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Posted November 19, 2012 by Peter in News
 
 

Ong Bak Tri announced as belated movie tie-in

Ong Bak Tri announced as belated movie tie-in
Ong Bak Tri announced as belated movie tie-in

Nine years ago the release of Ong Bak proved a worldwide success among martial arts movie fans, becoming a modern standard to measure against. And in an age where product tie-ins are standard, the question is: why it has taken so long for a game – Ong Bak Tri – to be produced?

Being developed in Thailand by Studio HIVE and produced by Immanitas Entertainment, Ong Bak Tri is described as a 2.5D side scroller – screen shots released bringing memories of the Golden Axe and Streets of Rage series to mind – with the announcement promising “intense fighting action, impressive free running sequences and highly cinematic quick-time action events”.
Ong Bak Tri announced as belated movie tie-in
Star of the film Tony Jaa has lent his likeness for the game, which is perhaps wisely promoting itself more on the success of the first movie. While the original Ong Bak launched Jaa’s career as an action star, the second and third movies almost destroyed it again – but from the screenshots, are perhaps lending themselves better as a game setting.

Another connection between the films and game is development being ambiguously described as “closely accompanied” by the film’s director and choreographer, Thossaporn Poonnart and Panna Rittikrai respectively.

The original Ong Bak succeeded both by the strength of its fight (and chase) scenes, and by telling its own story – it did not follow the conventions of the genre, being an action movie without any action for the first half of its running time. Whether Ong Bak Tri will be able to demonstrate the innovations and strengths also needed to succeed, only time can tell.

Ong Bak Tri is due for release worldwide this winter on PC, (unspecified) consoles, and for smartphones.


Peter

 
Peter can be described as an old, hairy gamer, a survivor of the console wars of the 1990s, and a part-time MMO addict. He has an especial fondness for retro gaming and observing the progressions in long running gaming series. When scandalously not caught gaming, he can also be found reading comics and fantasy fiction, or practising terrible photography.