Ubisoft take aim at Nintendo, Brothers In Arms on Wii, DS

Mike Bantick
Thursday, 05 April 2007 09:18

Opinion and Analysis

Just what the Nintendo platform needs, a real attempt to bring a First Person Shooter to the unique control system of the Wii games console.  The DS on the other-hand I am not so sure.

Developer/publisher Ubisoft has today announced the invasion of the Nintendo platform with its well received Brothers In Arms franchise

Due to come out in two flavours later this year, Brothers in Arms Double Time for the Wii and Brothers In Arms DS, unsurprisingly for the hand-held DS

Using the Wii-Mote and Nunchuck to not only aim weapons but also to give team mates hand signals will be, if pulled off, yet another feather in the Nintendo cap. 

Using the stylus to move around a camera/gun on the DS version, maybe slightly tricker to get right.  Still the D-Day version of Brothers In Arms for the PSP was well received and showed that this kind of game can kick on a hand-held platform.

This is the kind of support the Nintendo Wii needs, these type of games can make use of the controller to the point where one could argue that a console based shooter can give another layer of immersion above and beyond even the PC Keyboard/mouse combination.

Features are described as;

Brothers In Arms Double Time Key Features:

* Next-Generation Brothers In Arms - The award-winning WWII franchise comes to the Wii system with all of the action, story and authenticity that has critics and fans eager for more.
* Combining All 31 Playable Levels: Play as Sergeants Matt Baker and Joe Hartsock, leading your squad behind enemy lines through the Normandy invasion.
* Unrivaled Authenticity: Fight actual Airborne Infantry battles of D-Day accurately recreated using thousands of official photos, maps, After-Action Reports and eyewitness accounts under the direction of Military and Historical Director, Col. John Antal.
* Challenging and Dynamic Combat: Featuring close-quarter urban environments and a next-generation artificial intelligence system, Brothers In Arms Double Time promises to take authentic military action to the next level on the Wii system.
* Enhanced Control Scheme: Issue orders and perform military gestures to command and lead your team using the Wii Remote.

Brothers In Arms DS Key Features:

* First Brothers In Arms for the DS System: Exclusively designed for Nintendo DS with easy-to-use, stylus-based controls such as using the Touch Screen to aim, with the camera following the stylus.
* Impressive, Realistic 3D Graphics: Incredibly detailed environments with highly believable characters and enemies, cinematic camera angles, and great animation.
* Drivable Vehicles: Drive a recon car or a Sherman Tank. Use a wide range of weapons such as bazookas, sniper rifles, grenades and more to destroy your enemy.
* 16 Missions and Three Different Campaigns: Relive the intensity of WWII through three different campaigns, from Normandy to North-Africa and Ardennes.
* Redesigned New Multiplayer Experience: Fight major multiplayer battles with three of your friends in different multiplayer modes, including Deathmatch and Team Deathmatch.
* Contextual Movements: Gameplay adapted to the Nintendo DS hardware with auto-cover behind walls or auto-recovering life system.
* An Unrivalled Sense of Drama: Experience a stronger emotional factor, due to the third-person view and dialogue between soldiers.
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