Unseen 64 was given the great opportunity to talk to Nick Bruty President and Co-Founder of Planetmoon Studios. This article will be focusing on his time spent with Shiny Entertainment working on Earthworm Jim 1 and 2.
>> Read the full article!
[February Update] More content in the U64 Archive
In the last few months we have added some screens, videos or info in these Unseen Archives (more than 100 games!): Crank the Weasel [XBOX, PS2], Shadow of Atlantis [Sega CD], 1/4 RPG [DC, PS2], Raven Blade [GC], Retro Football [GC], Metroid Prime [GC], Robotech Crystal Dream [N64], Rock [PC], Sabreman Stampede [X360], Urchin [X360], Jet Force Gemini [N64], Dinosaur Planet [N64], Factor 5’s Flight Project [Wii], Factor 5’s Superman [X360, PS3], HMS Carnage (Dreadnought) [PC, PSX, Saturn], Mini Racers [N64], Seraphin [XBOX, PC], Snow [XBOX], The City of Metronome [X360, PS3], Wild Boys [NES], War on Wheels [NES], GTA Vice City Stories [PSP], Conker’s Twelve Tales [N64], Shadowrun [XBOX], Plok [SNES], The Flash [X360, PS3], Mortal Kombat [Arcade, MD], Tiberium [X360, PS3], Resident Evil 3 [PSX], La Femme Nikita [PS2, XBOX], Final Fantasy 6 [SNES], Ninja Gaiden [XBOX], Super Mario 64 [N64], Dyno Blaze [GEN/MD], Conker [XBOX], Fable 2 [X360], Spyro the Dragon [PSX], Sonic 2006 [X360,PS3], Animal Crossing [GC], Socks the Cat [SNES/GEN/MD], Yoshi’s Island [N64], Worm’s Pinball [DC], Shadow of the Colossus [PS2], New Super Mario Bros [DS], Starfox Adventure [GC], Donkey Kong Country 3 [SNES], Super Punch Out [SNES], Oddballs [XBOX], Little Big Planet [PS3], Halo 2 [XBOX], Halo [XBOX], Super SMASH Bros Brawl [Wii], Super Mario World [SNES], Mario & Luigi RPG 3 [DS], Paper Mario [N64], Virtual Hamster [Sega 32X], Jet Moto 4 (2124) [PSX], Resident Evil 4 [GC], Axel Rage [PS2, XBOX], Incredible Idiots in Space [PSX], Deadlight [XBOX, PS2], Metroid 4 (Fusion) [GBA], 6 Gun [XBOX, PS2], Assassin’s Creed [X360, PS3], Boogie [Wii], Bounty Arms [PSX], Carnivale [N64], Curse of Monkey Island [PC], Deus Ex 2 [PC, XBOX], Emergency Mayhem [XBOX], God of War [PS2], Crash Bandicoot WoC [PS2], Sonic Xtreme [Saturn], Team Fortress 2 [PC], Final Fantasy 7 [PSX], Grandia 2 [Dreamcast], Metroid Zero Mission [GBA], Turok: Dinosaur Hunter [N64], Turok 2 [N64], Coded Arms Assaults [PS3], Heavenly Sword [XBOX, PS3], Take the Bullet [Dreamcast], Racer X [XBOX], Donkey Kong 64 [N64], Gears of War [X360], Starshot: Space Circus [N64], Oddworld’s Fangus [XBOX], Tonic Trouble [N64], Gods [GBA], Cipher Complex [X360, PS3], Goldeneye 007 [N64], Sonic 2 [GEN/MD], Universal Soldier [SNES], Johnny Whatever [PS2, XBOX], Starcraft Ghost [XBOX, PS2, GC], Super Mario Sunshine [GC], Gameboy Music [GBC], Time Diver [NES], Driver 2 [PSX], Party Monster [NES], Endless Saga [PS3], Titanium Angels [PS2, PC], Faith and a 45. [PS3, X360], Chameleon Twist [N64], Duke Nukem Forever [PC], Fable (Project Ego) [XBOX], Dorque & Imp [SNES], Apocalypse [PSX], Armed [PSX, Saturn], Final Fantasy Fortress [PS3, X360], Ouendan [DS], Donkey Kong Plus [GBA], Duke Nukem Lame Duke [PC], MadWorld [Wii], Mirror’s Edge [X360, PS3], F-Zero X [N64], Zelda 64: Lost Items [N64], Mortal Kombat Special Forces [PSX, N64], REZ [Dreamcast], New Phantasy Star? [GEN/MD], Lobos Sekei [PSX], Fallout 3 [PC, X360, PS3], Quest 64 [N64], Keeper of the Gate [GEN/MD], World Reborn [GBA], EggHead Shred [N64], Phantasy Star 4 [GEN/MD], Black Ice / White Noise [Jaguar], Yoshi’s Island 2 [DS], Pocket Monsters 2 [GB], Dragon Sword 64 [N64], GTA San Andreas [PS2], Bioshock [PC, X360, PS3], Soulstar X [32X], Aliens RPG [PS3, X360], B.C. [XBOX], Career Criminal [X360, PS3], Dragonkind [XBOX, PS2] and Propaganda [PSX, PC]!
Soulstar X (32X) leaked and preserved!
Do you remember Soulstar X, the cancelled shoot ’em up that was in development for the Sega 32X and the Jaguar CD? It was a sequel / remake of the original Soulstar a pseudo 3D space shooter released in 1994 for the Sega Mega CD. A playable prototype of Soulstar X was found sometime ago and sold on Ebay to various collectors, but only today, thanks to the Sega Saturno community, this build is finally leaked for everyone to enjoy! You can download the prototype in the Sega Saturno Forum (you need to be registered to be able to download the file). Huge props to the Sega Saturno guys for this new release!
Alone [PC – Alpha / Proto]
Alone is a cancelled horror FPS that was in development by Red Paperclip Games for about a year. After they completed an alpha build, new funding caused Alone to go from the Game Maker Engine to the CryEngine2 Engine, but sadly after about three months work stopped abruptly.
Today Alone no longer exists and there is very little reference to it on the Red Paperclip Games website, but thanks to Archive.org it’s still possible to read an old page on the project:
ALONE was first going to be a test game to say that I could complete a game. Well through some thinking I came to like ALONE. At first I had no name so I came up with ALONE to describe your state. ALONE started to attach to me more until I put time and effort into the game. Now I am always working on ALONE wherever I go. I also managed to pick up a few people on the way.
Dr. Rick Hauss has performed biological test to create a new enhancement for the U.S. armed forces. The new enhancement is known as the HGE or Human Genetic Enhancement. In the process of making it, Dr. Hauss accidentaly created a new virus. This new virus was known as the Z Virus. This virus would take over dead cells and bring back their living properties. The effects on brain cells allowed the virus to control the body. Before Dr. Hauss realized it, he had already tested on five subjects. The first four died and were brought back from the virus.
The final experiment survived. After the four experiments killed everyone but Dr. Hauss in Bio Labs, they spread out to take over the Norton Military base. The effects of the HGE causes increase in strength, agility and intelligence. Although the subject also obtains permanent amnesia. The final experiment is Seth Thomas. His body has a natural immunity from the virus.
The player will play as Seth Thomas through the game ALONE as he uncovers the truth behind the HGE.
A very early Alpha of Alone was somehow leaked online: in this build there are many bugs and everything is a place holder texture: not much of the first area is in this, but it is all that is left. An interesting view on the early development of a lost game.
Hidden in the Alpha code it’s possible to find 6 levels:
Livello 1 = environment testLivello 2 = vehicle testLivello 3 = enemy test (same as lv 2)Livello 4 = full level test (same as lv 2)Livello 5 = secret boss (empty lv)
Livello 6 = cutscene test
ResQ [MD/G – Cancelled]
ResQ is a cancelled 2D shooter / action game that was in development by Tempest Software for the Genesis / Mega Drive. The project was almost finished when the publisher, Psygnosis, decided to pulled it out: even if ResQ was never officially released, a rom of the game was leaked online and can be easily found through Google.
The look and feel of the game seem taken from an Amiga project, probably because the team was inspired by the Bitmap Brothers graphic style back then. Other inspirations were games such as R-Type (for the ship) C64 version of Turrican, Super Ghosts and Goblins (for the centurion) Starwing/Starfox (for the 3D bonus game).
As a former graphic designer of Tempest Software wrote:
The Game was programmed on 486 PC’s by Bill Pullan and Pete, while Jason used Deluxe Paint II and III on an Amiga 1200 with RAM upgrade for Graphics and Animation. Bill actually worked on an Amiga title before RESQ, “Bill’s Tomato Game“.
Thanks to Jason and Celine for the contributions!
Images:
Videos: