Project Monster just unveiled

DreamRift, a company with developers who worked on such titles as Henry Hatsworth and Tony Hawks Proving Ground, has now shown off a new game theyve been developing

It appears we’ve got another juicy game to look forward to next year on the DS with Project Monster (still a working title) from DreamRift. The company is a group of various developers who have left their previous companies, most recently a lot of the Henry Hatsworth design crew.

The game sees you play Ellie, the female lead character, as she finds a special magical monster known as Chomp after accidentally going into the Monster World. As a team, the two then strive to save that world from the evil kings that inhabit it; one of these is present—along with their pet monster—in each individual world in a game that apparently takes gameplay elements from the Mario, Mega Man, and Metroid franchises. Peter Ong, the co-founder and creative director at DreamRift, can probably best describe the gameplay.

"The core mechanic of the game is the way in which the player uses the Pet character to help the main character overcome challenges," he said. "’Project Monster’ focuses on innovative dual-screen gameplay that involves the player raising and constantly using their Pet Monster across both screens throughout the game. Based on the choices you make throughout gameplay, your Pet will grow and evolve into many different possible forms, unlocking countless skills, abilities, and attacks to be used in conjunction with the main character."

The process of evolving your pet can be assisted by visiting the pet store, where you can get food, toys, and various other items to aid and train it. You can also find items in the game to improve the character you play. Only some special abilities could be seen in this early version of the game, but Chomp could make defensive shields, use a special stretch attack against baddies, and even be jumped on like a trampoline. You have to be careful with him, though, since he’ll have to go and rest if he gets hurt too much.

Even with about a third of the development now finished, the game doesn’t have a publisher quite yet, but they’re hoping for a Q2 2010 release.

Source: IGN