Today LucasArts, in conjunction with Day 1 Studios, announced their newest IP: a futuristic war game called Fracture, featuring a nifty little mechanic known as Terrain Deformation. It seems pretty self-evident: your actions directly affect the terrain around you.

Actually, let me let them explain it to you:

When Briggs throws a tectonic grenade on a level battlefield, the ground blasts upward to provide accest to an otherwise unreachable area. Moving on, when he comes accors what appears to be an impenetrable structure, Briggs utilizes the alt-fire functionality on his rocket launcher to create enormous craters to burrow underneath the wall. Surrounded on all sides by enemies, Briggs heaves a vortex grenade, creating a swirling tornado-like mass of boulder, dirt and debris to dispatch his foes. these are just a few samples of the possibilites for Terrain Deformation. Players not oly change the battlefield -- they change the face of the battle itself. 

The above trailer looks promising. Who knows, maybe LucasArts will deliver truly interactive and destructible environments and fun physics. God knows we've been disappointed before, but there's still hope.

To clarify: players assume the role of Mason Briggs, a soldier fighting for the cybernetically enhanced Atlantic Alliance against the genetically superior Pacifican army. The action takes place in the 22nd century, in a world wracked by environmental crises: the polar ice caps have melted and the United States is one huge flood plain of the Mighty Mississippi. The two factions seem to bevfighting over a land dispute, as well as the moral stance of genetic engineering. Global warming? Stem-cell research? Somebody call Tipper Gore!

Below is a full press release, and be sure check out the gallery for some screen shots. Mason Briggs may not sweat like Gilbert Arenas, but he does have a cool ear-attachment thingie. 

Fracture will come out mid-2008 for the PS3 and Xbox360.

LucasArts and Day 1 Studios Reshape Next-Generation Entertainment With
Fracture

Futuristic Warfare Is Literally "Groundbreaking"

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. - May 2, 2007 - LucasArts and development partner Day 1 Studios today announced Fracture(tm), in which players reshape the battlefields in a futuristic conflict with global implications. This epic war fought on American soil pits cybernetically enhanced soldiers against warriors augmented by the benefits of advanced genetic engineering. The company that brought you Star Wars and Indiana Jones, as well as successful new intellectual properties such as Mercenaries (the No. 1 new IP in 2005) and Thrillville (the No. 1 original children's IP of 2006), presents a new franchise full of groundbreaking next-generation gameplay, an intriguing storyline and compelling
characters.

"Exciting new intellectual properties serve a vital role to the growth of LucasArts," said Jim Ward, president of LucasArts. "Fracture represents the next step in this company initiative, complete with the intriguing story and compelling characters audiences expect of a LucasArts release."

Fracture advances players to the year 2161, where ecological and seismological disasters have radically altered the planet's landscape, and a clash in ideologies places society on the threshold of war. Players set foot on the frontlines of this epic conflict in the role of Mason Briggs, a demolitions expert fighting for the Atlantic Alliance, the side that relies upon cybernetic enhancement. Pitted against the genetically enhanced soldiers of the Pacifican army, players will experience a revolution in 22nd-century warfare. In utilizing the core
gameplay mechanic of Fracture, a destructive next-generation technology known as Terrain Deformation, players are equipped with an arsenal of
futuristic weaponry to strategically reshape their surroundings on the fly. Every action they perform dynamically reshapes the earth in ways no videogame has ever seen. 

When Briggs throws a tectonic grenade on a level battlefield, the ground blasts upward to provide access to an otherwise unreachable area. Moving on, when he comes across what appears to be an impenetrable structure, Briggs utilizes the alt-fire functionality on his rocket launcher to create enormous craters to burrow underneath the wall.  Surrounded on all sides by enemies, Briggs heaves a vortex grenade, creating a swirling tornado-like mass of boulder, dirt and debris to dispatch his foes. These are just a few samples of the possibilities for Terrain Deformation. Players not only
change the battlefield - they change the face of the battle itself.

"LucasArts sees simulation-based gameplay as an essential component of a true next-gen experience, and that's exactly what Fracture delivers," said Peter Hirschmann, vice president of product development at
LucasArts. "Day 1 Studios has done a phenomenal job of creating true next-gen tech that not only dazzles on a visual level but also serves as a core gameplay mechanic. Unlike many other next-gen games on the
market, Fracture simply isn't possible in the previous generation of consoles." 

"LucasArts' excitement for Fracture is palpable, and it only inspires us even further to ensure the game lives up to its lofty expectations," said Denny Thorley, president of Day 1. "The opportunity to work with a
company such as LucasArts, that knows not only how to launch large entertainment properties, but also successfully bring new IP to market, is truly a privilege.  With Terrain Deformation leading the way, we know
we're creating something special, and we have absolutely no doubts that LucasArts is the only company to make sure Fracture receives its due."

More information about the game can be found at the official Fracture website, www.fracturegame.com, which will continue to release details throughout the year.