Wet Preview

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Scheduled release date:

Holiday 2008

Publisher:

Bethesda Softworks

Developer:

A2M

Number Of Players:

1

Genre:

Action

Screenshots

  Creating a female leading character in the videogame industry is always either hit or miss. There doesn't seem to be much of an in between. You either become Lara Croft, Nariko (Heavenly Sword), Samus (Metroid), Jill Valentine (Resident Evil), or you miss and become Rayne (BloodRayne) and Vanessa (P.N. 03). If you're wondering what P.N. 03 was, it was a mediocre GameCube game made by Capcom. And as for BloodRayne, well, that was just about one of the most uninspired games of the last-generation, and people quickly forgot. In any case, we've got a new female-led action title coming our way, and this one's from Sierra.

   The heroine here is Rubi, and the game is called WET. Quite frankly, I hate the name...nothing says action game like A) being drenched in water, or B) a sexual innuendo. I'm not quite sure which Sierra is aiming for, but something tells me the latter. Perhaps WET would've been a better suited name for a jet ski game. In any case, to put my digression aside, WET is actually looking quite nice.

   It's a fusion of gunplay, swordplay, and acrobatics to create a fast-paced action experience. Based on the trailer we've seen, you can expect lightning fast movements much like Devil May Cry and Heavenly Sword, so if that type of action is your cup of tea, then WET should fill that cup quite well. Additionally, Sierra promises a plethora of acrobatic moves as part of Rubi's arsenal, so we can only hope that the controls are as fluid as the games I've just mentioned.

   Rubi's abilities will include being able to run along walls, climb ledges, slide under obstacles, swing on poles, and much more. There are screenshots of the game where Rubi is hanging upside down off of a ladder and unloading her two guns at the enemies below. Those two guns are her custom Colt Pythons, which Rubi dual-wields when selected.

   In addition to her guns, Rubi's got something a little sharper, as well...a sword. The sword will come in handy when you're confronted with close-range combat, at which point comboing between the two weapons should be quite fun, I imagine.

   "The mix of guns, acrobatics and swords in the midst of non-stop action will undoubtedly ensure Rubi takes the title as the most exciting heroine ever in video games," said Martin Tremblay, president, Worldwide Studios, Sierra Entertainment. "WET is an exciting addition to Sierra Entertainment's original games portfolio."

   I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited by WET (no pun, of any sort, intended). It looks like an extremely promising high-flying, off the walls action game - just the type I like. Developed by A2M, Sierra is boasting unparalleled animation to render all of the lighting intensity behind the game. And if animation is a focus, you can rest assured that the framerate is too. Early screenshots also indicate that art direction is another strong facet of the game's visual presentation - with three continents to travel across, I'm looking forward to seeing what the game has in store for us.

   Behind the eye-candy will be a story to keep the flow moving. Rubi, much like Dante, is a contact killer. She takes on a mission to find and return a wealthy man's runaway son. But she soon finds herself with the tables turned, and now she must fight to stay alive. But staying alive isn't all she must do, she vows to find and kill the man who hired her. Rubi doesn't take lightly to betrayal.

   Early indications point to a Holiday 2008 release date, which is a good deal away. Keep your eyes open for more screenshots, videos, and hopefully hands-on time.