Generation Zero (2011)

Platform(s): PC
Genre: Adventure
Developer: Reality Twist
Release Date: 2011

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'Generation Zero' Announced - First Screen

by Rainier on Dec. 8, 2010 @ 12:00 p.m. PST

A social adventure game with innovative gameplay ideas, a vibrant presentation, complex characters and top-notch 3D graphics in a very unique setting is what set Generation Zero apart from its competitors.

In April 2010 the „FilmFernsehFonds Bayern“ has decided to support the development of the prototype of this point-&-click adventure game with 78.000 Euros. Now, just in time for Christmas, the Munich based developer Reality Twist is offering its impressive achievements: Generation Zero is the title of the project and tells the story of Emil, who returns to the destroyed city of Berlin in 1945, in order to find his father. The perspective of a whole generation of children is ruined – just like the buildings of a once elevated capital. With nothing, they’re fighting for their bare survival in the streets of a postwar area. During his journey, Emil himself will be forced to form his own youth gang, just to assure his own and his sisters’ living. And still: Despite all the destruction, the rivalries and the despair, is this the generation “zero” building up the Germany we know today. Together with Emil, his sister and his friends the player will learn to understand, why Germany became, what it is today.

From an outside view, the title just looks like a classic adventure game. However, Generation Zero is much more than just another point-&-click product. Reality Twist calls its latest work a “social adventure game”: Here, complex characters and a stirring story are the basis for immersive gameplay and a high sustainability of the content produced. Despite to many other games, the player will be able to connect to characters in Generation Zero very easily and heavily. He will be able to sympathize with them and understand their actions and activities. This element will be an integral part of the “gameplay”. For example, in Generation Zero, there will be a clever popularity system: Depending on one’s own behavior towards other characters, their manner will change as well. You always have to balance between the different answer possibilities and think about possible effects on the various characters in the game in order to achieve your goal.

So-called “partner actions” allow for not only directing the lead protagonist “Emil”, but also other characters in the game. Probably, Emil does not fit through a small split in the wall – but his sister Lieschen could crawl through. Well, if Emil succeeds in convincing her. No matter in which situation, the player always has to evaluate: Can I justify my actions against my fellow men and myself? Which consequences will they have? Alternative solutions with different consequences allow for a lot of freedom, to fathom the different possibilities and their effects in “Generation Zero”.


All of this is supported by a very unique setting, too: The destroyed city of Berlin, just right after the capitulation of Germany. And right in the middle of this chaos: the “rubble kids”, on their own, fighting for their gangs’ supremacy. So, Reality Twist strikes new paths here as well and hope to stimulate the computer games market with fresh impulses besides the usual war settings in games. A team of 13 people is working on the realization of this axiom. Besides the gaming innovations, high-quality 3D graphics with dynamic tracking shots, detailed characters and several tech features are the fruits of this effort. Generation Zero can be played on PCs, Macs as well as the iPad from Apple.

Obviously, the handling on a touch screen device is predestinated for an adventure game: With simple fingertips the user is able to control the characters over the screen and select options. Another feature: The player is not bound to choose amongst pre-defined actions like “Walk To”, “Look At” or “Take”. The game is offering very unique and different choices with the help of a context-based “pie menu”, all depending on situation or object. Another innovation: While many iPad applications allow to zoom into the screen with finger gestures on a 2-dimensional scale, “Generation Zero” is also offering the movement of the camera within a real 3-dimensional setting just via a finger slide.

After Reality Twist has finished the playable prototype and by this has proven that the concept works, they are looking for possible business partners to help Emil reach marketability. For this, “Generation Zero” can also be developed as an episodic adventure concept.

Key Features

  • Innovative 3D adventure game with a classic point-&-click interface
  • Unique story and setting in the postwar era of Berlin in 1945
  • Innovative puzzle design with a strong focus on characters
  • “social gameplay”: your own actions have immediate consequences on the outcome
  • Partner actions: control up to three characters
  • Alternative solutions with different impacts
  • Object sensitive verbs: Each object has its own set of verbs
  • Many dynamic camera tracking shots in beautiful, very detailed 3D sceneries
  • Intuitive user interface deliberately designed for the usage on iPad
  • Atmospheric soundtrack composed by Knights of Soundtrack

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