Death by Degrees: Info & Pic Overload!

Fresh info on the Nina Williams Tekken action game as SCEE announces a Euro release, along with lots of new screenshots.

Continuing a successful partnership with Namco, SCEE today announced it will be publishing Death by Degrees, the action adventure game featuring Nina Williams from the Tekken series.

Although Sony has not stated Death by Degrees will be the final name, it has not declared it as provisional either, suggesting that the European market might sustain the lack of the words "Tekken" and "Nina Williams" in the title, as announced for the Japanese market.

Set prior to the first Tekken game this prequel focuses on the events that lead up to Nina's involvement in the Iron Fist Tournament. Nina's back-story centres on a secret organisation called Kometa, Kometa wields a powerful weapon named "Salacia" and it is feared as a deadly terrorist threat.

The action starts on a luxury cruise ship, where the executives of Kometa organisation have gathered in anticipation of an underground fighting tournament. To investigate the organisation, Nina Williams enters the tournament and becomes its champion.

The game begins with Nina imprisoned on the cruise ship, Nina learns that a fellow agent has gone missing, and she is ordered to ensure the success of the mission.

Players must use Nina's lethal Tekken fighting skills in hand-to-hand combat to survive, but now to increase her chances she can use weapons including multiple guns and swords. To take advantage of these numerous methods of combat, DBD features an advanced control system utilising the right analog stick to defeat enemies to gain experience points, unlock new moves and techniques.

By building up Nina's "Focus Gauge" players can execute an innovative special attack that offers an X-ray view of an opponent's body as internal organs are decimated by Nina's powerful blows.

Nina can hide behind walls and columns, and collect fingerprints to gain access to secret doors on her way through the environments. Along the way there are a variety of deadly traps and puzzles to navigate using Nina's amazing agility.

• 360 degree combat system with hundreds of possible attacks in all directions using both analog sticks.
• Master acrobatic moves and fight with melee weapons and firearms.
• 'Critical Hit' targeting system - use the on-screen 'X-ray vision' mode to target and destroy enemies' bones and internal organs.
• Employ stealth and espionage in your role as undercover operative, lay enemies out cold with sleeper holds and use a fingerprint scanner to obtain fingerprints from victims and gain access to secure areas.
• Multiple game modes in addition to the main Story Mode extends longevity - Challenge Mode, Anna Mode, Sniper Mode, Hover-camera Mode and Puzzle Mode.
• Cinematic adventure - during the hour of real-time, pre-rendered movies, the detailed story unfolds. The in-game movies were created by Shirogumi Inc., responsible for CG in games such as Onimusha 2 and Resident Evil Zero.

With over 140 rooms to explore in the game map, Namco reckons Death by Degrees offers around 20 hours of gameplay. The game will be hitting European shelves early next year.

Nina is able to use a number of her signature Tekken moves, including Evil Mist and submission moves. There are also guest appearances by other Tekken characters including Anna Williams and Heihachi.

Adam Doree
Director, Kikizo.com

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