"Spirit Hunters Inc." will be initially released in two version: Light & Shadow.
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There's no reality quite like augmented reality. At least that's what Australian game developer Nnooo believes. The company is currently working on a pair of versions of its upcoming DSiWare title called Spirit Hunters Inc. The game, which will be available in both "Light" and "Dark" versions in the same way that Pokémon was originally released in "Red" and "Blue", is slated for release near the end of 2011.
In Spirit Hunters Inc., players take the role of a new recruit to the fictional agency of the same name. It seems that there has been an influx recently on spirits entering the world of the living and it's up to the agency to send them back.
By the term "the real world", Nnooo really does mean the REAL world. The game software makes use of the DSi's rear-facing camera, projecting streaming video onto the DSi's screen and super-imposes the spirits onto it. Essentially, when scanning for loose spirits players literally look around them using their DSi. Once a spirit is located, tapping on the spirit will trigger a battle with it.
The spirit, which can be of one of six different elemental bases (fire, ice, water, fungal, shadow or light), will then be in a one-on-one battle with the player. Players also have an element they assign to themselves at the beginning of the game (though it can be changed later on) which gives them access to a small variety of elemental-based spells and abilities. All battle-related abilities are performed on the DSi's touch screen via the stylus.
Something that is really nifty about this augmented reality DSiWare game is that the spirits that spawn aren't necessarily random. Rather, the game takes cues based upon what it sees through the handheld's camera. For example: Should the player be in a park setting where there is a lot of green, chances are good that a fungal-based spirit will appear.
The game also has a light-social element to it. Every time a spirit is defeated, it is added to the in-game beastary. Players can then create challenges for nearby friends on their own DSi regardless of what version of the game they have (both Light and Shadow have some spirits that are unique to each version). Alternatively, players can also have their DSi generate a unique code that they can then text, Facebook or otherwise transmit to a friend for them to try at their leisure.
Spirit Hunters Inc. looks to be a promising game and will definitely give DSi owners a playing experience unlike most they've had in the past. Gamers with a DSi might want to give the download-only title a serious look.
Here's the official Spirit Hunters Inc. trailer video from Nnooo:
- Game Guy Barry White bcwhite@news10.net
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