The release of Artificial Mind and Movement’s uniquely twisted “comic mischief” game Naughty Bear is swiftly approaching, and the developer has released a new video to tantalize fans and expand on the lore of the Island of Perfection. Apparently the Island is home to more than just the society of happy-go-lucky, cuddly bears; Rumors of a mythical creature known only as “Unibear” have long persisted in the minds of its inhabitants.
“Is the Unibear a descendant of a species of long-lived super-bear, os is it just a harmful mix of hoax and wishful thinking?” asks an article in the Perfection Island Herald’s “Science and Weirdness” section, seen below. “The Unibear is as much of a mystery to the Perfection Island Tourist Board as it is to the rest of us.” Apparently the island’s resident naturalist, Sunbeam, discovered the possible existence of the fantastic creature back in 1975, but since then little evidence has come to light.
The video shows protagonist Naughty, who doesn’t seem to get along very well with the island’s other bears, stalking the Unibear under the cover of night before accidentally frightening it away. What would have happened if he had caught the creature? Would they have had a tea party, gone for a midnight stroll on the beach, or done something even more fun? Not likely, since Naughty Bear’s M.O. usually involved relentlessly harassing his ursine neighbors until they’re so insane with fear that they grab whatever crude tool is nearest at hand and violently end their own lives.
That’s the basic premise for the game, which discourages players from killing the other bears themselves by awarding more “Naughty Points” to those who first frighten them to the point of insanity. Driving the Unibear to the same point will result in “an exponential amount of Naughty Points” being rewarded, though it won’t be easy to find the beast, which appears at random places and times throughout the Island of Perfection. The Herald article also hints at the existence of some sort of “giant sand dolphin,” though it’s impossible to tell whether it’s referring to a real creature or an inside joke.
Naughty Bear will also feature several multiplayer modes, including the interesting “Jelly Wars,” which we previously detailed. Watch our interview with the game’s lead designer, check out gameplay footage from E3 here and here, and keep an eye out for the game on Xbox 360 and PS3 today in Europe and June 29 in the US.
