Full Throttle: Hell On Wheels Preview

For the most part, LucasArts can do no wrong. Nothing can bring out the joy in gamers better than an adventure, starring a tough biker with a sarcastic wit and a bad temper. Veteran players who have been around since classic P&C adventures such as Monkey Island, Loom, The Dig, and, of course, Full Throttle, will no doubt jump at the chance to get their mitts on this one. If memory serves me right, Full Throttle was a huge seller for its time. And there really wasn't any reason why it shouldn't have been. The visuals featured a well-employed combination of 2D character art and cartoon-like animation, intermingled with effective and cool-looking FMV cut-scenes. There was just one problem with the game - it was too damn short! You could complete the whole thing in one afternoon, and you wouldn't even have to use your noodle too much at that. And since it was a LucasArts title, the game oozed style and class, and that's more than enough from where I'm standing. You know the recipe: a cool character that's easy to admire, a well-structured plot with a touch of drama and mystery, filled with logical and amusing LucasArts-style puzzles, and witty dialogue.

Who’s got better hair now punk?

Heading straight for El Nada! Yeah!

Almost eight years after the original, the creative team at LucasArts (you know those meddlesome rascals who keep flooding the market with innumerable Star Wars titles) have finally settled on the idea of making a full-scale follow-up, entitled Full Throttle: Hell On Wheels. This new adventure takes us through a story about a bad-ass biker named Ben. As the leader of motorcycle renegade gang called the Polecats, Ben gets to engage in intense on-road bike duels and bare-knuckle fights, facing many dangers and rival gangs - such as the ill-tempered Hound Dogs. Drawing on a few reminiscent moments from the previous game, Full Throttle: Hell On Wheels sets you and your faithful chopper off into adventure on stretched out desert high-ways, as pass you through truck stops and bars getting into brawls with sleazy bikers and road punks.

You are on your way to pursue cold beer and low-cost motorcycle parts. Also, you have to uncover a sinister plot that was unleashed on the small town you found yourself in. To make his task easier, Ben joins forces with his old chums Father Torque, who's a kind of mentor to him, and Maureen Corley, the heiress to the Corley Motorcycle Company. Together they have to preserve freedom of the open road and stand up to a malicious villain and his evil henchman. Just remember, you are now living in a time when law and order have a different meaning. Your trusty Corley motorcycle and your fists are the only argument you'll have in dispersing out justice. There's only one law, one rule... The code of the road.

LucasArts has revealed that the game portrays over 50 different characters throughout the entire plot. As you can see, it's going be another classic adventure... but there's more to it than just that. In addition to the adventure elements, players will be able to enjoy a variety of arcadish features; much like the gameplay facets present in the original. Ben faces a deadly and difficult journey, throughout which he must solve puzzles and endure through challenging melee combat against other bike gangs. Your number one "co-worker" is the speedy Corley, which can be customized and revamped with purchasable parts. At some point during the game, Ben will be able to switch motorcycles with Mo and he'll also get to ride on an old cargo blimp (other vehicles will be included, but we'll have to wait a bit to know more about that one).

In any case, a biker without weapons is like a Jedi without a lightsaber, which is why the developers have included about 40 unique weapons for Ben to use against hostiles. So if you ever happen to see stuff like bottles, chairs, pool cues, crowbars, and guitars along the way don't hesitate to pick 'em up because they might come in handy when you run into a serious-looking bike thug. Getting into trouble like that will often decrease Ben's health, which is when beer comes in as a mighty useful item. Drinking a few cold ones at your favorite bar and just hangin' out with your gang is always a good way to recuperate from nasty fights and clashes on the road.

Times have changed indeed since the first Full Throttle game and now we see a completely different approach to the game design. In other words, there will be no more 2D areas. Each location in Full Throttle: Hell On Wheels has shifted from 2D backdrops to full 3D environments - there will be 20 unique environments that feature over 35 levels. Players get to view the action from a well-placed third person camera view, hence controlling Ben won't be much of a problem. At this point the developers have revealed a few of these locations: a truck stop, an oil refinery, a junkyard, an airplane graveyard, the Polecat's regular hangout, and the Kickstand biker bar. We were also impressed with the 3D models we've seen up until now, and the new 3D character art work looks just great.

And, in closing, there's nothing much we can say or show to you guys before the E3 madness kicks in. For the present, we know that the game will have plenty of action and puzzles going on, and what more would you ask of a non-Star Wars game from LucasArts. The game is scheduled for a Winter 2003 release and will be launched for PlayStation 2, PC Windows, and Xbox platforms simultaneously.