First True Xbox Arcade Shooter ‘SeaBlade’ Ships to Retail

November 20, 2002, - Simon & Schuster Interactive announced today its arcade shooter title "SeaBlade" for the Xbox video game system has shipped and will be available at retailers nationwide by the weekend. In SEABLADE (Rated: "T" by the ESRB), gamers take control of a futuristic spacecraft that can fly as well as dive below water with the goal of defeating insidious warlords who have overrun the northern hemisphere in the year 2350.

SEABLADE was developed by veteran game developer Vision Scape Interactive, Inc. which is based in Poway, California (near San Diego). Vision-Scape is the graphics designers behind the breathtaking cinematics in best selling games such as "Everquest," "Twisted Metal 3," and "Might and Magic VI." Taking their expertise in graphic design, Vision-Scape is creating one of most graphically rich, entertaining games for the Xbox.

ABOUT "SEABLADE"
Earth in the year 2350 bears little resemblance to the world of the past. A massive subterranean earthquake known as the 'Ring of Fire Cataclysm' slammed the Pacific Ocean floor with the impact of 200 hydrogen bombs. Volcanic eruptions, earthquakes and tsunamis of biblical proportions ravaged the planet causing the Greenland ice sheet to melt, radically altering ocean levels around the planet.

With most of the world's economic centers submerged or leveled, the equator now divides 24th century Earth into the 'Haves' and the 'Have-Nots.' The southern hemisphere continues to prosper under democratic rule, but genocidal battles have fueled the rise of tyrannical despots oppressing and exploiting the ravaged and water-soaked populations to the North.

Northern refugees managing to escape, tell tales of three mad overlords brutally beating down resistance, major cities garrisoned, and large armies being mobilized to invade the South. Bizarre stories depict the three warlords as almost supernatural beings wielding immense power with strange, giant engines of destruction that emerge from the far northern reaches.

Scientific and reconnaissance missions sent north to investigate the developing events vanish without a trace. In response to the looming crisis, the Southern government deploys the Argosy, a gigantic super carrier outfitted with a phalanx of SeaBlades; high performance air-sea rescue vehicles capable of flight and water submersion. The Argosy's mission includes: the rescue of northern populations, engagement of military operations against the three, feudal overlords and scientific investigation of the Bering Strait.

As it moves dutifully north along the Pacific Ocean, the Argosy and its crew must liberate the oppressed people of the northern territories; crush the three feudal tyrants and head towards an encounter with an unknown power in the far northern reaches of the world.

GAMEPLAY
SEABLADE is a pure arcade action shooter, merging the best elements of classic arcade shooters into an intense, white-knuckle action game that pushes the limits of the Xbox technology. The single-player experience has the player fighting through 30 progressively more difficult levels and 3 bosses, complete with power-ups which enhance firepower, speed, and defenses.

Up to four players can battle simultaneously in multiplayer, split-screen style. Unlock ships and technology in the single-player campaign to use in multiplayer battles. Co-op, death match, and boss bash are some of the different types of games available in multiplayer mode.

WEB SITE
More information on SeaBlade can be found at www.seabladethegame.com

ESRB RATING
SEABLADE is rated "T" or "Teen" by the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB). More information on the ESRB and its rating system can be found at www.esrb.org.

• Email this page
• Printer-friendly version