Kane & Lynch: Dead Men

• Platform: PC, Xbox 360
• Published by: Eidos
• Developed by: Io Interactive
• Release Date: TBA
• Genre: Action
• Multiplayer: Yes
• Online: Yes

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Kane & Lynch: Dead Men Q&A

-- October 27, 2006 by: David Craddock

Though Denmark based Io Interactive is mostly known for the Hitman series of games, the team also achieved critical success with the tactical action game Freedom Fighters several years ago. Now the company is working on Kane & Lynch: Dead Men, a third person action game that features co-op play. I had the opportunity to ask lead level designer Thor Frølich about the game.

Shack: What type of game is Kane & Lynch: Dead Men? Tell us about the inspiration for the game.

Thor Frølich: First and foremost it's a character-driven game. It has a strong plot serving the purpose of subjecting these two unstable characters to adverse situations, thus allowing them to grow. At the core of the game lie the simple yet effective squad mechanics from Freedom Fighters.

Shack: Let’s go in reverse order for a moment. Tell us about the character of Lynch.

Thor Frølich: Lynch was an ordinary man, until he started developing a mental condition. He tried to self-medicate, but things just got worse until he comes home one day to find his wife brutally slain. Everyone except Lynch is certain that he's the murderer and he's sentenced to death. When we meet him in the game, he's a volatile man with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Shack: So Lynch is kind of the secondary character. Is there a co-op mode where a buddy can play as Lynch?

Thor Frølich: Yes there is a 2 player co-op mode, where one of you plays Kane and the other is Lynch. Co-op is an important part of Kane & Lynch. First of all because its fun and casual and also because you have two interesting characters to use, not just a cloned hero.

Shack: Tell us how co-cop mode works.

Thor Frølich: In the single player mode, Kane is under direct control and Lynch is handled through the crew control mechanism (or through AI if you choose not to use the crew controls). In Co-op play however Lynch is directly handled by the second player. We would like to think that two players playing in co-op mode will feel that they both are experiencing the story from their character’s point of view.

Shack: Can you play co-op via the Internet?

Thor Frølich: No it is offline only.

Shack: What about Kane? What’s his story?

Thor Frølich: Kane too was a family man with a wife and two kids. His young son finds a handgun in the home and accidentally wounds himself terminally. Kane leaves his family which has completely fallen apart. Running from problems is Kane's big character flaw – he doesn't deal with emotional situations, but runs from them. He however has remarkable logistical and negotiation skills which he puts to use for various 'security' organizations operating in various of the globe's conflict theaters. As a result of this work, he's recruited by a powerful brotherhood of mercenaries known as The Seven. One of their operations goes very wrong, with Kane seemingly the only survivor. He alone manages to make it back to the US, where he's arrested on charges of crimes against humanity, found guilty and sent off to death row. We meet Kane on his way to his execution.

Shack: How do players learn more about the character of Kane and/or Lynch?

Thor Frølich: Kane and Lynch’s characters are revealed as you play the game through the dialogue between them, they don’t work in the same way and that can lead to some heated exchanges. Through their actions and reactions you’ll learn about their characters. And you will find out more about their backgrounds through audio flashbacks.

Shack: What is The Seven?

Thor Frølich: The Seven are a powerful brotherhood of mercenaries that Kane was once a member of.

Shack: On any given mission, will Kane and Lynch always have the same set of objectives? If not, how does each player go about completing his specific set?

Thor Frølich: For the majority of the game they will share objectives. We like to emphasize that these two guys are forced to work closely together, despite their mutual distrust and to keep the single player and co-op mode as unified as possible, to maintain the integrity of the storyline. But in the single player situations where Lynch is doing something that translates well into gameplay, in co-op we'll let that player handle it. For example providing cover fire for the other or hold a part of a building until the other arrives.

Shack: Give us an example or two of missions that will be featured in the game, as well as actions that the player(s) can take, how the player(s) can complete them, et cetera.

Thor Frølich: In one level Kane and Lynch have to enter a night club to seemingly talk to the owner. It turns out Kane is more in the mood for a kidnapping, since the owner’s father has what they need. So once they've overpowered their victim in her office, Kane has to protect Lynch as he carries her out of there past her security and hundreds of guests. Needless to say it won't go down quietly.

Shack: What kind of HUD system does K&L use?

Thor Frølich: We are trying to keep the HUD as light as possible. Choosing to try and incorporate any of the required feedback mechanisms in game rather into a 2D display. This is mainly done for immersion reasons. Simple weapon, ammo and radar are the core elements of the display for 90% of the game.

Shack: No health bar? So how do we know when we’re about to die, when we’re healing, all that good stuff?

Thor Frølich: When your health is at risk this is shown by a "haemorrhage" effect on the screen (a red haze and tilted camera). Your health is restored either by getting out of danger or by an adrenaline shot from your crew.

Shack: What happens when Kane dies? (Besides, you know... death.)

Thor Frølich: The player shouts and swears a lot!

...But they will also get an insight into some of Kane’s past and life events. This feature is still under wraps.

Shack: How do you give orders to your squad? Is it possible to do things such as give orders to one or two specific squad mates?

Thor Frølich: The system that is being used is an evolved version of that used in Freedom Fighters. It is in fact simpler but more versatile, offering direct control over individuals or groups. The interface should be simple for everyone to use (if they desire) yet powerful enough to offer the tactical complexity the hardened gamer might require.

Shack: Will squad mates always assist you with your mission, or do they have their own priorities?

Thor Frølich: Your crew will always assist you on your mission but they won’t act like complete sheep. They have their own motivations and personal traits which the player will have to understand and accommodate. I promise they won’t be annoying though!

Shack: If a team mate dies, is there any way I can resuscitate them?

Thor Frølich: Yes – using an adrenaline shot that you or one of your crew are carrying. But you don’t have an unlimited supply.

Shack: How do you keep an eye on your team? Is there any way to know when they’re in certain situations (e.g., major trouble), how to track their health status, et cetera?

Thor Frølich: We are trying to avoid the heavy presence of on-screen displays as we feel these can detract from the immersion. Therefore almost all information in the game is delivered visually and/or through audio.

Shack: What’s in store when it comes to other multiplayer options?

Thor Frølich: The game has an innovative online multiplayer mode that is in line with the main themes of the game. We can’t say any more than that right now.

Shack: Thanks for your time! Anything else you’d like to add?

Thor Frølich: Yes, I’ve been reading your website every morning for a long time so keep up the good work on your end :)

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