"We wanted something that looked like two professional fighters engaged in deadly combat."

The battle takes place in the tree tops - not lodged in the branches, but dancing, rather, along the narrowest of branches and seemingly on the leaves themselves. Two adult human martial artists perform an almost aerial ballet of combat moves, moving with speed that defies logic, and with a gracefulness that challenges description.

Those that saw the movie Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon likely remember that scene, among the many that played out in the compelling feature film.

Of course, if that movie had been a videogame, all that visual trickery may have been expected. Well, guess what? The game has released and it is a reversal of fortunes. The film was so powerful, that it will be the videogame that will have a lot to live up to.

Released on the GameBoy Advance and PlayStation2, by Ubi Soft and Genki Co., Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a martial arts fighting game set in the 19-century China and based on the classic teachings and techniques of the Wudan style. The game combines intense combat with the ability to explore environments, and promises to provide the ultimate martial arts experience.

Taking on the role of some of the prime characters from the film, players will face a host of challenges and obstacles are placed in their path which must be conquered in order to deal out some revenge on Jade Fox.

Charles Harribey, game content manager for the title, talked with GameZone about this project.

Question: .This title is based on a movie that was visually stunning, so certain expectations are bound to be in place. How will this title live up to those expectations?

Charles: Visually our focus with the game is on recreating the intricate combat moves displayed in the films. Anyone who watches any clips from the game will notice this right away. In almost every marital arts game the player simply walks up to an enemy and they both pound each other until one drops like in some bad boxing match. Our game is much different. Our Combo Blocking system gets across the look and feel of the film. Characters will duck, jump, block and feint in intricate ways that are the most visually stunning elements of the game.

Q: In conjunction with the first question, what graphics engine does this game use and what did it enable you to do to really give this game visual pop?

Charles: The engine was a proprietary one that Lightweight created. The strengths of their engine are its legacy in classic sword-fighting games of the past, it ability to render the levels with little to no pop up, and it's flexibility in creating multi-level 3D environment with lots of variations in height which is very useful for flying onto rooftops and climbing bamboo trees.

Q: Who is responsible for the soundtrack of this game? Is it drawn straight from the movie, or does this game feature original audio elements?

Charles: The game makes liberal use of the actual soundtrack from the movie. We were careful to match the songs from the film with the corresponding scenes in the game so that they matched up.

Q: Does this title have linear elements, or is this a non-linear game? Is this game quest driven?

Charles: The game is quest driven and non-linear. There are certain goals you have to complete before progressing on, but the exact order and timing is up to the player. There is also an exploration element, so that players can look for secret areas and items, some of which will alter the ending you get when you finish the game.

Q: What characters will players be able to control? Will this game feature multiplayer gaming?

Charles: Players will be able to control the four main characters from the film. Jen, Lo, Shu Lien and of course Li Mu Bai. Because of the story based structure of the game, we decided to focus only on a single-player experience.

Q: When you base a game on a such a popular movie, you must feel a greater sense of challenge to deliver a product that is compelling on its own, and yet straddles the line between what fans of the movie and action gaming enthusiasts want. What were the elements that you knew had to be included in this game, and where were you allowed to take some liberties to create a solid gaming experience?

Charles: First and foremost the intricate nature of the martial arts. We wanted something that looked like two professional fighters engaged in deadly combat. It had to have an almost ballet-like quality. Also there were many memorable fights in the film, and we wanted to make sure that each scene was represented in the game. From the dojo fight to the restaurant it's all there. Because the game needed to be much longer than the film we needed to flesh out the world a bit more. First of all, you get to play as each of the main characters in a complete story mode. Sorta like the film Rashomon, you play the same story but told from different perspectives. You might steal the sword as Jen then try to flee the palace, whereas Shu Lien is attempting to corner and capture a thief who has infiltrated the palace. We also extrapolated some ‘what if’ scenarios and characters to allow more variety in the enemies and gameplay.

Q: Tell us a little bit about the fight sequences. Was motion capture used in the animation or is it all computer generated?

Charles: All of the animation was made entirely by hand. And every variation has been created. So if you were to say fight a swordsman with a spear it will look very different than if you fought him with an axe, or if you were bare handed, or he was, et cetera. Therefore there are many different combinations and your character will fight differently depending on who you are, who you are fighting and what weapons both of you are using. In addition the controls are laid out in such a way as to allow you to switch between hand-to-hand combat and weapon combat on the fly. Therefore you can, run up to an enemy, bare handed, throw some kicks, draw your sword, perform some thrusts and attacks, put away the sword and land some punches, all in one fluid combo that you create. Hand-to-hand combat tends to be quicker but less damaging, weapon combat tends to slower but more damaging.

Q: When talking about the fight sequences, it would be very easy to think of this as a reflexive exercise for the most part. Does this title require anything other than great reflexes and a solid command of the controls?

Charles: While reflexes are the most important aspect of fighting in CTHD, they are not the only one. Players are able to pick up and use any weapon they find in the world, and so can the enemies. Finding a weapon or style that you relate to and can use effectively is a key to your success in the game. In addition you can fight bare handed, which is more challenging but ultimately more rewarding. Your character will also improve his fighting ability directly to how you play him. So if you were to use a lot of hand-to-hand moves, your character will improve his hand-to-hand ability which skews his development a certain way. So in this way we have tried to make a game where your instincts and natural abilities as a player directly influence how your character grows. This allows players to create their own strengths and weaknesses that directly after the straight up reflex element of the game.