|
Wet. With a provocative name and an eye-catching beauty serving as its main protagonist, it might look like Bethesda is setting Rubi up to be gaming’s next big sex symbol. However, Bethesda insists this isn’t the case and would rather see Rubi find her way into the male dominated “Badass Action Boys Club.”
Developers A2M have dubbed Wet an acrobatic shooter that pulls inspiration from Tarantino and grindhouse flicks. Rubi Malone is a gun for hire who specializes in Wet Work jobs (thus the title), a euphemism for assassination jobs. After agreeing to find a wealthy man’s son, Rubi is betrayed and pulled into a mission that is more complicated than she originally expected.
If you look at screenshots, Wet looks like a typical action game, and in some ways it is. Rubi has both sword and gun-based moves and an upgradable skill system. However, seeing it in action offers a completely different view.
The “acrobatic” part of the acrobatic shooter moniker comes from Rubi’s athleticism. Rubi can use anything in her environment as a potential ramp or running surface. With a press of the left trigger, she can run along walls or, with another touch of a button, slide across surfaces. At one point in the demo, she used her moves to jump from car–to-car during a high-speed chase through San Francisco. The game enters slow motion whenever these moves are used, giving her time to mow down enemies with her dual pistols (one uses auto-aim, the other free moving). To encourage players to make full use of Rubi’s acrobatic skills, A2M has included a combo multiplier system (similar to The Club, a game that got a lot of mention on the show floor). More points equal more moves and weapon upgrades.
At certain points in the game, Rubi will enter Rage Mode. When activated, the game’s presentation switches from its normally gritty presentation to a flat, Sin City-like presentation. Everything is overly stylized with monochrome whites, blacks and reds. While in Rage Mode, Rubi is faster, does more damage and heals a little bit of health over time.
A2M is lining up a star-studded cast for the game. Eliza Dushku (Dollhouse, Buffy the Vampire Slayer) will provide the voice for Rubi, while Malcom McDowell (fresh off a stint in Fallout 3) will star as the game’s main villain. Alan Cumming (Nightcrawler in X2) will also lend his voice to a yet-to-be-named character.
My only disappointment with Wet at E3 was not being able to snag one of the t-shirts emblazoned with the game’s logo. Before E3, Wet was a faint blip on my “must play” radar, but it’s quickly moved into my top ten. Look for Wet later this year. |
