E3 2011: Scivelation preview – what on Earth is a Scivelation?

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We think it’s a Civilization reference, maybe. Or a Science/Revelation mashup

Publisher Topware officially proved with the successful Two Worlds II that it can put together a top-notch game. After that milestone, what’s left to do but create another quality title, this time a sci-fi stealth/combat adventure in which you take on a corrupt religion?

It’s called Scivelation, and while the preview we saw of the game was brief and vauge (the game is very early), we came away interested and wanting to know more. It’s a futuristic sci-fi offering in which an enemy called “The Clergy” has gained enormous power in the world, and an underground resistance is fighting back against them – you included.

Just who The Clergy is happens to be a bit unclear thus far, but the group seems to be based on real religions. We’re not sure how much fun it would be punching smiling nuns and peaceful Hari Krishnas in the face, so we’re hoping this is one of those dystopian sci-fi futures in which the church has gone off the rails. Then again, we’re also crossing our fingers for the final boss at the end of the game to be a genetically mutated giant Pope, so perhaps our imaginations aren’t the most trustworthy advisors. At any rate, Topware specifically told us the developers are being careful not to offend anybody as it’s their aim to “make great games, not desecrate a religion.” So gamers of faith shouldn’t be offended.

The game itself is sort of a hybrid of an action game and a stealth game, with the dominant gameplay type depending upon the level (and character). There are two playable fighters: Alisha handles all of the stealth sections and Mikhail is the run-and-gunner.

We didn’t get to see Scivelation in action (it’s still very early in the development process), but the environmental art looked good, and developer Blackwing Foundation’s last game, the imperfect but lovable Stalin vs the Martians, was conceptually amazing. If the devs can nail down tight gameplay to match the intriguing premise, TopWare may have another success on its hands. We’ll look forward to seeing this game again in the future, and maybe figuring out what that odd title is all about.

Jun 17, 2011