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What is Hydrophobia?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrophobia_(video_game)

Hydrophobia is an upcoming 2010 survival-adventure video game developed by Dark Energy Digital and published by Microsoft Game Studios on Xbox Live Arcade. Originally slated for retail release on Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360, the game has since been scheduled for release in episodic form on Xbox Live, with a PC and PlayStation 3 version planned for later release. The game was originally scheduled for release in March 2009, but since it was revealed that the game would be an episodic online release initially, it has since been confirmed that the first episode will release on Wednesday 29th September 2010, as part of Microsoft's "Game Feast". The game's engine, HydroEngine, provides realistic fluid dynamics technology for flowing water, allowing it to interact with the surroundings. The levels of Hydrophobia were designed using InfiniteWorlds; a game creation system which uses bespoke procedural technology to significantly reduce file sizes, making the game much faster to download.

Gameplay will involve the player being able to interact with the environment, and the realistic water dynamics. Rob Hewson stated that "player versus environment is certainly a large part of the experience, the wonderful thing about water is that it is constantly affecting every area of the environment, so you get incredible amounts of emergent behaviour. The player constantly has to adapt to the environment and react quickly because doors, walls and windows are going to cave in differently each time according to the distribution of water.

Players will also be able to visit previous locations that have been submerged and are able to interact with them in various ways. Hewson stated that players are able to "fight through an area one time and there might be a foot of water flowing around and affecting the environment, another person might play through the same area and blow out walls or windows causing a great deal of water to flow into the scene, meaning perhaps the gameplay switches to floating cover. Another player might shoot fuel barrels which let even more water into the scene but also spawn floating fuel fires which are carried around with the flow and find they need to resort to underwater action.

Release Date and Price:
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=262385&skip=yes

Hydrophobia developers Dark Digital Energy has told OXM that its watery Xbox Live Arcade game will be released on September 29th.

It will cost 1200 Microsoft Points and Hydrophobia will also be part of Microsoft's forthcoming 'Game Feast' Xbox Live Arcade promotion, the non-summer equivalent of Microsoft's Summer of Arcade promotion.

The other Live Arcade title confirmed for release in Microsoft's 'Game Feast' line-up is Super Meat Boy, which is scheduled to hit on October 20th.

Interviews:

Scrawl
http://scrawlfx.com/2010/04/interview-hyrdrophobias-rob-hewson

Play.tm
http://play.tm/interview/10727/pete-jones-dives-into-hydrophobia/

G4
http://g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/706053/hydrophobia-creators-discuss-their-upcoming-xbla-game.html

Xbox 360 Digest
http://www.xbox360digest.com/2010/09/26/developer-qa-hydrophobia/

Video:

Official Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch1XCGI6fMM

20 Ways to Kill
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZolr1r_bFg

E3 2010 Loading and Storage Demo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5F2d_u03N4

E3 2010 First 10 Minutes
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HI2mBFpYAiY

Underwater Combat Gameplay Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZKpuHwPkNs

Escpae "A" Deck Walkthrough
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRMX6M_jH0I
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnittAaoppI

Challenge Room Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilQ1Nau3PHY

Combat is an Illusion Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq4f7_6Xv4k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPGO86wvaYk
LP4 Dev Diary Entry

Screenshots:

Previews:

WorthPlaying
http://worthplaying.com/article/2010/9/15/previews/76932/

IGN UK
http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/112/1122943p1.html

HookedGamers
http://www.hookedgamers.com/x360/hydrophobia/preview/article-651.html

Joystiq
http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/23/preview-hydrophobia/

TheSixthAxis
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2010/09/24/preview-hydrophobia/

Achievements
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2010/09/24/preview-hydrophobia/

There are 12 achievements with a total of 200 points.

Survivor 25
Complete the game.

Honour 15
Collect 50% of the medals.

Private Eye 35
Collect all documents and objects.

Celebrated 25
Collect all the medals.

Challenged 15
Complete the Challenge Room.

Tinker 10
Complete a hack.

Swept Off Their Feet 15
Sweep 3 Malthusians off their feet with water.

Vengeance 10
Kill 5 Mathusians with fire or electricity.

Chain Gang 15
Kill 2 Malthusians within a timed chain attack.

My Hero 10
Save Chief Billingham.

Davy Jones' Locker 15
Neutralize 10 Malthusians in underwater combat.

Drowned 10
Drown a Malthusian.

Reviews:

http://www.gamingtarget.com/article.php?artid=11965
Gaming Target, 7.9

http://blastmagazine.com/the-magazine/gaming/reviews/2010/09/hydrophobia-review/
Blast Magazine, C-

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

Woah, never heard of it. Looks awesome! How is it getting PS3 release if it's published by Microsoft?

 

[Lakitu]

May get it down the line. Looks interesting.

 

[JustAnotherOtaku]

Looking forward to this. Day one

 

[Nemesis_]

I saw someone on my friends list playing this, and asked them how it was but they ignored me. =(

Very much looking forward to this either way.

 

[beast786]

Great Job OP

 

[Shao Kahn Brewing a Stew]

I saw someone on my friends list playing this, and asked them how it was but they ignored me. =(

Very much looking forward to this either way.

So it's fucking awesome to ignore messages? got it!

 

[Shard]

Great Job OP

Thank you.

 

[Rlan]

@Nemesis556 -- Replying via Xbox is a huge pain

I will say, it's a damn weird game. Probably can't say anything on it, but based on the review, this is true:

Without offering any spoilers, the ending comes out of nowhere, and instead of offering a conclusion to any element of the game, it offers a whole new objective. A worthy objective to be sure, but one that should have been taken care of in the first part of this assumed series. In fact, it seems as though at one time, it was resolved in this opening episode, but had to be cut due to time constraints.

Larger areas of open water, where there is a lot of room for maneuverability, work really well. However, once you find Kate confined to narrow hallways, the camera becomes erratic and difficult to control. Shooting, climbing and general movement from this cramped third-person perspective are difficult to manage in tight spaces. Emerging from water is also an issue, as the screen is thrown into a warp and twist transition. It’s a cool visual effect, sure, but one that can also be disorienting and confusing.

So far so good right? If only the tense moments weren’t filled with mechanical issues and frustrating shortcuts taken by the developers. Chief among these concerns is the game’s unresponsive and nonsensical control scheme.

 

[ashbash159]

Sorry but I only scanned this thread so if this has been posted I am sorry:

EDGE's review:

http://www.next-gen.biz/features/hydrophobia-review

I'm not going to tell you the score. You have to guess.

 

[Odrion]

Sorry but I only scanned this thread so if this has been posted I am sorry:

EDGE's review:

http://www.next-gen.biz/features/hydrophobia-review

I'm not going to tell you the score. You have to guess.

3

 

[jufonuk]

thinking of getting this game, time and reviews and most importantly money will tell if i do or not

 

[Blimblim]

3

Ouch. I had some hopes for that one :/

 

[Daigoro]

looks terrible.

i was exasperated just reading that review, i cant imagine actually trying to play the game.

 

[panda21]

where'd the hedge review go? just says access denied?

 

[Gong]

Our review is now live on the site. I enjoyed, but there are one or two niggles.

 

[ashbash159]

where'd the hedge review go? just says access denied?

Disappeared a few minutes after it was posted.

 

[Rad-]

Hydrophobia is a treat to anybody who respects great engines beside graphics. I hope this isn’t the only game that utilises this engine because there is something mesmerizing about watching water move realistically in a game, especially this well. For about 15 Euro you are getting a good deal, I just wished it didn’t end as well as it could have. Whatever you may have thought about Hydrophobia, it doesn’t matter now. You’ve got to really see it to believe it. People who though the water in Bioshock was good will be blown away because this water is dynamic and is literally the most integral part of the game and it shines. Buy Hydrophobia.

9/10

http://game-smack.net/journal/2010/9/27/review-hydrophobia.html

Quite mixed reviews so far.

 

[FerranMG]

Been waiting for this one for ages, kinda sad the first reviews are not excellent.
Will try it out anyways.

 

[the TMO]

Retail version canned?

 

[Aaron]

Retail version canned?

This is just episode one. The episodes will eventually be combined for the boxed version.

 

[xbhaskarx]

Vengeance 10 Kill 5 Mathusians with fire or electricity.

Oooh, I have always wanted to kill Malthusians... I haven't been following this, does this game have something to do with the economic theories of Thomas Malthus?

 

[the TMO]

This is just episode one. The episodes will eventually be combined for the boxed version.

Thanks I will wait then.

 

[Dr Frasier Crane]

This is just episode one. The episodes will eventually be combined for the boxed version.

Really? Not what I've heard.

 

[Elixist]

game looks cool. reviews seem a bit harsh we'll see i guess

 

[Nasreddin]

This is just episode one. The episodes will eventually be combined for the boxed version.

Never read about any plans for a boxed version. Where did you get this from?

 

[JessicaPadkin]

Shame about the reviews. I was interested in the concept, but aside from the... wateryness, everything else about this game looks/sounds very by the numbers.

The art direction particularly puts me off. It's not that it's bad, but I was hoping for a tense disaster game and I feel like it'll lose its impact when you're controlling a ridiculous comic book woman in a fantastical sci-fi environment. Personally, I'd be more interested if the setting were more convincingly realistic and the character more of an everywoman (or man).

I'll still check out the demo, though.

 

[Novella]

Hydrophobia...this year's Shadow Complex?

 

[Joe Molotov]

Hydrophobia...this year's Shadow Complex?

Except Shadow Complex got good reviews.

 

[Haunted]

Seems the one thing all reviews can agree on so far is that the water engine delivers - which this started out as anyway, a tech demo for their realistic water simulation engine.


Being the terrible water-in-videogames nerd I am (it's the new destructible lights!), I must say I'm still intrigued to check it out just for the water, even if the rest of the package is shit.

 

[Jiguryo]

I've beaten it yesterday. The levels are confusing (as is the map system); the environmental damage focused battle system is actually quite nice; some parts lack polish (no lip movement out of cutscenes, even when Kate is speaking)...

I don't know, it's definitely not "grade 3" worthy -- come on, Next-Gen.biz, the "Remove water from the equation and you’re left with a sub-par, archaic thirdperson actioner" is a ridiculous point -- but it definitely could've done some things better.

Also, there's no mention so far - on XBLA, the game or its title - that it's an episodic deal. Sure, lots of people know that because they followed it as it developed, but some won't.

 

[Gong]

I've beaten it yesterday. The levels are confusing (as is the map system); the environmental damage focused battle system is actually quite nice; some parts lack polish (no lip movement out of cutscenes, even when Kate is speaking)...

I don't know, it's definitely not "grade 3" worthy -- come on, Next-Gen.biz, the "Remove water from the equation and you’re left with a sub-par, archaic thirdperson actioner" is a ridiculous point -- but it definitely could've done some things better.

Also, there's no mention so far - on XBLA, the game or its title - that it's an episodic deal. Sure, lots of people know that because they followed it as it developed, but some won't.

Agree 100% The map is plain weird and the little things annoy (the voice acting esp.) but its not bad at all.

 

[jon bones]

love me some survival horror, i'll check this out

good OP

 

[mclaren777]

I had a fantastic time playing this at PAX. Will definitely buy at some point.

 

[WaltJay]

Reviews are all over the place, but that's why we have demos.

 

[kylej]

Sorry but I only scanned this thread so if this has been posted I am sorry:

EDGE's review:

http://www.next-gen.biz/features/hydrophobia-review

I'm not going to tell you the score. You have to guess.

Damn. They nearly fellated the studio execs a few months ago in a feature piece. Oh well.

 

[TheSeks]

Being the terrible water-in-videogames nerd I am (it's the new destructible lights!), I must say I'm still intrigued to check it out just for the water, even if the rest of the package is shit.

This, I'll check the demo for the water stuff. If it's good enough, someone should get them to license that shit and other developers could gain 20 fold from it.

Imagine if Bioshock had chambers flooding and you having to escape the rushing water. Bioshock would actually be good for once!

 

[schick85]

Without having read at any of the reviews posted (don't like getting spoiled), how does the narrative/cinematics/"characterization"/etc compare to a full fledged movie?

 

[Speedymanic]

Damn. They nearly fellated the studio execs a few months ago in a feature piece. Oh well.

I'm reminded of Eurogamer and their 'hyping' of Mafia 2, only to turn round and it give a damning review.

Anyway, the majority of reviews for this seem to be positive, will be downloading the trial instead of buying it outright.

If it is indeed shite, there's always the amazing Toy Soldiers which is available for the princely sum of 800msp.

 

[Haunted]

This, I'll check the demo for the water stuff. If it's good enough, someone should get them to license that shit and other developers could gain 20 fold from it.

Imagine if Bioshock had chambers flooding and you having to escape the rushing water. Bioshock would actually be good for once!

Bioshock's flowing water getting praised when it was little more than (sometimes clever, sometimes obvious) texture work iffed me a bit.

 

[MomoPufflet]

The reviews are a bit discouraging but I'm still looking forward to trying the demo. If nothing else they've made some pretty huge improvements on the game visually.

 

[Pydte]

Have to agree on the EDGE Hydrophobia score, unfortunately. The narrative and its characters are uninspiring, the combat clumsy and unresponsive, with one dominant strategy for almost every fight (being the starting weapon), and the riddles repetitive as hell. The level design is repetitive and the platforming a complete disaster due to the fact, that certain inputs, such as jumping, sometimes suffer a delay, like half a second.

The only part where I actually enjoyed myself was in the combat arena, which is unlocked when the game is finished. Here the protagonist, Kate, is equipped with a kinetic glove that lets her manipulate the water. Strange why this mechanic was excluded from the main game.

With so many good XBLA games in recent memory, such as Monday Night Combat, Lara Croft or DeathSpank, I think you are far better of getting one of those, especially given that Hydrophobia will be 1200 points as well.

 

[Ricker]

Team Xbox just gave it a good review as well....ummm I guess the Trial will be really important for this one.

 

[FateBreaker]

Reviews have a range of 3 to 9. Echoing others, I will have to try the demo.

 

[xbhaskarx]

Hydrophobia...this year's Shadow Complex?

No, that would be Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light.

 

[FrankT]

Man that Edge review is let down total. Most of the reviews I've seen have been between 8 and 9 so I guess I'll have to trial up and see if it is worth or not.

 

[Zenith]

I'm reminded of Eurogamer and their 'hyping' of Mafia 2, only to turn round and it give a damning review.

you think that's bad?

"Driving is a rather more fluid experience, as you'd expect from a development studio whose last outing was Test Drive Unlimited. Although you start off in the confines of a dark and nasty underground car park, you'll escape the collapsing building (having picked up a couple of companions on the way, a young woman and the elderly man from the introduction, who seems to be the only person with a clue what's going on) and launch into a driving sequence which, we suspect, will be remembered as a high point of the game."

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=143438&page=3

"The car chase sequence through New York streets is the most broken: the city's being torn apart, buses flying overhead, tarmac cleft and buildings toppling, so the peculiar handling and rutted terrain conspire to set you back as much as possible, and each snag usually gives the pursuing scripted sequence a chance to gobble you up and force you to restart."

http://www.eurogamer.net/article.php?article_id=154462&page=3

 

[FunkyPajamas]

Nice OP

It doesn't seem to be getting good reviews, from what I've read.
1UP Review

Despite incredible water effects, Hydrophobia is just another standard, third-person shooter.

Yet for all that average gameplay, the reason you'll actually want to play Hydrophobia has little to do with shooting exploding barrels or playing detective -- it's the water.

This is the first iteration of an episodic series, but it's going to require new, more engaging gameplay (not just new tech) to justify another $15 price tag.

I'm still interested, though. This is on the "buy" list as soon as I get a 360.

 

[FrankT]

IGN: 8

http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/112/1124139p1.html

Reviews are all over the place, but Edge's is certainly way off the average.

 

[Kitschkraft]

Definitely have to try it, at least.

you think that's bad?

That's why I stopped reading previews. If it's not unbiased "hands-on" impressions from some guy who played it at a games show or something, it's pretty much worthless pr drivel. They play the game with a PR Manager over their shoulder pointing out the best things and dismissing the bad as "unfinished"; it's no wonder just about every preview is so positive.