While computer games with non-photorealistic rendering have been evident in the past (I am still trying to finish XIII on my old XBox!) I was very intrigued to hear that the new Prince Of Persia title will feature cel-shaded graphics, making it thus the first next-generation XBox 360 and PS3 title with exclusively NPR-rendered displays.
The game will be coming to PC, PS3 and 360 this year and is being developed by the original Prince of Persia: Sands of Time team at Ubisoft Montreal. As I mention above it features cel-shaded graphics and scraps the Sands of Time rewind powers. The gameplay centres on healing a corrupted world in the style of Okami, Shadow of the Colossus or The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.
Creative director Jean-Christophe Guyot told Joypad that the aim was to create a more fantastical game and "more poetic vision" than the Sands of Time trilogy, with which it shares no connection. "The previous trilogy mixed the Arabian Nights in with historical Persia," he said. "We decided we'd prefer to return to the tales of the Thousand and One Nights for something more colourful."
The switch to cel-shading caused some consternation with Ubisoft management, he explained, although they never opposed it. "They knew we weren't going to make a second Assassin's Creed," he said. "However, they did raise their eyebrows a bit at the new, stylised artistic direction. They were worried the Americans wouldn't like it. There were many discussions, but they never said no to us."
For all its worth I find this an extremely interesting move and another tentative attempt in moving away from photorealism in entertainment with many potential benefits.
More news on this as it develops, meanwhile check the pics above, I will try and post a demo vid of the game too as soon as that becomes available, till then check out Joystiq for more up-to-date Prince Of Persia news.
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