Konami has announced Lords of Shadow for Xbox 360 & PS3, given a 2010 release date so it’s quite far off.
The game hails from Konami’s “European Product Planning department” and is developed by Madrid-based Mercury Steam. The game is a “stunning new action-adventure IP” that boasts “an incredible level of visual detail and far-ranging gameplay”.
They describe the game as a dark fairy tale in which the player is cast as the mysterious character “Gabriel” (the arch angel?). The game is viewed from a third-person perspective and is described as being “vast”, with combat and puzzle solving also being a a major part of the main quest. Dark artifacts will be available to enhance Gabriel’s powers.
The game also features a multi-functional weapon system called the “Combat Cross”. This allows Gabriel’s “favorite armament” to be used in a variety of ways. You can use it for ranged attacks via an chain for major damage as well as to grip enemies, or you can do some melee combat by using the Combat Cross as an extendible stabbing weapon. It can also be turned into a heavy nightstick-like “device” for defensive purposes.
Locations will include forest glades, underground catacombs and snowy wastelands and will also have “a wide range of monstrous enemies and huge, screen-filling boss creatures.
“Lords of Shadow is a momentous title for us,” commented Dave Cox, Executive Producer and Head of Product Planning for Konami Digital Entertainment. “Every element of the game pushes the host hardware to its limits, with Mercury Steam producing a game that has breath-taking visuals, incredible cinematic qualities, and varied and engrossing gameplay. It is truly an epic game but telling a human and emotive story. This is a title we hope will set a new standard for action-adventure titles.”