In 1950 Russia, a fringe science experiment went horrifically wrong. The discovery of a new substance called “Element 99″ promised the ability to manipulate the time state of any object, aka age or de-age anything or anyone. An explosion of E99 caused the island facility where the experiments were happening causes the entire island to start flashing through time between 1950 and 2010.

That’s the setup for Singularity, a radically innovative new game from Activision that looks set to deliver on the oft-made promise to provide a brand-new gaming experience.

A U.S. recon mission to the source of strange anomalies — aka, broken-time-island in Russia — is shot down by something on the island, and you play as a soldier stuck on the island and forced to unravel its mysteries if you hope to survive and escape. Early in the game, you’re given the TMD, a “Time Manipulation Device,” which uses Element 99 to let you age anything at all forward or backwards. Want to kill an enemy? Age him forward until he’s nothing but dust. Need to get around a massive wall? Age it backwards to before it was built.

Enemies abound on the island in the form of Russian troopers sent to keep you from discovering the island’s scientific secrets, and creatures that have been mutated by exposure to E99. The developers of Singularity have really taken this notion of manipulating time and run with it, thinking up tons of clever conceits where you or the game world manipulates time in unexpected yet logical ways.

One tool you’ll use is the “Chronolight,” which allows you to see objects that are out of phase with you pull them through time so you can use them. Another conceit you’ll notice is “Echo Events,” which are looping moments so that you can witness important events in island history. One of the game developers’ favorite weapons is the E99 Pistol, which slows time and allows you to steer and direct bullets in mid-air.

Singularity promises a gaming experience like no other, and I can’t wait to see more about it.

Images: Copyright 2009 ©Activision.

Post from: EveryJoe