Story und zum Teil neue Atworks vom Game.
As the next generation of games stumbles upon us, dynamic changes seem to be occurring in the interactive entertainment industry. Game companies are conglomerating, merging, restructuring; not all for the sake of crafting indelible, perception-altering games, but to ensure financial fortitude and survival. As development costs creep upward into shocking levels and the capacity for crafting AAA titles becomes the privilege of the gaming aristocracy, some are left to wonder how indie studios will cope. How will talented individuals with big dreams, fresh concepts and small pocket books be able to stir any form of resonating impact in the marketplace?
With its next-generation console, code-named Revolution, Nintendo proclaims its intention to reach out to fledgling developers, allowing them an opportunity to find a foothold in the market with their more humble, perhaps original projects. With a presumably developer-friendly system architecture and inexpensive development kits, as well as a unique controller, Revolution could very well inoculate youthful start-up studios into the industry. Rather, the console already is, in the form of Polish developer NIBRIS and its first title, Raid over the River.
Self-proclaimed "the best shooter ever designed," Raid over the River is being created for not just one console--the Nintendo Revolution--but also for its ideological predecessor, the Nintendo DS. Although NIBRIS has not yet made clear how the two versions will interact, we're providing an extensive first-look at the game's fundamental design, characters and scenario. So without further adieu, we present an introduction into the world of Raid over the River (Note: all information presented hereafter presumably pertains to the Revolution version of the game, but could also relate to the DS version in many respects).
Scenario Summary:
The main character of the game is a 40 year-old veteran of the "Sand Storm" operation, named David McBride. He discovers, by pure coincidence, the plans of the "Molayarius" sect which wants to summon a demon by the name of "Bafomet" into existence. By co-operating with one of the members of the sect (who continuously sabotages their actions), David strives to halt Molayarius' plans. To accomplish this task, he must go through a 10-level game, which takes place in different regions of the world, spanning different time periods.
Character Overview:
David McBride
The player controls this character. McBride is an Iraq veteran who also flew in Desert Storm, but is disturbed by memories from that time when he carried out orders requiring the bombing of civilians. His traumatic experiences later resulted in him turning to alcoholism. His wife Sara left him five years after he started drinking. Their 17 year old son Josh lives with Sara.
McBride is around 44 years old at the beginning of the game. He is considered to be one of the best pilots in the USA, but hasn't flown for a long while due to his drinking habits. Instead, he instructs younger pilots in the theory of flying. Students consider him cynical and rude; a disconnected outsider. He is not particularly liked, but most people recognize his piloting skills and broad knowledge.
McBride is around 180 cm tall, with short blond hair - his belly has gotten bigger recently. He rarely shaves his face, which is run down. He has a scar near his eye, along with numerous scars on his stomach, chest and back, all sustained after an accident from which doctors intially believed he wouldn't survive.
McBride's typical attire includes his uniform and high soldier boots.
Anna Stolarczyk
Ann acts as a catalyst of changes in McBride's life. He meets her for the first time when he accidentally learns about a sect cultivating traditions under the Knights Templar's Grand Master Jacques' crest. She is of Polish origin, although she spent the first year of her life in Washington. She is a journalist and a prominent sect activist who contacts McBride to inform him that she joined the Molayar sect in order to sabotage their activities.
She is a kind of femme fatale; everywhere she appears strange things start to happen. She attempts to seduce Josh and partially succeeds. She is well-acquainted with historical and geographical facts. Ann is the one who leads McBride on his escapade, the aim of which is to stop Molayar's actions.
Ann is 33, tall (178 cm) and blond, with blue eyes. She is quite beautiful, possessing Slavic features with a characteristic mole on the right side of her cute face, which reveals some trace of mannerism. Ann is the type of woman any man could hardly resist. She has a mysterious tattoo with two friars on a horse emblazoned to the right side of her neck. She always dresses provocatively, regardless if it's a casual date or an official meeting.
Andrew de Molay
A descendent of Jacques do Molay and a retired US Navy general. He maintains excellent contact with prominent people in the Senate and army. Andrew de Molay manages the Molayar sect, which in less than 30 years managed to accumulate immense sums of money and place its members in the most important social and political institutions.
Andrew de Molay is 63 years old. He is a stout, short man with grey hair, brown eyes and a long scar on the left cheek. He always wears black suits and white shirts, including red ties with a little white cross in a black circle and a glove on his right hand. The right side of the body is paralyzed, which adds difficulty to his normal life functions.
Andrew de Molay is ruthless in his actions - he firmly believes that the end justifies the means. Yet his demeanor is also tragic at the same time - not only did a car accident leave him paralyzed at the age of 30, but it took the lives of his wife, son and daughter. After the travesty, he devoted himself to work. One day, he was sent a book describing the history of his family. He studied this text carefully, which led to him founding the Molayar. During this time, Andrew De Molay consumed a number of mysterious books, conjuring up the belief that by properly arranging 12 sundials placed in temples--built specially for this purpose--located in various parts of the world, spanning multiple eras, one is able to call Bafomet - the demon which will reward those who free him. Andrew doesn't realize that the mysterious book will in fact lead to the birth of Satan.
Tom Brown
A US navy general; a very cheerful man of honor. He is also the successor of Andrew de Molay. Brown took over the secret time travel department from Molay. He has no family, but he is David McBride's best friend.
Brown is 45; a tall, handsome man. He has short, dark hair and hazel eyes. He always wears official army uniforms, with a cigar in his hand nearly all the time. Unfortunately, he has developed stomach cancer, with McBride being the only one aware of his illness. Brown knows about Andrew de Molay's secret operations and collects evidence to prove all of the retired general's connections with terrorist organizations across the globe.
Organizations:
The Molayar
A very influential sect, founded in 1978 by Andrew de Molay who believes the sect will aid in his mission to bring his deceased family members back to life. The Molayar cultivated the rules of the Knights Templar, which existed since the 14th century when Jacques de Molay was burnt at the stake by the Pope. According to the books which Andrew secretly received in October 1976, Jacques, who was the Grand Master of the Order at that time, discovered a way to bring the demon Bafomet to life on Earth. The members of the sect believe that all who help Bafomet to be born will be generously rewarded.
The Order of the Nine
A secret organization which aims to sabotage all activities of the Molayar. Ann Stolarczyk is the Grand Master of this order who cultivates traditions of the Knights Templar (according to their original guidelines). Having read the documents provided by Andrew, she found many inaccuracies and logical mistakes in Molayar's ideas. Following, she contacted the historians and clerics connected with the Vatican who knew the history of the Knights Templar very well. The most trusted of them agreed to join the Order of the Nine to protect the tradition and good name of the Knights Templar, as well as to nullify the Molayar's plans.
Game Design & Mission Overview:
Raid over the River is comprised of 10 consecutive missions which span multiple time periods, ranging from the before the Roman empire, to World War II, all the way to the year 2024. Players are first introduced to the story through a non-interactive prologue comprised of real-time cut-scenes. Afterwards, a plot-progressing cut scene will be introduced prior to each mission in order to give the player proper context for in-game actions and events. The main objective of each mission is to not only survive constant enemy onslaught, but also to destroy the temple and sundial in each respective location. A basic description of each mission McBride will embark on has been provided below.
TRAINING MISSION
David chooses from a selection of planes from different epochs: two planes--fighter and a helicopter--and an antiquity (the latter being a combination of a balloon and Leonardo Da Vinci's aerial construct).
Players fly over a river and are attacked by ground and aerial machines. The training mission can be stopped at any given moment.
MISSION 1
Time Period: World War II
In this mission, players fly over the Ran River. McBride starts in the vicinity of Strasbourg and end in Essen where a temple with a sun dial is located. The player uses a fighter and later, a helicopter; the opponents are the Nazis.
MISSION 2
Time Period: Year 2024
In this mission, players fly over the Hudson River. McBride starts around Montreal and end in New York where there is another temple with a sundial. Additionally, players will utilize the most modern of fighter planes to combat the Molayar and its militia. A destructive meteor shower raining down on the New York will also help deter chances of survival and success.
MISSION 3
Time Period: Antiquity, Ramzes 2 epoch – 14c. B.C.E
In this mission, the player flies over the Nile River. McBride starts around Al-Churtum and ends in Al-Iskandarija where there is a temple with a sundial. For this mission, players will use a flying machine--similar to Leonardo Da Vinci's famous sketches--to fight the Egpytian opponents. A major difficulty will be the desert storms which hinder steering and impair visibility.
MISSION 4
Time Period: World War II
In this mission, players fly over the Lena River. The machine employed is a helicopter. The opponents are the Bolsheviks. If the player does not collect the fuel in the alloted time (a timer displays this information), cracks appear on the plane's windshield, hindering vision and eventually leading to a crash landing.
MISSION 5
Time Period: Year 2024
In this mission, players fly over the Jangcy River. McBride starts around Czungking and concludes in Nankin. Players to use a futuristic helicopter to combat the Chinese opposition. The blinding sun will prove quite problematic with regards to flying.
MISSION 6
Time Period: 50 B.C.E.
In this mission, players fly over the Tiber River. McBride starts around Assisi and ends in Rome where there is a temple with a sundial. Leonardo Da Vinci's flying machine is employed for this mission, with the the opponent being Caesar's army. Lightning and heavy torrential downpours will accentuate the difficulties.
MISSION 7
Time Period: World War II
In this mission, players fly over the Vistula River. McBride starts around Cracow and ends in Warsaw. Players will use a fighter plane exclusive to this era to defend themselves against the Nazi opposition. In addition, the whole mission takes place at night.
MISSION 8
Time Period: Year 2018
In this mission, players fly over the Mackenzie River. McBride begins around Great Slave Lake and ends in proximity of the Beaufort Sea where there is a temple with a sundial. Technologically-advanced, futuristic fighter planes are employed for this mission. The opponents are the Russians. A dazzling sun followed by immense cold will act as main sources of impairment for the player's steering ability and vision.
MISSION 9
Time Period: 50 BC
In this mission, players fly over the mountain range in Greece. McBride starts around Plateje and ends in Athens where a temple with a sundial can be found. Players will use a flying machine (similar to helicopter) from Leonardo Da Vinci's sketches. The opponent is the Greek army. For this mission, difficulty rests in the fact that the last sundial needs to be destroyed exactly at the moment of eclipse. So if players come too early they'll have to survive the attack of the Greeks. If too late, they lose and he will not be able to return to present times. The time shift can be recognized by shifts in the sky's color.
MISSION 10
Time Period: September 2nd, 1991
In this final mission, McBride must come to grips with those memories which haunt him and destroy the Molayar base. The task for the player is to fly an F-16 from Teheran to Baghdad and follow through on the final goal. Players will be provided with an F-16 and a helicopter during this mission.
Following the completion of all ten missions, players will witness the game's inevitable story conclusion, which will be presented through real-time cut-scenes.
The aformentioned details only begin to delve into the world of Raid over the River. As E3 2006 approaches, more information concerning this NIBRIS title and subsequent others will begin to come forth. That noted, Revolution Report will continue to provide all the latest news and impressions regarding NIBRIS' titles as well as Revolution's impact on newly-founded developers.
Aber ich glaube das Spiel wird mich so oder so mitreissen. 
