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Dead Pixels Exclusive: Saw Interview!
The SAW video game snuck up on us and is out today for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360! I thought it would be releasing with the next film at the end of the month, but they popped it out early. However the PC version is said to be out on Halloween. Head past the break for our interview with the games producer John Williamson. And stay tuned for an exclusive trap list for the game, which has not been published anywhere else!
We worked closely with James Wan and Leigh Wannel to outline the story and make sure it fit within the SAW universe. The game takes place between the 1st and 2nd movie in the timeline of the SAW universe. We wrap up a few loose ends, expand on some characters from the first movie anas well as introduce some new characters.
Who will the main character be? Someone familiar? Do we play as ourselves? Or are we going to meet a new character for the game?
You play as Detective Tapp. While he was shot, and stabbed in the first movie. Keep in mind, he is never shown dying in SAW 1 after being shot by Zep, he is however eulogized in the 5th movie.
Will there be any co-op or online multiplayer?
Survival Horror works best in a dark room, with surround sound, played alone.
Well put. Is there any downloadable content or expansions planned?
We want to get the game out first! Then we will see how the fans respond!
Will there be a demo released for download before the game is released to purchase?
No demo is planned at this time.
What stars/actors/actresses will be lending voices to the game?
The man himself, Tobin Bell dominates the game as Jigsaw. He contributed some final refinement to the lines and complimented us on our Jigsaw taunts.
When working on this game, did you look to any other horror games for inspiration?
Of course. We played a great many survival horror games across all platforms, from PSOne, to PS2/Xbox to PS3/360 as well as some Gamecube and DS games to boot. Early previews have shown that our research has paid off, we captured not only what makes SAW SAW, but how to make modern survival horror game as well.
Will the game be using someone else’s game engine, or did you use your own?
We are using Unreal Engine 3. The same Engine used in Gears of War 2, and America’s Army and dozens of other of your favorite games. Using UE3 allows us to ship on all 3 SKUs (PC, PS3, 360) and by giving us a head start, allows us to focus on making the game, not drawing polygons.
What percentage is action and what percentage is puzzle?
The game is roughly 1/3 exploration, 1/3 combat, 1/3 puzzles/mini games.
How intricate will the puzzles be?
All the puzzles begin easy enough, but they get more difficult as the game progresses and you get closer to unraveling the mystery in this game. We wanted to make sure that the game was accessible for SAW fans who may not be experienced survival horror players, but at the same time we wanted to craft a great survival horror game for survival horror fans. SAW is also unique for a survival horror game in that it is based on the “real world.” The enemies are not ghosts, or possessed kids, or dreams.
How did you implement the controls and gameplay with rumble functions and sixaxis(if at all)?
We use Sixaxis for the Balance Beam mechanic. It is a natural fit. Rumble is often used in cinematics to add a little extra drama and in combat and some mini games to provide additional feedback.
Where will the game take place? Different environments, or one big messed up place?
Det. Tapp finds himself awake in an abandoned asylum. He explores the hidden basement, low security wards, isolation wards, children’s ward and more in his effort to finally confront Jigsaw once and for all.
What kind of different weapons will we get to fight with?
The best weapon the player is has is their own ability to think. There are quite a few enemies who can be destroyed by their own traps if the player uses them to their advantage. Sometimes the player’s best option is to run away and let the Asylum’s inhabitants work it out on their own. The player can use molotovs, set traps, table legs, scalpels, and more to protect themselves.
All of us here at Bloody Disgusting are deeply saddened to learn that George A. Romero Foundation Founder and President Suzanne Desrocher-Romero has passed away.
GARF shared in a statement on socials, “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Suzanne Desrocher Romero. Suzanne passed away of natural causes on June 24 at her home in Toronto after a prolonged illness.”
The statement continues, “Suzanne was the fierce leader of the George A. Romero Estate and The George A. Romero Foundation. She worked tirelessly to preserve George’s legacy. Her work at the foundation will continue to inspire and live on for generations to come. The family asks for privacy at this time.”
Desrocher-Romero founded GARF in 2018, after her late husband’s passing in 2017, and has been a fierce advocate for his legacy and the arts. It was her mission to “strengthen horror as a serious field of global study,” and she was a tremendous fighter on behalf of Romero’s works and supporting new filmmakers inspired by his legacy.
It was Desrocher-Romero who spearheaded the recovery and restoration of The Amusement Park, and, as the person in charge of the George A. Romero estate, worked closely with author Daniel Kraus on completing unfinished novels like Pay the Piper and The Living Dead. She most recently celebrated the restoration of her favorite of Romero’s zombie films, Day of the Dead, and was hard at work producing the upcoming film Twilight of the Dead.
That passionate advocacy led to Suzanne Desrocher-Romero becoming family to Bloody Disgusting as well.
2023 marked the start of an ongoing partnership between Bloody FM and GARF on The Dead, a scripted audio series spanning multiple seasons that saw Desrocher-Romero working closely with the Bloody FM team and mentoring the series’s contributing writers with GARF. To say her loss will be felt internally is an understatement.
“Anytime George Romero is mentioned is good, because what we are doing is to provide a healthy legacy. We’re uplifting his legacy, we’re supporting the archive, and we’re also supporting the Horror Study Center. So, all of these three things are what the Foundation is striving to do. As far as I’m concerned, the more we say George Romero’s name, the better it is,” Desrocher-Romero recently told BD.
It’s the perfect encapsulation of her unwavering enthusiasm for supporting Romero’s legacy and the horror genre, and just a glimpse at how much she contributed to preserving it. She is, in short, an inspiration.
We send our deepest condolences to Suzanne Desrocher-Romero’s family, friends, and GARF.
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