Eidos Announce Smart Bomb News
Chris Leyton
16/02/2005
First title from the newly refocused Core Design set to be an addictive puzzler for the Sony PSP...
Having lost the Tomb Raider franchise and a large number of its original members, Core Design have now refocused its strengths on development for the Sony PSP, with the first offering currently scheduled for release in conjunction with the European launch of the PSP.
Smart Bomb is described as a fast-paced 3D puzzler, based around diffusing sophisticated AI bombs â“ hence the title Smart Bomb. Faced with a series of bomb modules split into tiers, with each tier needed to be disabled to move onto the next; playerâs move their way towards the central detonator which must be deactivated before moving onto the next challenge.
The Single Player mode contains Story, Arcade and Challenge modes, with Wi-Fi support for up to four players in the multiplayer mode.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Smart Bomb is the lengths to which Core Design have gone to integrate a story within a puzzle game, which describes how an unknown aggressor held the world to ransom with a series of sophisticated AI bombs planted at key locations around the globe. In response, the Global Defence Network assembled an Elite Reaction Force, the Bomb Disposal Unit (BDU) to neutralise the threat and restore order.
Led by Colonel Cage and rookie Michelle Grace, the BDU successfully diffused the bombs using a cutting-edge prototype VR system; however the surprising disappearance of Cage leads to suspicions that the VR system has malfunctioned at the same time that the bomb threats cease â“ dun, dun, dun...
We never seem to remember Tetris going to such lengths, but hopefully Smart Bomb will have the maddeningly addictive gameplay needed by modern puzzlers, but with the excellent Lumines as competition Smart Bomb certainly has its work cut out from the start.
Mike McGarvey, CEO of Eidos says:
âEidos is committed to delivering exciting, challenging content to cutting edge technology. Developing on the PSP provides the opportunity be part of the next generation of handheld gaming consoles and showcase the development skills of Core Design who are among the worldâs most accomplished developersâ
Clint Nembhard, Producer at Core Design says:
âSmart Bomb is all about compelling, high pressure gameplay. The playerâs PSP becomes a bomb with over a hundred bomb deactivating puzzles to solve against the clock. We've worked very closely with Sony to take full advantage of the PSP hardware and controls to make the Smart Bomb experience as much fun as possible.â
Weâll have more on Smart Bomb soon.
