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Twisted Pixel – developer of ‘Splosion Man and Comic Jumper – is breaking free of the controller with Kinect action game, The Gunstringer.
“The Gunstringer is a Kinect game where you get to marionette a kick-ass undead cowboy puppet through action packed stage performances,” explained lead designer Dan Teasdale. “Everything is set as if it’s an actual play performance, complete with hand crafted actors and props.
“Through a bunch of on stage performances, you get to marionette the Gunstringer through an awesome western themed revenge story filled with action, drama, and mildly creepy puppet love. Having being raised from the dead by an invisible string-pulling force, the Gunstringer has only one goal – to seek revenge on the rag-tag posse that put him underground in the first place.”
The game will take cues from classics like Sergio Leone’s iconic spaghetti westerns, but The Gunstringer isn’t a straight western revenge story.
“From the start of this project, we’ve focused on getting across the feel of marionetting a puppet’s movement through a 3D world, then mixing that with the fun and mayhem of targeting-focused shooters like Rez,” added Teasdale. “One minute you’ll be navigating the Gunstringer over tricky ravines or towards secret paths, the next you’ll be ducking behind cover to take out a half-dozen clockwork alligators with your six shooter.”
And just because this is a Kinect game, don’t expect a bunch of shooting mini-games.
“The Gunstringer is unlike any Kinect game you may have played previously. There are no mini-games, forced gestures, or end of level photos of you in your underwear here,” said Teasdale. “You can play it sitting down, which is great if you just want to play and relax rather than burn crazy calories. Most importantly, you can aim and move with precision not seen in any of the Kinect launch titles, and with a speed and feel that’s just not possible with a traditional controller.”
That’s about all we have right now, but you can take an early look at the game in the trailer below.
There’s currently no word on a release date or if the game will appear at retail or via XBLA.
Twisted Pixel is making a name for itself as one of the leading innovators in gaming, and it has made some bold claims about the use of Kinect in The Gunstringer. Here’s hoping they deliver.
