Incoming schoolboy secret agent
From book to film, Alex Rider Stormbreaker now becomes a game
OK, so it’s the usual ‘game-based on a film-based on a book’ merryground, but there’s hope for Stormbreaker, the DS and GBA game that’s based on the $40 million dollar summer blockbuster. Starring Ewan McGregor, Mickey Rourke, Alicia Silverstone and Robbie Coltrane, it's based on the first book in hugely popular teenage Alex Rider series by writer Anthony Horowitz (he wrote Agatha Christie's Poirot and Foyle's War for ITV, dontcha know).
After all, it’s a basic schoolboy fantasy (no, not Alicia Silverstone). Orphaned in a mysterious plane crash, the 14-year-old Alex Rider discovers his uncle murdered in mysterious circumstances. Demonstrating previously untapped skills as he tries to find out what’s happened, Rider is recruited by UK intelligence (Unc was an agent on a secret mission you see). Which means Rider now gets to wander around the world, shooting people and carrying loads of cool gizmos. But as he is warned by his fellow agents - ‘You’re never too young to die’.
More happily, and fulfilling that other schoolboy fantasy, Alex is looked after by his foxy American housekeeper Jack Starbright (Alicia Silverstone) and also has a girlfriend - the James Bondly-named Sabina Pleasure.
Anyhow, enough backstory, onto the game. If only...
At the moment, THQ is treating any information about the game as Top-Secret. All we know is that it will be a mishmash of styles with gun-tooting action, sneaky stealth, high-octane racing and gadget-based mini-games all promised, plus lashings of images and other goodies from the movie.
Even the game’s release date remains on a Need-to-Know basis. But having cracked THQ’s internal codes, Pocket Gamer expects July to be the month you’ll be able to get your hands on Stormbreaker.
