3D Realms is finally back. After the critical and commercial disappointment that was Duke Nukem Forever, Interceptor Entertainment bought the development studio in the ruinous wake of the Duken Nukem 3D sequel, and now they’ve finally got a new game in the works, the first in what they hope will be a successful new franchise. That game is Bombshell, an isometric action roleplaying game.
Bombshell seems like what would happen if Duke Nukem and Diablo made sweet, sweet love.
Players will take the role of Shelly “Bombshell” Harrison, an ex-demolitions expert who lost her right arm when she failed to disarm an alien bomb. After “The Washington Incident”, she was given a new, robotic arm constructed from the remnants of alien technology found at the Incident, and became a mercenary-for-hire.
As Shelly, players will “traverse the dying world of Kyrron as it’s consumed by its neighboring sun, discover the secrets of a civilization frozen in time on the distant world of Zeroth, and travel to the epitome of technology”—all in an effort to rescue the President and save Earth from the Kyrr, an evil alien race, and the mad scientist, Jadus Heskel, who leads them.
3D Realms says Bombshell “blends first-person shooting controls with an isometric perspective”, has RPG elements, and includes finishing moves and interactive environments. Her arm will have ten modifications available via a tech tree, too.
Here’s their dossier on the eponymous protagonist:
Name: Shelly “Bombshell” Harrison
Age: Classified
As a child, Shelly Harrison demonstrated an insatiable desire to succeed. From a young age, she demonstrated an aptitude for creative complexity and was always the outcast, prioritizing success over sociability.
As she matured, Shelly became known for her risk-taking, resilience and leadership, and developed a strong reputation for accomplishing her goals. These traits lead her to join the Global Defence Force, where she eventually became a well-respected and highly-regarded Colonel.
That career ended after what became known as “the Washington Incident,” where she lost both her arm and her squad—a group she thought of as family—in a violent and explosive act. Shortly after, Shelly was given an honorable discharge.
She was later approached by a private military contractor. In exchange for her diverse skillset—which includes expert weapons training and bomb disposal—they offered her a second chance: a mechanical arm built from unidentified remnants discovered in the aftermath of the Washington incident.
Looking to get revenge on those responsible for the incident, she accepted. With this new arm, Shelly took on the name of “Bombshell” and vowed to restore both her name and her career.
You can check out the official website for the game here.
We’ll find out whether this mish-mash works soon enough. Bombshell is scheduled for release in 2015, and it’s coming to PCs and consoles (which consoles, exactly, hasn’t been revealed yet).
