Seems that developers haven't given up just yet on making FPS games for the Wii. I enjoy using the Wiimote as a shooter (the hand cannon and Zapper), but I am not usually a war game player, but hell, I will keep an open mind. Clearly from a budget point of view, they admit that this isn't a big budget title, but that doesn't always mean it will be bad.
So what are your impressions from this?:
Wii combat game features Marines - MarineCorpsTimes.com
Wii combat game features Marines
By Amy McCullough - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Oct 21, 2009 20:49:32 EDT
Just a few months after plans were put on hold for the release of a controversial video game depicting Marines’ deadly 2004 fight for the Iraqi city of Fallujah, the developer’s sister company is preparing to release another game about the Corps.
And although the new game’s story line resembles current events, it is 100 percent fictional.
“Marines: Modern Urban Combat,” on sale Nov. 10, is a first-person military shooter for Nintendo’s Wii system. It was developed by Minnesota-based Destineer and is far removed from the realism that would be portrayed in “Six Days in Fallujah,” should that project ever move forward.
In “Modern Urban Combat,” players lead a four-man Marine rifle team as they attempt to stop a civil war in modern-day Beirut that is influenced by factions from the Syrian and Iranian governments. They can use the Wii remote or the Wii zapper, which can better simulate an M16, as they battle insurgents wielding AK47 assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades. The team leader is in charge of a gunner, assistant gunner and rifleman who have access to the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and grenades.
Peter Tamte, president of Destineer and sister company Atomic Games, creator of “Six Days in Fallujah,” said “Modern Urban Combat” is based off a Marine Corps training system initially created by Destineer in 2005 as a PC-based, three-dimensional training tool for infantry fire teams. It was marketed commercially for Xbox, PC and Macintosh that same year as “Close Combat: First to Fight.”
The Corps did not consult with developers of the Wii version, but Marine officials were involved with the creation of the “Close Combat” series, which has the same storyline, in 2003, Tamte said.
In fact, the Corps gave Destineer access to about 40 combat-experienced Marines, many of them assigned to 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, at Camp Pendleton, Calif., although some Marine consultants also were located at Camp Lejeune, N.C.; Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va.; and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.
“One of our objectives with ‘First to Fight’ that also carried forward to this project is to celebrate the values of the Marine Corps — honor, courage and commitment,” Tamte said. “We view this more as an opportunity for the average consumer to understand more about Marines than they might get just by reading the newspaper.”
Although Tamte has never served in the Corps, there are several former Marines on the development team.
“I wish I could give people access to the one-on-one conversations with Marines as I’ve been able to have,” he said. “I think it changes and shapes people’s understanding of Marines and their values.”
Although “Modern Urban Combat” and “Six Days in Fallujah” are both first-person shooters, there are few other parallels.
“Modern Urban Combat” is fictional. It is a small-budget game that does not focus on fancy graphics. And it is one of only a few combat-oriented games for the interactive Wii system.
“Six Days in Fallujah,” on the other hand, is a big budget game, based on the real experiences of 3/1 Marines in Fallujah.
Tamte said the company can not disclose the budget for either game, but he said the difference is significant.
“Modern Urban Combat” is designed to be “family-friendly,” Tamte said. “Six Days in Fallujah” is “far more visceral, emotional and authentic,” he added.
“We as a society tend to glorify heroes from 50 years ago, as we should, but there are individuals whose sacrifice and courage and commitment is just as strong who are walking around with us right now,” Tamte said.
The Marines who consulted on the “First to Fight” series later deployed to Fallujah. Upon their return, they decided to tell their story in a medium that their generation was comfortable with.
Although many service members have expressed support for “Six Days in Fallujah,” opponents, including several family members of Marines killed in the battle, were vocal enough to convince Atomic’s partner, Konami Digital Entertainment, to drop production plans.
Tamte said the company remains committed to creating that game and continues to seek new partners.
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