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Shark Tale E3 2004 Preshow First Look
Shark Tale E3 2004 Preshow First Look-November 2024
Nov 10, 2024 3:32 PM

  At its recent Pre E3 event, Activision gave a demo of Shark Tale, the upcoming action game based on the forthcoming Dreamworks film of the same name being developed by Edge of Reality. Given that little information has been released on the film, the demo was a bit vague on the plot details outside of a general overview of the story. The game and movie both revolve around Oscar, a fish that gets into some tight spots in his attempt to cruise through life by taking the easy way out of situations. Rather than follow the movie plot to the letter, Shark Tale will instead feature situations that weave in and out of key points from the film's narrative.

  The demo of the game consisted of a look at four distinctly different types of gameplay that represented a sampling of the different experiences the game will offer. The first demo was a chase sequence in which you'll control Oscar as he has a nightmare of being accosted by a shark. The segment had Oscar swimming towards the screen, Crash Bandicoot style, as the Shark raced behind him. Onscreen prompts will offer clues as to when the shark will attack and where to position Oscar to avoid becoming an hors douvre.

  The next segment showed a racing sequence set in Reef City, the bustling underwater metropolis where Oscar lives, that featured a race. The gameplay consisted of Oscar, who's late for work, hailing a taxi fish and racing to beat his boss to work. The fast paced segment appears to let players make use of water currents and air bubbles throughout the city "streets" to increase their speed. The demo also showed off what seems to be a strong component of Shark Tale's presentation, its soundtrack. 70's classic "Carwash" proved to be an inspired bit of accompaniment to the action.

  The third demo was a fighting segment between Oscar and a hammerhead shark. While you'd think that particular type of gameplay would lend itself to the shortest level ever as Oscar is sucked down like a giblet, the plucky fish seems to be able to hold his own. The fight mechanics seem to borrow a page from old school pugilism classic Punch Out as Oscar is able to bop his opponent on the nose and do a fair job of bringing some pain. The experience is enhanced by the inclusion of running commentary and noise from a crowd that reacts to the highs and lows of the fight.

  The last demo was a DDR-Britney's Dance Beat style rhythm game that revolved around getting down. You'll have to match control inputs to let Oscar get his groove on in time with the music. If you manage to successfully match the inputs, you'll earn groupies who'll gather to watch you on the street and even earn new moves. As with the racing segment, the dancing game tapped some familiar music, MC Hammers "You Can't Touch This" which managed to fit the action while offering a somewhat frightening flashback to the 80's at the same time.

  The four gameplay demoes offered a taste of the different play styles Edge of Reality is incorporating into Shark Tale but didn't cover everything. Besides chase sequences, races against other fish, fighting segments, and the rhythm game, Shark Tale will also feature stealth gameplay and traditional adventure segments that will send Oscar exploring Reef City and other locales in the ocean. All told the game will offer 25 missions that will mix up the gameplay types demoed.

  The game's presentation is aiming to stay true to the look of its CG feature cousin. The graphics in the game are looking sharp and do a fine job of recreating the . Oscar features solid, clean detail as does Reef City. The game's framerate appears to be moving along at a smooth clip in the various gameplay types. The audio in the game will make liberal use of voice although the game will use sound alikes for the characters as opposed to the film's celebrity cast.

  Shark Tale is slated to ship this October, slightly before the film release, on the GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. In addition, original PC and Game Boy Advance games will ship at the same time as well. Look for more on the game from the E3 show floor next week.

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