Martial arts star faces fresh challenges in virtual world
A new video game modelled on Hong Kong-style action movies and starring the martial arts superstar Jet Li is being created for the Sony PlayStation 2.
The creators of Rise to Honor have done extensive research, making a close study of Hong Kong action films including Li's own kung fu classics.
As luck would have it, Li asked Sony if he could be involved.
It was then that Li was introduced to Sony's Foster City Studios. Apparently, the star was highly impressed with the studio's work even at the first demo stage.
'Jet Li has such a huge presence,' said Rise to Honor producer Jim Wallace.
'He was extremely enthusiastic, and had a lot of suggestions about how to get his style of fighting into the game. He didn't want to just put his name on a box.'
Li provided all the motion capture modelling for the game, and is scheduled to record the voice work for his character next week.
He also worked with Cory Yuen Kwai in choreographing many of the fight sequences.
Li plays Kit Yun, an undercover Triad Crime Bureau officer who infiltrates Boss Chiang's Triad family. The twist is that Yun and Chiang were once friends. Chiang is killed, but makes a dying request that Yun deliver an envelope to Chiang's daughter in San Francisco.
The story opens in Hong Kong, and one important scene is shot on the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront near the Clock Tower.
The action is fast and furious, and charged with Li's unique style. One of the star's signature styles is to fight calmly in the centre of a circle of enemies.
'We had to develop a new style of multi-directional attacks to reflect Li's style,' Mr Wallace said.
By pressing the analogue stick back and hitting the attack button, Li's character can back-fist anyone charging at him from behind. 'There is no need to turn Li's character around to face the enemy,' Mr Wallace said.
Action and special effects in the manner of director John Woo and the movie Matrix figure prominently in Rise to Honor. Li's character can run, jump and fly through the air like Superman, all while firing pistols in a 360-degree sweep, allowing Li's character to take on, and dispose of, a number of enemies at high speed.
Players of the game who successfully make the right manoeuvres will unlock other characters to engage in further adventures.
The artificial intelligence, even at this early stage, seems to be fairly advanced.
Enemies approach by running from one area of cover to another. The environment is fully three-dimensional, with explosions knocking over crates and scattering debris all over the screen.
Rise to Honor is expected to hit the shelves in January, and is a totally new game property.
It is not a sequel, like many other games at E3 but, after seeing the footage, I will not be surprised to see it spawn some of its own.
