L'"avvistato" Hydrophobia Prophecy si rivela oggi essere una versione 1.5 dell'originale - uscito su Xbox 360 come titolo scaricabile - per PlayStation 3 e Steam.
All'interno del gioco, che ricalca la struttura dell'originale, modificata poi parzialmente con Hydrophobia Pure, troveremo nuovi livelli con un apporto contenutistico inedito pari a circa il 70% del gameplay, tra contenuti interamente nuovi e rifacimenti dei livelli presenti nell'originale.
E' cambiato tra le altre cose il sistema di copertura e il sistema di movimento con la possibilità di arrampicarsi utilizzando appigli, un nuovo finale maggiormente narrativo e altre aggiunte inserite anche a partire dai feedback dell'utenza. La versione PC uscirà su Steam il 9 maggio a 10,19 dollari, mentre la versione PSN dovrebbe seguire a breve distanza, con l'aggiunta del supporto a Move. Molti sono i cambiamenti effettuati dal punto di vista tecnico, come dimostra il folto elenco di aggiunte rilasciato dal team Dark Energy Digital che riportiamo qua sotto e come è possibile anche vedere piuttosto chiaramente dalle nuove immagini rilasciate, almeno per quanto riguarda la grafica.
Graphics
- Enhanced environmental lighting throughout the game
- High resolution textures
- Updated video texture work
- Hugely improved particle systems throughout the game
- Depth of field effects implemented
- MLAA anti-aliasing
- Improved lighting and shadowing solutions
HydroEngine Enhancements
- Enhanced character DripMapping technology
- Improved reflection and refraction mapping
- Enhancement underwater visual effects
- Underwater depth of field effect
- Enhanced particle system and improved performance
- New high resolution RippleMap simulation responds to characters and objects
- Jump distance more accurate relative to movement speed
- Added stationary jump
- Speed of movement through vents increased and animations improved
- Speed of movement with MAVI increased
- Various animations refined to provide better feedback
Narrative and Backstory
- Scoot character remodelled
- Scoot character recast, now played by Oliver Vaquer (GTA: Liberty City Stories, The Warriors, Law & Order)
- Characterisation improved with remastered voice acting and additional scenes
- Mila characters role has been enhanced with compelling new scenes
- Storyline enhanced and completed
- Dramatic new plot points shed light on the back story and the Prophecy of Malthus
- New in game video communications enhance the narrative without disrupting gameplay
- Compelling new cutscenes and dramatic twists
- New mechanics designed around the deeper narrative
- Hydro Kinetic powers brought into the main story
- Dramatic new ending completes the story arc
Wading and Swimming
- Reworked Kate's bracing animation and responsiveness
- Eliminated undesirable situations where the character was swept out of player control
- Increased speed of recovery after being wiped out by water
- Removed invasive reactionary animations after being wiped out by water
Art Direction
- Improved environmental lighting
- Re-designed locations add variety and drama
- Spectacular new environments introduced
- Reworked environmental assets
Audio
- New and improved music tracks
- Re-mastered audio and improved sound design
- New SFX added to various feedback systems
Puzzles
- Improved lock-on effect for electric cable puzzles
- Added mini-puzzles to existing areas
- Exclusive new environments introduce new physics based puzzles
- Ability to manipulate floating objects to solve bouyancy based puzzles
- New narrative based challenges
Combat and Cover Systems
- Individual bone based enemy lock on feature (depending on difficult setting)
- Improved aim assist functionality
- Dynamic aim reticule adapts to different ammo types and combat behaviour
- Destructable object system reworked for greater feedback and effectiveness
- Greater variety of ammo earlier in the game
- AI enhancements and performance improvements
- Instant ammo collection features eliminates unneccessary button presses
- Rebalanced Sonic Rounds for more effective combat
- Reload times reduced for better combat flow
Cover System Enhancements
- Blind fire functionality added
- Turn corners while in cover and engage in flanking maneuvours
- Cover animation improvements
- More responsive and smooth cover transitions
- All new Floating Cover system
- Grab bouyant object to use as dynamic cover in water
- Use floating cover on the surface or during underwater combat
- New Climbing Combat system
- Ability to shoot and engage in combat while climbing or hanging
Levels and Game Balance
- Enhanced and redesigned levels
- Exclusive new levels to explore throughout the game
- All new mechanics, puzzles and combat added
- Dramatic new end sequence using Hydro Kinetic abilities
- Decrypting doors sequence shortened
- Tutorial added for hack mini game
- Improved feedback, waypoint design and tutorials
- Better checkpoint design
- Improved difficulty setting design
- Rationalised waypoint system choice allows players to set their preference for how much hand holding they want independently of difficulty setting
Darknet
- Contextual Dev Feedback System - bring up Dev Feedback from the pause menu at any time to comment on your experience
- Your feedback is uploaded to Dark Energy augmented with contextual information about the gamestate
- Dark Energy will continue to act upon gathered data from the playing community
GUI and Front End
- Menus reworked
- Front end menus re-designed
- In game menus re-designed
Value
- Pre-purchase the Steam version for just $10.19 / £7.64 (including 15% pre-purchase discount)
- New locations, mechanics and narrative elements extend the lifespan of the main game massively
Fonte: Eurogamer.net
