IGN reveals ambitious new Wii-exclusive FPS

225_conduit.jpgIGN yesterday revealed an exclusive first look at High Voltage Software’s The Conduit, an ambitious first-person shooter in development exclusively for the Nintendo Wii.

Contrary to the unfortunate nature of most third-party Wii afterthoughts, High Voltage is putting substantial effort behind The Conduit, promising both refined Wii control mechanics and hardware-pushing visuals.

In designing the game’s controls, High Voltage’s Eric Nofsinger told IGN the development team looked to Medal of Honor: Heroes 2 and Metroid Prime 3 for inspiration, offering players a precise and fully customizable control scheme. However, Nofsinger suggested the team is placing even greater emphasis on Wii’s graphics capabilities.

High Voltage CEO Kerry Ganofsky offered IGN the following:

“We think it’s a real shame that publishers and developers aren’t taking advantage of the technical possibilities of the Wii platform. Most Wii games don’t even look as good as the later day PS2 titles, and that’s a real slap in the face to consumers. We believe that third-party developers need to step up to the plate and deliver. The Wii platform is capable of a lot more than what consumers have seen so far. We’re hoping to raise a new bar.”

High Voltage is billing The Conduit as a mature, fast-paced, run-and-gun first-person shooter similar to 360’s blockbuster Halo 3 and PS3’s Resistance: Fall of Man. Players assume the role of Secret Service Agent Ford, a hero with guns-a-blazing in the midst of a full-scale extraterrestrial attack on planet Earth. IGN has posted several early screenshots and promises gameplay footage is coming “soon.”

For technical information behind The Conduit and High Voltage’s Quantum3 Wii gameplay engine, including a video of the engine in action, check the extensive IGN preview. Keep excitement within reason, however; The Conduit is currently without a publisher.