Xbox 360

Killing Pablo Escobar [X360 PS3 – Prototype]

Pablo Escobar was a real Colombian drug lord that gained world infamy from the drug trade:  two major feature films on his life, Escobar and Killing Pablo, were announced in 2007 and in the same year Deadline Games started to work on a prototype to create a licence game based on the films, with the title “Killing Pablo Escobar”. The project was planned to be released on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360.

Killing Pablo Escobar was going to follow the true story of how Pablo Escobar was killed and his Medellín cocaine cartel dismantled by US special forces and intelligence, the Colombian military, and a vigilante gang called Los Pepes, controlled by the Cali cartel.

The gameplay could have been similar to other Deadline Games’ titles as Total Overdose (an open world / sandbox action game) but with a more realistic feel and team squad cooperation. After some time and a playable prototype, Killing Pablo Escobar’s development had to be halted because of lack of resources.

On May 2009, Deadline Games filed for bankruptcy, only a few months after releasing Watchmen: The End Is Nigh. The company has previously been reported to have been struggling to find new projects and publishers for their games. Shadow Hunter, Faith and a .45, Killing Pablo Escobar and Total Overdose 2: Tequila Gunrise vanished with the closure of the studio.

Thanks a lot to Jan Ditlev for the help in preserving his artworks created for this project! Some more images are from Carsten Brandt‘s website. All illustrations are copyrighted Deadline Games.

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Shadow Hunter [X360 PS3 – Concept]

Shadow Hunter was a pitch project created by Deadline Games in 2009, probably planned to be developed for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3. We dont have much details on its gameplay, but from the look of the concept arts, we can speculate that it was going to be a sandbox action game, in which the player had to hunt down huge shadow demons in a post-apocalyptic city, using psychic powers and an energy sword + shield. From the sound of it, Shadow Hunter could have been played somehow like a mix of Shadow of the Colossus and Prototype.

Sadly On May 2009, Deadline Games filed for bankruptcy and had to close down, only a few months after releasing Watchmen: The End Is Nigh. The company has previously been reported to have been struggling to find new projects and publishers for their games. Shadow Hunter, Faith and a .45,  Killing Pablo Escobar and Total Overdose 2: Tequila Gunrise vanished with the closure of the studio.

Thanks a lot to Jonas Springborg and Jan Ditlev for the help in preserving their artworks created for this project! All illustrations are copyrighted Deadline Games.

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Talisman [X360 PS3 – Cancelled]

Talisman was a digital recreation of Workshop’s classic board game, basically a multiplayer turn-based fantasy RPG that was in development in 2007 by Big Rooster & Capcom for the Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network.  Players were able to explore dungeons to combat various enemies with weapons, spells and magic items. The project was officially cancelled in 2008, as reported by IGN:

“Rather recently we have finally stopped development completely. After a misfire at the start, the details of which I won’t get into, we evaluated several options for moving the project to new developers, but the costs of moving forward outweighted the potential revenue. I realize this will be disappointing for the fans of the game.

The rights have reverted back to Games Workshop where I hope someone will pick them up and try again. I too still would like to play a Talisman videogame.”

Thanks to Userdante for the contribution!

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Hitman: Blood Money [PS2 XBOX X360 – Beta]

Hitman: Blood Money is an action / stealth game developed by IO Interactive and published by Eidos Interactive in 2006 for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360 and PC. Vicente noticed various differences in the beta screenshot that you can see in the gallery below:

Less persons and guards in the level “You better watch out”

Agen 47 disguised as a bartender in the same level (does not happen in the final?)

Beta 3D model for Lorne de Havilland (sitting near the fireplace)

Different concept design for Lorne de Havilland

Different concept design for Anthony Martinez

An unknown enemy

Agent 47 had a slightly different face

Beta Flatline level (different layout?)

Beta model of the optional target called “?” with a tattoo on her back.

Vinnie’s wife in the pool, in the level “A new life”

Thanks to Vicente for the contribution!

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Too Human [X360 – Beta]

Too Human is an Action RPG developed by Silicon Knights and published in 2008 by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360. The project is of particular interest to prototype video game enthusiasts. Development lasted more than a decade, and it was planned for three different consoles (Playstation, GameCube and Xbox 360). Silicon Knights promised a game of a grand scope and daring design. It was to be a game that changed genre depending on how the player would customize his character.

On the PlayStation, it was estimated to be 80 hours long and spanned four discs. IGN stated the following as the original story and game play:

Far into the future, when earth has become a mega-civilization of androids, robots, cyborgs and Big Brother companies, players take on the role of cop whose partner was killed by a cyborg. Angered by this death and moved to seek vengeance, the main character will take a job as a security operative in this monolithic chip corporation to find out just what happened.

In this futuristic world, people are part human, part machine, and your character’s limbs, neck, head, and just about everything else except his organs can be replaced by chips and machinery. The player will have the option of enhancing his body with cybernetic enhancements at the start of missions, and will be able to customize the character in line with the way they choose to play the game

For example, a player who prefers the Metal Gear Solid approach may wish to enhance leg strength to be able to move more quickly and stealthily through the game, whereas another player might wish to increase arm and torso strength to be able to carry more deadly implements of destruction. The choices made by the player will have a direct bearing on the gameplay in this manner.

Ancient legends did not have an impact on this version of the game. Briefly mentioned was that Japanese history was used in a small amount, but not for the whole game. The first name they gave the protagonist was John Franks, his name on the final is Baldur.

Multiple endings were planned but axed. Although the basic premise of the game did not change, the game was overhauled when it jumped on the Xbox 360. The final game uses Norse mythology as reference material. You take control of Baldur, one of the cybernetics enhanced soldiers revered as gods. For ages man has been in a war with bloodthirsty machines. To make matters worse, the god Loki has betrayed those he once served.

The Too Human that one can go to a store and buy is a strict action RPG that has a loot drop system. Four distinct classes are available and a “skill tree” gives astonishing customization options. The player may only change body armor and weapons but not body parts.

Even after arriving on the Xbox 360, certain features were altered. Dyack claimed that the game was too big and had to be split into a trilogy.  It’s possible that the 2nd and 3rd Too Human chapters could never see the light of the day, as the first game received low scores and did not sell many copies. In earlier Xbox 360 builds the game had strict control of the camera. Although IGN boasted the game did a great job with the camera views, camera control was ultimately relinquished to the player. Silicon Knights had attempted to omit a HUD from the game.

Four player cooperation was slated for the game as well, but only two players may play together in the final.

In the gallery below we can notice many beta screens, with scenes that were not in the final game or changed before the final version (as the Thor design). There is even a different loading screen. If you can notice more specific differences, please let us know!

For more info on the development of the game and its original unseen concepts, check our article: Too Human, the game that will never be. Also, take a look at our archive for images and videos for Too Human on the Playstation and Too Human on the GameCube!

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