Microsoft

Oddworld: The Brutal Ballad of Fangus Klot [XBOX – Cancelled]

The Brutal Ballad of Fangus Klot is a cancelled action adventure game that was meant to be the last chapter in the Oddworld series. An April 2005 issue of Game Informer revealed a character named Fangus, a buff-looking character who serves as a type of shepherd on Oddworld, watching over a flock of particularly demonic-looking sheep. While OWI did not confirm the game (many suspected it as an April Fool’s joke), the article briefly outlined the plot: Fangus is a shepherd who dutifully wards off predators, until one day, invaders arrive. Fangus is then forced to rise to the occasion, assuming the role of savior of all Oddworldian nations.

Meanwhile, rabies slowly begins to turn him mad, and he must make haste in thwarting the invaders’ plans before his mind is completely lost. A Mature rating (by the ESRB) was expected due to dark tones and themes throughout the game, and Majesco was expected to publish the game for the Xbox. – [info from Wikipedia]

As we can read at the Oddworld Library:

The July edition of Game Informer is out, containing an interview with Lorne Lanning talking about the cancelled game The Brutal Ballad of Fangus Klot. The article includes several images of concept art by Silvio Aebischer and Raymond Swanland, only some of which have been available on TOGG.

You can find more info about the project at the Oddworld Library!

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The Y-Project [PC,XBOX – Cancelled]

The Y-Project (announced in summer 2000) is a cancelled FPS that was in development for the original Xbox by Westka Interactive (later known as Joy Labs), conceived as something like a german version of Deus Ex. It would mix shooting action with role-playing elements and many different devices, from guided missiles to magnet boots for walking on ceilings. The game used the Unreal 2 engine, so the graphics looked pretty good at the time:

“Players assume the role of a hero who must keep a genetically altered race of insects from destroying the human population. The game is set in and around a huge city infested with dozens of different kinds of insect enemies. Players can join a military faction and blast their way through the game using 16 different types of upgradeable weapons, or they can join a scientific faction and reason their way through the game by solving puzzles. Players can also freely switch factions at any point during the game.”

Unfortunately VIVA Media Germany (owners of Westka Interactive) refused to give more money to complete the game: in spring 2003 the team had to be closed and Y-Project was officially cancelled. Former Westka Interactive developers then opened another company called “Joy Labs” and started a new game titled “Das Reich 2005” (announced in early 2004). It was set in an alternative history in which the Nazis not only won World War II, but also seized power over the entire world. The only hope of all mankind was a small group of those who clandestinely resisted the Nazis (among them was the game’s protagonist). Like in The Y-Project, the graphic in Das Reich 2005 was quite impressive for its time.

Unfortunately no publisher was found for Das Reich 2005: Joy Labs could not finance development and their new project was also abandoned.

Thanks to Josef for the contribution! Details from «Игромания» magazine, 02 (113) 2007

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Johnny Whatever [PS2/XBOX – Cancelled]

“Johnny Whatever is a computer game by Warthog Texas. It started off in development for formats such as the PlayStation 2 and the original Xbox, but after the developers were purchased by Tiger Telematics to produce titles for the Gizmondo handheld console, it became Gizmondo exclusive. As Tiger Telematics went bankrupt in February 2006, the status of the title is currently unknown.

The following is an excerpt from a GamesAsylum.com news article, dated 20 July 2004: The Queen has been imprisoned in a vat of mustard, and the only person who can save the day is guitar hero Johnny Whatever. That’s the premise of Johnny Whatever, one of three titles recently announced by Warthog. You attack your enemies, Robo-Bobbies, using your guitar, Nancy. As far as we can gather, the facia buttons fire off chords, and licensed songs form combos, with artists including The Troggs, The White Stripes and The Ramones.” – [Info from Wikipedia]

[Images contribute by Matt Gander from www.gamesasylum.com]

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Loose Cannon [PC XBOX – Cancelled]

Loose Cannon is a cancelled sandbox style action game that was in development in 1999 / 2000 by Digital Anvil for PC and rumored to be ported for the XBOX. When Microsoft bought Digital Anvil, Loose Cannon was canned and as reported by GameSpot, it seems that the game’s concept was sold to Ubisoft (?) but the project was never completed.

Microsoft’s first move after buying Digital Anvil was to sell off two of its projects–Frontier Wars and Loose Cannon–to Ubisoft. It also took the previously PC-only Brute Force and turned it into an Xbox exclusive, released in 2003.

In the original Loose Cannon press release we can read some of the unseen features of this interesting project:

“Loose Cannon” is a next-generation action-adventure game that offers intense mercenary-style combat on foot and in vehicles. The player takes the role of Ashe, a bounty hunter in a country overwhelmed by crime. The year is 2016 and free-lance law is the preferred brand of justice. Understaffed law agencies are forced to use unregulated bounty hunters to supplement their ranks.

“Loose Cannon” combines an intricate story line supported with stunning visual effects and intense action, Taking the role of Ashe, the player travels across the US making a broad range of choices, from which vehicle to travel in to which missions to accept.

• Action on foot and behind the wheel. “Loose Cannon” seamlessly blends realistic driving physics with fast-paced action on foot. When players choose to leave their vehicles (or are forced out), they may fight on foot, steal other cars, repair their vehicles or even pursue an escaped fugitive into an enemy compound.

• Realistic combat. Stunning graphics, fully animated advanced motion capture technology, numerous units and dynamic characters create an ever-changing interactive environment. More than 15 customizable vehicles, numerous weapons and armor, a working police force and realistic traffic provide for amazing realism and intense combat action.

• Detailed US cities. “Loose Cannon” is set in nine accurately detailed US cities and visually stunning countrysides. Cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York provide color and atmosphere to the missions and storyline. The cities are alive as civilians cross the streets at crosswalks, cars follow traffic laws, and police investigate crimes.

• Multi-layered mission structure. “Loose Cannon” features more than 20 intricately detailed missions laced with Hollywood-quality cut scenes. Progressively challenging missions motivate the player to progress from the West to East coast. Missions include car chases, hostage rescues, escorting convoys, and attacking enemy bases. In addition, optional missions and tasks allow a player to make money to afford better vehicles and weapons.

• Easy to play, difficult to master. With its straightforward, easy-to-learn interface, “Loose Cannon” ensures that everyone from the novice player to the seasoned action veteran can quickly engage the game. Early missions acquaint players with all the tools they will need for even the most advanced levels.

• Multiplayer capability. Support is available for up to eight players via a local area network or the MSN™ Gaming Zone

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Jurassic Park Survival [Cancelled – PS2 XBOX PC]

Jurassic Park: Survival (also known as Jurassic Park III: The Videogame, Jurassic Park 3: The Videogame) is a cancelled third-person action adventure developed by Savage Entertainment that would have been published by Universal Interactive and Konami. It would have been released for PS2, Xbox and PC but it was cancelled before its expected release in the summer of 2002.

Inspired by the events in the Jurassic Park III motion picture, Jurassic Park: Survival puts players in control of a research team that’s charged with investigating a remote dinosaur inhabited island. Unbeknownst to the game’s lead character David Vaughn, however, an armed security team is smuggling dinosaur DNA off the island and have attracted the attention of its enormous lizards as a diversion. From here, it’s up to gamers to battle both the terrorists and the dinosaurs in a Resident Evil-style adventure that boasts more than 12 huge environments and a multitude of hungry creatures.

Thanks to News for the contribution!

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