The holiday movie season isn't even over, but we're already getting a glimpse at what could be a sleeper hit in theaters and on game consoles when it's released in next month. Arthur and the Invisibles is a live action/animated movie based upon the four-volume book set by acclaimed director Luc Besson (Leon: The Professional, The Fifth Element). The Atari-published games based on the film are set to hit stores around the same time for the PlayStation 2, PSP, PC, Nintendo DS and Game Boy Advance. In this preview, we'll take look at the lead character, Arthur and see what makes him tick.

As the story goes, Arthur is a 10-year old boy who lives with his grandparents. His grandfather has been missing for a number of years in Africa, which has left the house at the mercy of a greedy land developer who wants to tear the place down. Arthur thinks his grandpa's notes and sketches on a mythical race of tiny creatures called Minimoys (Invisibles in the US) might help their plight, but these artifacts are taken away as antiques dealers strip the attic. Through a twist of fate, Arthur discovers where the Invisibles live in his grandma's garden and he's shrunken down to a tiny size. He soon meets the beautiful Princess Selenia and more Minimoys who happen to request his aid. With two goals now in mind, Arthur and the Invisibles set off in search of a way to save two different worlds.




ARTHUR

Arthur is not a Minimoy by birth, and is constantly discovering aspects of this world around him. Before even meeting her, Arthur was already in love with Princess Selenia, even though he does not completely understand the emotions he feels for the first time. He adopts a knightly and romantic attitude towards her, attempting to impress her whenever the occasion rises, often by risking his life.

ARTHUR'S INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS

Arthur is the only character in the game able to use the following special moves:
1. Free-Climb
His free-climb technique enables Arthur to negotiate ledges on certain vertical faces, and to move by clinging to objects on certain ceilings
2. Liana Swing
The liana is a vine-like fiber that trails from specific ceilings and permits Arthur to swing across huge gaps. Thus, he can use the liana to reach places that are otherwise inaccessible.
3. Pilot Moustik
Moustik piloting enables Arthur to fly a Seide moustik. Mounted, he has the advantage of its great mobility and destructive weaponry
4. Drive Car
These sections permit Arthur to pilot his little racer at great speed. With this skill, he attempts to save his companions from the tidal wave flooding down the tunnel behind them and threatening to overwhelm the Minimoy village


As for the game, it's a third-person action/platformer where you'll need to use the skills of three characters (Arthur, Selenia, Betameche) in order to combat enemies and solve puzzles. Fighting, flying and driving sequences also come into play during the 20+-hour adventure, which is longer than most licensed games tend to be. As for the screenshots, Developer Etranges Libellules (the underrated Asterix & Obelix: Kick Buttix) is showing that the PlayStation 2 isn't quite the dinosaur of the console world. I'll have to admit that I was fooled for a few seconds into thinking these were work-in-progress Xbox 360 or even PS3 shots. Rich color usage and lovingly detailed characters aside, we'll need to see how the gameplay stacks up to the gorgeous graphics.



Etranges is also working on the PSP and PC versions, while getting an assist from Neko on the DS code. The GBA version of Arthur is being handled by Misitc, a developer I've not yet heard of, but one I'll certainly be following as the GBA enters what could be it's last year as a viable platform. Of course, I'll need to bug the folks at Atari for more images on all the games as they all sound like a fantasy fan's dream. Stay tuned for more on Arthur and the Invisibles in the coming weeks.