LAIR: Top Gun + Dragons!

spectra

The developers that brought you the wonderful Rogue Squadron series, Factor 5 is bringing this hot piece of action to the PlayStation 3. This game looks amazing, and if it is half as fun as the Rogue Squadron games than this game will kick major amounts of ass.



The basic premise of the game is that you play as an elite hotshot dragon pilot (TOP GUN) known as The Burners. The game features tradidtional Rogue Squadron like gameplay, except instead of shooting lasers you shoot fireballs, as well as on the ground dragon stomping action. You can also engage other dragons in mid-air grappling and clawing attacks as well as have your pilot launch on to opposing dragons and kill the other rider and dragon.

Here is a new interview up on IGN with the director of Factor 5 explaining some of the story and gameplay concepts which is very much worth a look.

http://media.ps3.ign.com/media/761/761161/vids_1.html

What is exciting to me is this looks like the first game that will actually put the SIXAXIS to good use.

Here's a quick rundown of the controls courtesy of wikipedia:

wikipedia wrote:

Controls

Lair's design is heavily based on the features of the PS3 controller. Control of flight and several other abilities exclusively uses the motion-sensing capabilities of the SIXAXIS controller.

To flap the dragon's wings (allowing you to fly faster), simply press the X button.

You can also extend the dragon's wings (slowing you down).

To get a quick boost of speed, you can press the circle button.

To lock-on to enemy dragons and turrets, hold down the L1 and L2 buttons until the lock-on reticule turns red.

The face buttons are used for various long-range attacks such as firebreathing and fireballs.

If you are close enough to a dragon which you are locked-on, you can start to attack them physically.

Controlling both the movement and physical attacks of the dragon is done via the motion-sensing.

By tilting in a certain direction, the dragon will fly in that corresponding direction.

You can perform dives, sideswipes, etc. with the motion-sensing.

If you pull back very quickly, your dragon does a 180 degree turn.

When doing physical attacks in the air, you can aggressively move the controller into the direction of the enemy dragon, and slam into it.

Occasionally your dragons will grapple, and you can press a random combination of the face buttons to claw, slash, and even bite the other dragon.

Also, you will occasionally have the chance to jump off of your dragon, and land on an enemy's, where you can kill either them or their dragon, or even both. This is also executed via the face buttons.

On the ground, motion-sensing is also used for steering.

If you slam down the controller, you can cause your dragon to slam his feet down, causing shockwaves on the ground, which damage enemies.

Also, if you move it back and forth, you can slash at enemies, and even eat some of them to regenerate your health.

Fire-breathing is controlled via a face button, and you can aim the fire with the motion-sensing.

Here are some pretty screens at this link; I'd put them in here but they are too big.

http://www.gfdata.de/archiv02-2007-gamefront/2786.html

Dashui

You can upgrade your dragon, too, and it has visual changes on them. I also love the fact that you can consume your enemies for health. Really looking forward to this one and Heavenly Sword in the coming months.

Drunk_caterpillar

I kinda wish that Factor 5 had stayed with Nintendo, just so we could see what the Wii is really capable of.

MegaMan001

This game sounds like pure fun. Kind of when I heard about the idea for Dead Rising the first time. "Zombies, a mall, hundred of weapons? Awesome."

Only now it's, "Dragons, flying, eating your enemies for health? Awesome."

Zephyr_Fate

I'm glad they've taken elements from Drakengard for this game.

I am so amped for this title. SO AMPED.

Neo Rasa

These guys need to stop fucking around and make Turrican 4.

Kyougu

Neo Rasa wrote: »

These guys need to stop fucking around and make Turrican 4.

I could have sworn the mentioned something about Turrican and releasing a sequel/update on the PS Network someday.

Taramoor

Does this mean I have to land my dragon on some goddamned aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean?

nefyave

I'm not really impressed, the movies arent really exciting me about the gameplay at all. Perhaps i just don't like dragons or something.

Unco-ordinated

Kyougu wrote: »

I could have sworn the mentioned something about Turrican and releasing a sequel/update on the PS Network someday.

In an interview last week (I can't remember which website had it, there have been a lot of Factor 5 interviews lately), Julian hinted that they may put some of their old games up on the PSN. They also supposedly have a couple of original games they're working on for the PSN.

Anyway, Lair. I can't wait to see some footage of an up-to-date build of the game (all the footage so far is from the TGS build). In particular I'm really excited to see the huge dragons which dwarf the players dragon.

The only thing I'm not liking the look of are the fights between two dragons of equal sizes. It seems to go into this extended battle which goes from part 1 (hit the side of the dragon), to part 2 (claw it out with the dragon), etc. If I have to do that every time I fight a normal sized dragon I won't bother killing them.

bruin

nefyave wrote: »

I'm not really impressed, the movies arent really exciting me about the gameplay at all. Perhaps i just don't like dragons or something.

Yeah, I really want to like this because it's Factor 5 and it's really pretty, but the gameplay videos aren't doing anything for me.