RiFT is an upcoming sci-fi action video game that’s currently being developed by a small indie team using Epic’s Unreal Engine.
The team at HaZimation is developing the game at the same time – and using the same tools – as the animated feature film it’s developing with the same IP.
The upcoming game is being developed for consoles and PC as a ‘third person arcade-style shooter’ which, as seen from the trailer, offers elements of stealth, melee combat and tactical gameplay.
RiFT’s director Hasraf ‘HaZ’ Dulull says, “I believe this is a truly unique project and one of the first in the world to utilise Unreal Engine to create both an animated feature film and a fully-fledged video game to this scale.”
In RiFT, you must protect Max, a child with special abilities, and figure out ways to escape from Axion; a heavily guarded science research facility. However, Max becomes weaker whenever he uses his psychokinetic ability as a weapon. And in order to use Max’s ability, the player must have amassed a certain number of kill points.
Your primary objective is to escape from the research facility unscathed with Max, so you’ll have to use his abilities only when necessary.
The gameplay takes inspiration from the classic “capture the flag” mode but steps it up with what has been cited as intense and thrilling arcade action. You’ll reportedly experience smart decision making with an emotional and captivating storyline to go along.
The development of both the RiFT video game and film is sponsored by Western Digital. Both projects are being developed exclusively on WD_Black drives.
RIFT Release Date & Availability
Players will be able to get their hands on the RiFT video game in mid-March 2022. There will also be early access alpha releases for an unspecified platform. The release of the animated feature film is set to follow sometime in 2022.
This is a notable development because, as we know, the Unreal Engine has been used across a variety of industries over the last few years. It’s used in the making of The Mandalorian TV show available on Disney+, for instance. And a large-scale, transmedia project like this is almost certainly a sign of things to come.
Check out the game’s trailer below and follow the project’s development on Twitter.
Isa Muhammad is a writer and video game journalist covering many aspects of entertainment media including the film industry. He's steadily writing his way to the sharp end of journalism and enjoys staying informed. If he's not reading, playing video games or catching up on his favourite TV series, then he's probably writing about them.
