Final Glimpse: Konami execs: “While we’re waiting for the next Metal Gear Solid game, why not use the graphics engine to create a couple of hot babes?”
When Lara Croft first burst onto the video game scene in 1996, her brand of a tough-and-sexy (well, I always thought her looks were overrated, but I digress...) female lead hadn’t really been seen before. But with her latest adventure, Angel of Darkness, an apparent bug-ridden mess, and a movie sequel that tanked at the box office, Lara’s future is a bit murky these days. However, if one peruses a list of upcoming titles, her legacy is quite clear. For example, Square Enix’s Final Fantasy X-2 will feature a trio of heroines, while Kemco’s Rogue Ops brings a female lead to the stealth-action genre. And there are currently not one, not two, but three games featuring sexy female ninjas in development! I was unaware that the public’s desire for sexy female ninjas was so great (and my guess is that, really, the world only needs one or two such games)...
And technically, you can bump that number up to four -- while it’s not a “ninja game,” Konami’s upcoming action title Cy Girls does feature a futuristic sexy female ninja. The game is based on an apparently popular line of female action figures by Japanese toy giant Takara, the creators of everything from Transformers to the bizarre “dog translator” Bow-Lingual. My knowledge of what’s truly hot in Japan is kinda stuck in 1999, so I can’t personally vouch for whether each release of a new Cy Girls figure causes traffic in Ginza to halt to a standstill. Now, normally, I’d be hugely skeptical of a game based on buxom Japanese action figures. I’m still skeptical, mind you, but the fact that Konami is making the game has me thinking it might be something special. Frankly, they could make a game based on the history of salt, and I’d at least try it out...
Cy Girls does not revolve around the history of salt, however -- the game takes place late in the 21st century, when cheap and abundant energy has allowed the world’s population to swell. To deal with this, virtual replicas of the real world known as “cyber-districts” are being constructed. Now, other than that, I don’t know too much about the game’s plot, but any time “cyber-” anything is created as a replacement for the real thing in sci-fi stories, the results are never good. And indeed, these new virtual worlds are a haven for “info-terrorists.” Thus, a top-secret organization is employing “spy-divas” (Konami’s words, not mine...) known as Ice and Aska (the aforementioned futuristic sexy female ninja) in order to make virtual living safe once again. You’ll alternate between the two, and their storylines will eventually intertwine.
One of my video game pet peeves is when a game gives you the option to play as more than one character, but these characters turn out to simply be carbon copies of each other: All of the same moves, abilities and potential (I’m not pointing any fingers, Final Fantasy VIII...). That doesn’t look like it’ll be the case with Cy Girls, as each girl will offer a different gameplay experience. Ice will attack mostly from a distance, relying on her arsenal of guns and grenades, and her areas will require a bit of stealth to succeed. Aska’s areas will focus on fast-paced action and close-quarters combat -- in fact, her levels seem to play a bit like Sega’s recent update of Shinobi. Like the hero in that game, Aska will be able to run on walls and perform various acrobatic ninja moves. Both girls will be able to move in any direction while attacking, and the game will include the option for automatic or manual targeting.
The game will be divided into two main areas -- the “real world” and the “cyber world.” The real world will feature standard action fare, while the cyber world will revolve around unlocking special abilities and clues that will help the duo along in their quest for...well, again, I’m not exactly sure what they’re fighting for, but if a couple of hot women are taking up arms for something, it’s surely a noble cause.
Overall, Cy Girls looks a bit like Metal Gear Solid 2 -- and that’s to be expected, as it runs on the same graphics engine. While it may or may not match the Metal Gear franchise gameplay-wise, it certainly looks like graphics won’t be a problem with this game. The animation looks wonderful, with quick and fluid movements, and Ice’s long, blond locks seem like they can go toe-to-toe with Solid Snake’s flowing mullet any day (still, the mullet definitely wins in the end...). The areas look somewhat varied, and the game doesn’t seem to totally take place in “stereotypical-future-land.” Overall, the lighting does look a little dark, but I suppose that’s part of the “futuristic” motif. Why the future is always so dark, I’ll never know...
While one wouldn’t think that the plot would be the strong point of a game based on action figures, Cy Girls seems like it may be surprisingly deep. Konami has signed on a lot of voice talent, which is usually a sign that a game will be heavily plot-driven. Many of them are veterans of English-language versions of popular anime titles, such as Macross and Lupin the Third. So, while there won’t be any big names, I’m pretty sure these actors will do a competent job.
