dreamcatcher posts

Publishers JoWood Productions and The Adventure Company have announced a partnership with Simon & Shuster Children's Publishing that will beget The Hardy Boys: The Hidden Theft, a PC adventure game to be released this October. Developed by DreamCatcher Interactive, The Hidden Theft will star the titular Hardy Boys as they sleuth their way along the path of, presumably, a hidden theft.

"Fans have been waiting and we are set to deliver an adventure series that is certain to become a family classic," said Albert Seidl, President and CEO for the JoWooD Group. "The Hardy Boys have been with us for decades and generations of fans will not only be thrilled that they can finally play the part of their favorite teenage detective brothers, but can share the adventure with their children and grandchildren."

The Gothic series of fantasy RPGs has a big following in Europe but has never quite gotten as munch attention here in the US. The game's publisher Jowood has apparently decided to do something about that. Gamespot reports that working with their US subsidiary Dreamcatcher, Jowood has decided to rename the next game in the series. Previously known as Gothic 4, the game is now known as Arcania: A Gothic Tale.

The name change isn't the only thing the publisher is doing to attract US gamers. The article reports that the game will have a colorful and bright art style for the US version versus a dark and gritty look for the European release. The game is still a ways away from release (its due out in late 2009) but the article has some brief impressions based on checking an early build. The game will take place 10 years after the events of Gothic 3 and there will be improvements made to the combat in Arcania as well as more of an emphasis on magic.

JoWood Productions (known for the Gothic series) and The Adventure Company (publishers of Syberia and the recent Sam & Max reboot) acquired from Simon & Schuster the rights to produce a series of games based on the classic Hardy Boys book franchise.

Today, they announced that teen celebrity idols Cody Linley (best known for his recurring roll on the TV series Hannah Montana) and Jesse McCartney (musical artist and Emmy nominee) will voice the famous, crime-solving brothers in a forthcoming Hardy Boys game called The Hidden Theft.

Nothing has been said about the gameplay, but we're betting it will be fairly traditional adventure genre stuff. What's that you say? That genre is dead? It's a thing of the past? Well, so were the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew franchises. A comeback is always possible!

[EDIT: We had said The Adventure Company developed Syberia and the Sam & Max episodes. This was an error; The Adventure Company published those games, but did not develop them. Thanks to reader smitty for pointing it out! We apologize for the mistake.]