Maddrax is a cancelled action adventure that was in development by German team Soft Enterprises / i3D Software around 2002, planned to be released on PC and other possible platforms:
“PC: Our engine is capable of using the power of high-end PCs as well as running on slower machines.
Xbox: Thanks to our good relationship with nVidia and the current state of our engine a conversion can easily be done.
PS2: Although our engine isn’t supporting PS2 yet Renderware could be integrated as render layer. Thus a PS2 version could be delivered in reasonable time.
Gamecube: Possible, but regarding the target audience not a preferred platform.
PC and Xbox are preferred development platforms.”
The game was based on a popular (in Germany) novel / comic book series, a science fiction and horror crossover combining the fascination and thrill of both genres. As we can read from the official fact-sheet:
“In the year 2012 earth is threatened by the imminent impact of the gigantic comet “Christopher-Floyd”. A squadron of fighter jets led by the pilot Matthrew Drax is sent out to observe the effects of earth’s last hope – a barrage of long range nuclear missiles launched from an interstellar space station. The attempt fails and the comet hits earth. The resulting impact hurls Matthew Drax and his squadron 500 years into the future leaving them stranded in a reality radically changed as a result from the comet hitting earth.
It is the 25th century. The pilots witness the remainders of huge glaciers – the end of an ice age. Matthew Drax crashes and is rescued out of his crashed jet by the barbarian woman Aruula. Aruula – a skilled sword fighter and psychic talent – accompanies the pilot. Together with his female companion Matt experiences amazing adventures while trying to make sense of a world where most human societies have degenerated and many creatures have mutated to furious monsters.”
They also shared a short description of its gameplay:
“Maddrax The Game will be a 3D action adventure featuring adventure as well as action parts. Depending on the chapter of the game the player will control either Matthew Drax or Aruula. Matthew Drax will be played from a first person view allowing the player to use modern weapons and machinery. Aruula will be played from a third person view making the best use of her swords fighting skills and psychic talents.
In multiplayer game mode two players control one of the characters in a cooperative mode making this game unique. According to their special strengths and weaknesses the individual characters will not be able to use some of the objects found in the game. The players therefore need to work together in order to complete the given puzzles and levels.”
The Maddrax video game was in development for a short time before the team eventually abandoned the project and closing down in 2003. Soft Enterprises were also working on a multiplayer FPS called “Deathmatch Arena” but that fell through when their publisher Phenomedia collapsed.
A playable prototype used by the team to pitch Maddrax to publishers was found and preserved online thanks to Björn Heussner. You can get it from this page (180 MB). If you are able to record some gameplay footage from this prototype, please let us know!
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(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)
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Gotta say, the prototype was actually kind of fun to go through, but short. Seems to work fine on Windows 7 64. Although, with all that running around your characters do the girl really should invest in a sports bra. That has to get painful after awhile.