The Chronicles Of Riddick: Assault On Dark Athena

The Chronicles Of Riddick: Escape From Butcher Bay was one of the few titles to buck the trend of poor games with prestigious movie licences. Widely viewed as one of the best games on the original Xbox and similarly popular on PC, the game arguably boasted quality and production values to match that of its companion movie, The Chronicles Of Riddick.

While there is no big screen sequel planned, Starbreeze was not about to let a viable gaming franchise fade into obscurity and has been working hard on a follow up to the original game, in the form of The Chronicles Of Riddick: Assault On Dark Athena.

One of the many games to change hands in the wake of the Activision Blizzard merger, Dark Athena is now being handled by Atari, which is keen to build on the success of its predecessor.

The story begins as Riddick’s ship is captured by the mysterious Dark Athena, a predatory ship full of mercenaries. As the former convict and the prisoners he encounters battle for their lives, they discover that the Dark Athena’s victims are being transformed by its evil crew.

RETURN TO BUTCHER BAY
Not content with offering them a whole new adventure, the developers have also grabbed consumers’ attention by including an enhanced version of the first Riddick game. Escape From Butcher Bay has been completely remade     from scratch using the current generation’s technology.

The result is new textures, character models, animations and weapons, making the game look better than ever before. Starbreeze has reworked the gameplay, following feedback from the first title, ensuring that it plays better too.

“Those who haven’t had a chance to play the original game are in for a treat and those that have will find a new experience from the new Butcher Bay,” says Atari UK’s  Head of PR Lee Kirton.

“Both games are accessed from the start of the main menu on the same disc and a full multiplayer is also included. Pitch Black and Butcher Bay Riot are two of the new unique modes available that will keep frag fans entertained.”

With the game already established as a tremendous value for money proposition for consumers, Atari is emphasising that the same classic gameplay from the original is still present. Riddick can take on his enemies in a variety of ways, blending hand-to-hand fighting with first-person shooting.

Combat caters for all tastes as players can fight in the style that suits them best, whether they prefer to get up close and personal with their foes, utilising counter attacks to outmanoeuvre them, or gunning them down from a distance. As with Butcher Bay, Riddick can even use the darkness against his enemies with a range of stealth kills.

“When the action begins, it grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go,” says Kirton. “The gameplay mechanics     mixes incredible brutal-stealth and all out gunplay throughout stunningly believable environments.”

SUPPORTING CAST
Hollywood action man Vin Diesel returns to the title role of the formidable Riddick, lending both his likeness and voice to the game. However, that’s not where the ties to Tinseltown stop for Dark Athena, as the game boasts an all-star supporting cast and production values to rival some feature films.

Stars including Lance Henrikson, Michelle Forbes, Wade Williams and Morgan Sheppard take on various roles, bringing experience from the sets of shows and films such as The Terminator, 24, Battlestar Galactica and Prison Break. The developers have also worked hard to make sure the quality of the game suits its performers.

“Character cutscenes are developed using vo-cap, so you have incredibly believeable stories, which could be mistaken for actual movie quality,” Kirton explains.

“These characters’ performances are superb and provide truly stand-out and memorable scenes.”

Assault On Dark Athena is shaping up to be a massive hit. With both the franchise’s and studio’s reputation already riding high on the success of the first game, its sequel has been in the public eye for some time now. The simultaneous multi-format release date also ensures it will rack up higher sales than its Xbox predecessor.

“Escape From Butcher Bay has a tremendous reputation amongst both gamers and Riddick fans, which we’ll look to build upon,” says Kirton. “It is important for us to communicate that customers will be getting two full games here for the price of one.

“Dark Athena is not an expansion pack. It is a brand new game with stunning technology, believable characters and an immersive and brutal storyline. Plus, the acclaimed original has been strikingly remastered.”

MARKETING ASSAULT
Assault On Dark Athena has already been on gamers’ lips for some time, but Atari is keen to ensure everyone is talking about Vin Diesel’s latest digital outing come release.

– A major press ad campaign is planned, targeting core gaming, sci-fi, film and men’s titles. Atari will be taking advantage of the good pre-launch review scores and press coverage the game has already received, incorporating them into full-page ads in a manner similar to that of major film launch campaigns. The game has already been awarded 84 per cent in Xbox World, 8/10 in Official Playstation, Official Xbox and PSW, and 4/5 in Loaded and Total Film.

– The publisher will also target gamers with a three-week online ad campaign centred around site takeovers, podcast sponsorships, banner advertising and video MPUs with gameplay trailers. New content will be seeded to online communities via social media websites and gaming and film forums in order to generate excitement leading up to launch.

– Trade marketing activity will encompass pre-order promotions and new release shelves for key retail partners, with press attendance on launch days.

– Cinema ads have been planned, which will be shown throughout April before features such as Vin Diesel’s latest Fast And Furious movie.

– A heavily focused PR campaign weighted towards specialist press has ensured Riddick has received preview coverage on a monthly basis for the past six months, successfully creating anticipation for the game’s release. This has included several visits to Starbreeze’s studios, with video features on Eurogamer, Gamespot, Gametrailers and CVG.