There have been various Gauntlet games since the original from various companies with the move to 3D later on, but the classic remains one of my favorite games. Warner Bros. today announced a modernization of the classic game coming out for PC later this year.
The four characters from the original are back: Warrior, Wizard, Elf, Valkyrie. It's a top down view and will be playable on SteamOS as well. It looks, well, OK but it's done as a digital download and hopefully won't cost too much when it's released.
It looks like Gauntlet's aiming for the more casual crowd then the RPG styles of Path of Exile or Diablo III, which might be a little hard to sell these days. Still, I hope that Gauntlet does make a nice comeback as the IP is one that I really have many fond memories of. Look for Gauntlet out on Steam sometime this Summer.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Announces Gauntlet
Reboot of Arcade Classic Is Lead Game in "WB Games Vault" Made-for-Digital Portfolio
BURBANK, Calif. - March 17, 2014 - Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment today announced Gauntlet, a completely modernized action RPG version of the celebrated dungeon crawler, will be available this summer via Steam for PC, offering full support for SteamOS and the upcoming Steam Machines shipping the second half of this year. The game will lead the launch of WB Games Vault, a direct-to-digital portfolio that will deliver paid games based on popular Warner Bros. and Midway brands, plus original IP, across multiple digital networks.
"With Gauntlet we combined the arcade style of the original game with an entirely new look and feature set that includes emergent, local and online four-player gameplay," said David Haddad, Senior Vice President, Digital Games, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. "Gauntlet will be the first title in the WB Games Vault portfolio, which will provide us with an opportunity to access emerging talent within the game development community and match unique skills and experience with our extensive library of properties."
Gauntlet, developed by Arrowhead Game Studios, innovates on past titles while staying true to the brand's legendary format. Players select from four classic fantasy-based characters: Warrior, Wizard, Valkyrie, or Elf. Each character has its own unique strengths and weaknesses. For example, the Warrior does the most damage in melee combat, the Wizard has the most powerful magic, the Valkyrie has the most armor and the Elf moves the fastest. Distinctive play styles, procedural dungeons and an impressive art style keep the gameplay fresh.
"To us at Arrowhead, Gauntlet is one of the most defining games from our childhoods, and it's amazing to be able to work with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment on a brand new version," said Johan Pilestedt, CEO of Arrowhead Game Studios. "Gauntlet is one of the original and best known video game properties and we are looking forward to creating a fresh, yet true to the original, take on a multiplayer masterpiece."
Upon selecting a playable character, the gameplay is set within dungeons where the object is to fight through the chambers slaying evil creatures and completing challenges. An assortment of special items can be located in each dungeon that can restore the player's health, unlock doors, and shift the odds in the player's favor with magical relics which can aid the player in surviving longer in the Gauntlet. The enemies are a vast assortment of fantasy-based monsters, including ghosts, grunts, demons, spiders, sorcerers and skeleton warriors.
