E3 2006 First Look Preview
Near demonstrations of Just Cause, Eidos gave attendees a
look at their new tactical shooter, BattleStations: Midway. Developed for the
Xbox 360 and PC formats, BattleStations: Midway includes over sixty planes,
ships, and submarines. All are touted as being authentically designed, with
intricate details and immense capabilities.
I know what you’re thinking: “Been there, done that.” I’d
probably agree, but this is not your typical game of aerial and submarine
combat. In this adventure, players have the ability to switch between vehicles at
any given time. Eidos says that you will have to coordinate actions and switch
vehicles to command your fleet as a whole and fight the enemy together, not
solo.
All battles occur in real-time at the same time. If one
vehicle (a plane, ship, or submarine) is destroyed, the game automatically
switches over to the nearest vehicle that’s still standing. Better still, each
of the vehicles shown appeared to have significant differences in the way they
were maneuvered and in the way they were controlled.
The game is played from a third-person perspective, and thus
far it is looking very intense. Vehicles were deeply detailed, while water had
realistic textures and a smooth, consistent ripple. Only the Xbox 360 version
was shown, but it’s a safe bet that the PC visuals will be equally impressive.
Keep an eye out for dynamic weather effects, which developers also plan to have
in the completed game.
Eleven single-player missions are being designed for both
the PC and Xbox 360 editions, with 12 bonus challenge missions available after
completing certain requirements. Up to eight players will be able to take the
game online via Xbox Live. Several units will appear on screen simultaneously,
with each player having the option to switch between their units at any time (just
as they can in the single-player campaign).
