themselves, the Magisterium (who is said to lead the world’s revisionist church), and a certain threatening spy who’s been spent to thwart Lyra from her mission.
Alternatively, you can also resort to a more brawny means of progression as Iorek Byrnison, one of the said armored polar bears, with a repertoire of special attacks and the ability to protect Lyra as she rides upon his back. Thirteen vast locations (with a few exclusive to the game) will make the cut, with a number of secrets and mini-games that are accessible with the use of “a mysterious, truth-telling golden compass device called an alethiometer” (hence the name, although the novel was known as Northern Lights across the pond).
Fall 2007 (or, more specifically, holiday 2007) will light the way for The Golden Compass, when it fires on all console cylinders, not which of the least include Sony’s current three (360, Wii, DS and PC complete the package). First screens await you, but you’re sure to be bombarded with movie-related adverts sooner than later. Stay tuned!
History does indeed repeat itself, so we can’t say we were terribly surprised to find out that The Golden Compass, the first in the award-winning fantasy fiction trilogy, His Dark Materials, from author Philip Pullman, is getting the same treatment. Ok, so we knew about it back in September, but today brings some finer details on the project. New Line Cinema is doing the theatrical honors, with a grand opening planned for December 7, 2007 (hey, this editor’s birthday!), but videogame adaptation duties go to SEGA (with Shiny Entertainment, who handled the Matrix games, at the development helm), and consequently, a slew of consoles will be hosting the fantastical adventure this holiday season.
In a parallel world, not far from our own, a kingdom is ruled under the iron fist of… giant… armored… bears, majestic witches traverse the skies and humans are accompanied by loyal animal companions, or daemons. In just such a world, a young girl named Lyra is making a voyage through the frozen North, with her faithful daemon Pantalaimon (or, more affectionately, Pan), at her side, in search of her missing friend, who is said be held captive by a shadowy organization known as The Gobblers.
As you can imagine, this seemingly straightforward quest will soon become all-encompassing, roping in the fates of both their world and our own. As Lyra, players will have to collect special items scattered throughout the world in order to “explore, evade, and deceive” their way around encounters with the Gobblers themselves, the Magisterium (who is said to lead the world’s revisionist church), and a certain threatening spy who’s been spent to thwart Lyra from her mission.
Alternatively, you can also resort to a more brawny means of progression as Iorek Byrnison, one of the said armored polar bears, with a repertoire of special attacks and the ability to protect Lyra as she rides upon his back. Thirteen vast locations (with a few exclusive to the game) will make the cut, with a number of secrets and mini-games that are accessible with the use of “a mysterious, truth-telling golden compass device called an alethiometer” (hence the name, although the novel was known as Northern Lights across the pond).
Fall 2007 (or, more specifically, holiday 2007) will light the way for The Golden Compass, when it fires on all console cylinders, not which of the least include Sony’s current three (360, Wii, DS and PC complete the package). First screens await you, but you’re sure to be bombarded with movie-related adverts sooner than later. Stay tuned!