KnightRider 2 - First Look Preview

Knight Rider may not mean much to younger gaming fans but older TV viewers will remember this now cult series with extreme fondness. Alongside the likes of Starsky and Hutch, Beverley Hill Billies, Miami Vice (another of Davilex's new titles), it has a lot to live up to as itâ??s brought back to life and up to date for the critical and analytical perusal of PC and video gamers. Nothing short of really interesting will suffice in what some may say is a tough task for erstwhile purveyors of low priced games, who appear to be on the march for higher quality releases. Derek dela Fuente spoke with Lambert Wolterbeek Muller, Technical Director & Sr. Producer at Davilex, to find out the about the trials and aspirations in acquiring cult brands!

This is the sequel to the highly successful first Knight Rider, which was released in 2003 and sold 170.000 units in Europe so far.

"The Knight Rider license has a lot to offer. It is a broadly recognised brand and plays well into the 70s and 80s revival. It also has a lot of action and strong characters creating a great basis for exciting game-play and a strong storyline."

"It is always important to obtain a good license deal in the sense that you have access to almost all elements from the series when basing a game on TV or movie formats. This is definitely the case with Knight Rider. It helped us create the original Knight Rider feel and atmosphere in the game. The only limitation Universal gave us was: everything you could do in the game should fit within the Knight Rider universe. So don't expect bloody massacres but rather stylish action packed missions in line with the actual TV series."

"We believe Knight Rider and Miami Vice are very strong licenses. A lot of people know both series. Everyone I know that was growing up in the 80s knows Knight Rider and Miami Vice as well as the characters Michael and KITT (KR) and Crockett and Tubbs (MV)."

"Many of the kids nowadays also know Knight Rider and Miami Vice due to the popular re-runs on TV. Both series are in continuous TV syndication worldwide. The properties have a nostalgic appeal about them; they have become somewhat â??cultâ?? symbols of that period in time. We are seeing a huge retro trend in the market with all kinds of entertainment, fashion, music and consumer products focusing their style and communication on the 70s and 80s."

"We also believe it appeals to people who don't know the TV series. Be honest, who doesn't want to drive a cool, stylish black high-tech car in high speed Super Pursuit Mode or use the Turbo Boost to literally fly trough the air? It's a pure adrenaline rush!"

There will be a lot of gamers that will not be au fait with the series and the best way to sum it up is to say the lead is a car, called KITT and it has brains! Apparently you can do all kinds of incredible things with it and the dev team appears to be very excited with this prospect! The car is stuffed with high-tech gadgets allowing us to create unique action packed game-play. The player really has to master and use the features of the car to successfully complete the missions.

"KITT can do all he could in the TV series. He will give you hints by scanning the area, drive ski mode through narrow alleys or turbo boost allowing you to get to those hard to reach places. Then there is the Micro Jam feature in order to control objects and of course the Super Pursuit Mode where KITT cranks up the speed to such a level that the surroundings change into a blur. There is also a lot of dialogue between KITT and Michael just like in the series."

Also there is the storyline, the clear 'good against evil' theme from the TV series that we have managed to transfer to the game offering a continuous challenge to the player.

The synergy between the series and David Hasselhoff is well known and he has helped the team recreate his face and body for the game, so you actually see the 'real' Michael Knight while playing the game.

As in the first Knight Rider, the player will play KITT and must use all the unique features that this famous car was capable of in order to successfully complete missions. Whether its driving in ski-mode in narrow alleys, utilising night vision to see where others cannot, chasing the bad guys with incredible speed by activating the Turbo Boost or scanning buildings to analyse a situation, Knight Rider 2 will still offer all the thrilling features associated with the original KITT car of the TV series.

In Knight Rider 2, KITT is now also capable of Combat mode which will raise the gameplay element significantly with the player using different car-based weapons to fight off robots, armoured vehicles and of course Garth, Michaels evil twin-brother and arch enemy. Mini Games such as Dirt Track Racing and The Shooting Gallery add to the excitement and fun. These Mini Games may be unlocked by successfully completing certain missions.

There is a feast of weapons on hands although some fans may see this as sacrilege. Lambert explained. "Actually, in several episodes KITT was armed with a laser. We believe the weapons KITT uses in the game fit within the Knight Rider universe. Don't worry; KIT won't fire any nuclear warheads, but will utilise sophisticated weapons in the true Knight Rider style."

The team has created mission-based levels using a considerable variety of in game-play, which was a good way to develop the story. In some missions you can drive freely, in others not. There is a multitude of different landscapes and sceneries fitting the atmosphere of the TV series.

And the villains? Well Lambert was not going to spill the beans as this might spoil part of the fun. But he did say that there are going to be a wide variety of boss-battles. Quizzed to tell us about some of the real variant gameplay ideas, he softened a little and gave a snippet if info.

"For example KITT has to ward off a chopper that is trying to destroy KITT by shooting missiles at it. In another situation KITT has to save Michael by finding the right path and surviving breathtaking challenges along the way. The game is full of combat, â??seek, explore and findâ?? and high-speed racing."

A final summery ended the great insight into the game.

"Davilex Gamesâ?? motto is to offer a great gaming experience for a value for money price. Our games won't cost you an arm and a leg but will provide you with hours of fun playtime. â??