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If you haven’t heard of Afrika (Working Title) for the PS3 then you’ve been playing too many FPS. There are other genres out there and here at Avid Gamer we like to appreciate them all. Way back at E3 2006, Sony Computer Entertainment, in association with their Japan Studio and Rhino Studio revealed a mysterious game only known as Afrika. Since then we’ve had two short trailers but nothing of substantial value as to what this game is about. That’s why when this trailer was recently revealed; we jumped at the fact that there was some decent information about the game. Albeit to get at it you’d need to use your detective skills but we’ve done the work for you, resulting in this examination of the trailer.

First of all, we’re still totally unclear of what type of game Afrika is. There are several clues indicating its genre, one of photographic nature, but to what extent that makes up the experience, we’re still unsure. The trailer opens with two men in a jeep, and it’s not revealed as to whether you’ll be able to drive the vehicles in the game. The passenger is carrying a camera which hints at the idea of a wildlife photography game. This is further enforced at 42seconds where if you’re quick you can see a man stalking in the undergrowth, photographing animals. Finally, following on from a view through binoculars, there is a (50secs) clear example of a photographer circling a rhino. Photography seems to be the key idea being conveyed but we’re unsure if you might be able to hunt or capture the animals. It’s all still fuzzy but that’s the apparent direction the developers seem to be taking.

Afrika is all about the animals. There are numerous species on offer, from Wildebeest, Zebras, Elephants, both baby and fully grown, Gazelles and Antelopes. The carnivores are well represented, with lions, cheetahs, crocodiles and hyenas. As well as that we caught glimpses of Ostriches, Lizards, multicoloured Birds, Warthogs and of course, Hippos and Rhinos. Thankfully, the animals are not just for show and are far from static objects. Their artificial intelligence seems to be one of the game’s chief drawing points. The animals’ behaviour has had a lot of time invested into it. They have realistic movement animations, especially showcased when a Rhino charges the camera. They flick their tails, move their ears, yawn and eat in a rational manner. They move in herds, flock the waterholes and react to one another. There’s one scene where a cheetah is chasing a gazelle and the gazelle is dodging zigzag to avoid the predator, a highly realistic tactic.

It’s obvious that the developers are going for a complete package as the habitats are beautifully modelled. Consisting of lush, green scenery and wide expansive spaces, the game has a unique, African feel. There are day and night cycles, beautiful water effects and real time shadows. There are volumetric clouds and weather patterns, like where the wind has an impact upon grass and vegetation. We’re given a glimpse of a basin surrounded by steep cliffs, suggesting that that’s where the game will take place (allowing the developers to give some constraint). There we have it, all the information possibly drawn from the trailer. Be sure to stay around when some concrete, textual information arises as well as any new media.

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