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Gamecock's Sabotage becomes Velvet Assassin
Hamza CTZ Aziz03.02.08 - 2:49 PM 30 comments

I love Sabotage. It was the best game I got to play while at E3 last year and I can't wait for the game to come out. Gamecock and Replay Studios brings news that Sabotage has now become Velvet Assassin. In Velvet Assassin, you play as secret agent Violette Szabo who takes on Nazi forces during World War II. Read up on my impressions of the game from EIEIO 2007 and see why I'm so excited for it.

From what I've heard, the game has gone through a big overhaul since it was last shown off. The name change was done to reflect the new feel for the game as Sabotage just didn't fit the title anymore. The trailer above shows off some of the gorgeous lighting and color system as well as some behind the scenes look at the game. It also shows Violette in a night gown.

Velvet Assassin, along with a bunch of other Gamecock titles, will be on display this week at EIEIO 2008. Our own Nick Chester will be there covering all the games while I sit at home stabbing a picture of Nick's face out of jealousy. Oh, and if you happen to be in Texas on Thursday night, EIEIO will have their doors open to the general public. So you too can now know what it's like to be a videogame journalist (getting drunk and playing videogames in public)!   

THE “VELVET ASSASSIN” STRIKES DOWN SABOTAGE

REPLAY STUDIOS ANNOUNCES NEW NAME FOR THEIR WORLD WAR II STEALTH ACTION TITLE

Cockpit, Austin, TX – February 29, 2008 – Today developer Replay Studios, along with publisher Gamecock Media Group, have announced the official name change for ’Velvet Assassin’, their upcoming stealth-action title formerly known as ‘Sabotage’. The new title creates a perfect marriage between the story of real life hero Violette Szabo and the clandestine art of sabotage she championed. From the incredibly innovative art style, storyline, and combat gameplay, Velvet Assassin is poised to revolutionize the stealth-action genre later this year.

“Rather than a trite, overused, and generic working title like ‘Sabotage,’ ‘Velvet Assassin’ captures the heart of what we’re trying to accomplish,” said Sascha Jungnickel, Creative Director at Replay Studios. “From the start we’ve wanted a game with a strong female lead that stays true to the history of Violette Szabo while pulling players into a world of dark intrigue.”  

Inspired by the true story of British Agent Violette Szabo, players will take on the role of Violette Summer. Behind enemy lines in Nazi occupied Europe, Violette risks her life fighting to fell the Third Reich with anything she can get her hands on, including enemy soldiers. With no support or official backing from the British Government, Violette puts everything on the line to defeat the German war machine – one mission at a time. Velvet Assassin combines lush, surreal visuals, a ground-breaking stealth combat system and one of the most unique perspectives ever brought to gaming. Velvet Assassin is planned to release in Fall 2008 on PC and next-generation consoles.

“Most of the time a name change happens because it’s not ‘catchy’ enough or because the marketing team didn’t like it,” said Tim Hesse, Executive Producer at Gamecock Media Group. “I have to say, the Replay crew have outdone themselves by making Violette into one of the best looking stealth-killers ever. This game has come so far since last year that Sabotage just didn’t do the game justice – ‘Velvet Assassin’ sums up every aspect that makes this game great.”



MORE IN OUR Gamecock SECTION

Latest comment by Cowboy TTop |view all 30 comments
That's true, Velvet Assasin as a name makes it stand out from the crowd. Sadie, I suggest you do a little more research on VA, because you can only tell so much from screens. It is doing someth......

 Gamecock Gallery | (1) Images
Photo



coonskin05's Avatar
coonskin05 at 03/02/2008 14:53

Nick Chester I am coming for you Thursday.
ToiletDuck's Avatar
ToiletDuck at 03/02/2008 14:54

ass monster!
PrinceofCannedPeaches's Avatar
PrinceofCannedPeaches at 03/02/2008 14:59

Ass monster, indeed. You know nobody with boobs like that would be allowed in a warzone.

I really need them to include a concentration camp mission in here. Can they even imagine how powerful that would be? Can they IMAGINE?

You're instructed to infiltrate an SS compound about which there is little information, and assassinate it's commander, who has a strong presence on the political stage. You wind the minefields, cut the wire, and get inside. You find the commander, assassinate him, and on your way out, people start pouring out of concrete barracks. You're greeted by a thousand, two thousand, five thousand gaunt, desperate faces; why has nobody done this?
xper's Avatar
xper at 03/02/2008 15:00

but we want tits monsters and ass monsters!!
Gameboi's Avatar
Gameboi at 03/02/2008 15:00

Hmm... reminds me of a Splinter Cell offshoot game.
Wedge's Avatar
Wedge at 03/02/2008 15:04

That new title kind of sucks...
Comrade Snarky's Avatar
Comrade Snarky at 03/02/2008 15:13

Just plain "Velvet" has a better ring to it, imo.

Anyway, color me intrigued.
Drift64's Avatar
Drift64 at 03/02/2008 15:17

Its like Splinter Cell but with a chick... oic
Namelessted's Avatar
Namelessted at 03/02/2008 15:19

yeah, i heard about the renaming a couple of days ago and I have to say, I really like it. Velvet Assassin sounds way cool. And Sabotage sounds too much like that other WWII stealth game Saboteur.
yourmomX2's Avatar
yourmomX2 at 03/02/2008 15:19

I like...Assmonster wins me over. +1
vexed alex's Avatar
vexed alex at 03/02/2008 15:22

Every time I see the name Gamecock "douche" flies right through my mind in strobe light form.

The only thing interesting I saw out of this game is the real-time shadow hiding...stuff.
Cowboy TTop's Avatar
Cowboy TTop at 03/02/2008 15:22

I love what Gamecock are doing with Velvet Assasin, its kind of in a similar mold to what Namco did with Trusty Bell, (the dream to reality part of the game). Not sure about that name change though, but it may yet work, as it has a Red Ninja vibe about it.

Such a shame that because of 07's E3, many of the press missed this great looking game. Definitely one to watch.
Sadie G's Avatar
Sadie G at 03/02/2008 15:32

It doesn't look that interesting to me.
It's like another rip of another mgs/splinter cell but with a girl, which technically wasn't this all explored in games like Tomb Raider and Perfect Dark?


Fuck someone give me a game with originality, games are becoming the same way movies are, rehashed.
Steel Squirrel's Avatar
Steel Squirrel at 03/02/2008 15:47

Looks pretty cool, hopefully they can fix the framerate. WWII never gets old for me, especially when it gets approached from different angles.
Bobquest3's Avatar
Bobquest3 at 03/02/2008 16:02

Good thing they changed the name. Pandemic, of Mercenaries fame, has been working on a World War II stealth game called Saboteur, which uses tricks with the color scheme.

In Saboteur, one of the ideas is that the game is in black and white, and as you free parts of Paris from Nazi control, those areas turn to color.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saboteur_%282008_video_game%29
InferiorWindow's Avatar
InferiorWindow at 03/02/2008 16:12

that looks like a very cool game
Dead Movie Star's Avatar
Dead Movie Star at 03/02/2008 17:02

This has potential to be a solid title.
psycho_terror's Avatar
psycho_terror at 03/02/2008 17:25

agree with wedge, the original title was way better.

i can see why they would want to differentiate themselves from a similar game, but "velvet assassin" is cringeworthy IMO.

also "ground-breaking stealth combat system"? they're a little too late to the stealth combat party to be calling it ground-breaking.
Brochoose's Avatar
Brochoose at 03/02/2008 18:22

So this isn't the same game as "Saboteur"?
ZeroTolo's Avatar
ZeroTolo at 03/02/2008 20:14

@ Heretic and Brochoose

Thankfully this isn't the same game. Saboteur has a male, Irish protagonist and seems to have so more action to it. I'm pretty sure the name change is because they didn't want the two getting mixed up.

Also, if she's an assassin, do you think she'll be using her "velvet" to get to her targets? knowwhatI'msayin' knowwhatI'msayin'?
Professor Pew's Avatar
Professor Pew at 03/02/2008 20:51

Violette Szabo is pretty awesome, but let's hope this doesn't turn into another Fury/Gamecock project.

Will there be a rape-in-prison minigame?
Boolean's Avatar
Boolean at 03/02/2008 21:17

meh
Sharpless's Avatar
Sharpless at 03/02/2008 21:47

Gamecock annoys me, but this still looks promising. I hope they deliver on it. I don't like stealth games, but a Nazi stealth game with a female protagonist is enough to win me.
Nubc4kes's Avatar
Nubc4kes at 03/03/2008 00:30

I really like the visuals. I plan on going to E.I.E.I.O., so I look forward to getting to play this. I'm also interested to see how Mushroom Men is turning out.
Necros's Avatar
Necros at 03/03/2008 05:02

Sounds like a much better name.
HarassmentPanda's Avatar
HarassmentPanda at 03/03/2008 09:22

Did he say "tits monster" and "ass monster"? That doesn't even make sense, but I like where his head is at.

CTZ, do you think you'll still love the game with its more velvety feel?
Batthink's Avatar
Batthink at 03/03/2008 13:46

Yes, it does look like Splinter Cell in the 1940's, but playing a slim female dressed in black with access to a gas mask and weaponry? That's already raised my attention.

Lighting is cool too. :O)
Cowboy TTop's Avatar
Cowboy TTop at 03/04/2008 15:34

That's true, Velvet Assasin as a name makes it stand out from the crowd.

Sadie, I suggest you do a little more research on VA, because you can only tell so much from screens. It is doing something different.

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