Hellboy: Science of Evil

Hollywood might be gripped with Bat-fever at the moment, but the Caped Crusader will shortly be joined on the big screen by a superhero of an altogether different nature. He’s a demon, but don’t judge him – Hellboy’s actually a very nice chap. An honorary human, according to the United Nations. And a Christian to boot.

Arriving shortly before the movie, which is called Hellboy II: The Golden Army, Konami’s offering has enjoyed collaborative input from the movie’s acclaimed director Guillermo del Toro, but the publisher has refused to ignore the character’s rich comic heritage.

“With the talent we have had available to us, it was vital to produce something true to the Mignola originals, but also make use of the movie elements too,” Konami product manager Martine Saunders tells MCV.

“Thus, we have a game that has all the action and dark humour of the series, voiced by the likes of Ron Perlman and other cast members. It’s true to the series’ mythology, but very much its own beast as well.”

When you look at Hellboy’s combination of quirky characters and action, it’s clear to see why Konami feels that the brand is suitable for the video game treatment. Saunders explains:

“With its cast of oddball characters and undead adversaries, the two are a perfect fit. Developer Krome has produced an action title that makes full use of the monsters and creatures associated with the Hellboy universe, with the main character’s strength also used in a number of inventive ways.”

So rich is the licence, that Konami is hugely positive that the age-old complications of working with a licence simply aren’t an issue for its new game.

“Provided the character is a strong one, there are no disadvantages to working with a licence. We have been given a long leash to produce a game based on the strongest attributes of the character and series, and the results are as high as we expected.

“The game will enjoy a strong retail presence, and we are currently talking to Universal about co-promotions. We have had pods with the game at a number of events, and expect this to continue through to launch and beyond.”

And there’s a good chance too that the game will appeal to a wider audience than just the fans. With no Dark Knight game in sight and the release schedules performing their now annual summer vanishing act, you’d expect there to be plenty of gamers out there looking for a next-gen superhero.