Nexuiz, an arena FPS that started as a popular open-source Linux title is now being remade for XBLA and PSN using the new CryENGINE.
CryENGINE 3 is the latest engine developed by German game company Crytek, creators of the Far Cry and Crysis games. It is the engine Crytek is using to build Crysis 2; Nexuiz for XBLA and PSN will be the first downloadable title to use CryENGINE 3.
The original Nexuiz was built using the DarkPlaces Quake engine. It featured 24 official maps, thirteen weapons, and fifteen player models, but it also supported over 200 community-created maps and a number of Quake mods. Though Nexuiz is primarily a multiplayer game, the original also included a single player mode that took the player through each arena to fight against AI-controlled bots.
The new Nexuiz is being remade entirely. According to a press release from developer IllFonic, Nexuiz is a “fast paced Arena first-person shooter with competitive game play built specifically for consoles.” The most unique aspect seems to be the mutator system, which allows players to alter match rules as they advance through the Nexuiz ranking system.
Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag will be available at launch, with additional game modes, models, and maps available as DLC after launch. According to the IllFonic website, Nexuiz will support 16-player online multiplayer. No details regarding local multiplayer or single player have been announced.
Although the XBLA version of Nexuiz is designed to capture the spirit of the original Quake mod, the art style has changed to adopt a steampunk-eque mashup of Victorian and futuristic styles. IllFonic has also given Nexuiz a futuristic storyline involving members of two feuding races that settle their galactic disputes in arena combat.
The game also features a prominent electronica soundtrack, featuring underground experimental musicians like Finnish techno artist Trisector. IllFonic co-founder Raphael Saadiq is a well-known R&B artist and record producer.
The official launch date for XBLA has not been announced. Download the full press release here. For more concept art and preliminary screenshots, visit IllFonic on Facebook.
Via thesixthaxis
