The Next Generation of Destroy All Humans!

Developer: Sandblast Games
Publisher: THQ
Genre: Action-Adventure
Release Date: December 1st, 2008
Price: $39.99
Rating: T (Teen)
Single Player
Offline Co-op (1- 4 players)
Online Multiplayer(Info TBA)

Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon is the third game in the Destroy All Humans! series, Due for release December 1st, 2008. The game is being developed by THQ's Sandblast Games studio and has been confirmed for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Veteran voice actors J. Grant Albrecht and Richard Horvitz will reprise their roles as Cryptosporidium and Orthopox respectively, and the musical score will be preformed by veteran composer Garry Schyman.

In Path of the Furon, it's the funkafied 1970's, and players once again reprise their role as Crypto in an effort to harvest as much DNA as possible, all the while combating a new adversary from Crypto's past. Path of the Furon picks up right after the last game in the series: Destroy All Humans! 2. Crypto is running a Vegas casino as he has grown weary of the constant struggle of harvesting DNA from humans. The lovely little human brain stem farm masked as a Sin City casino is soon brought down by a mysterious race of cyborgs known as Nexos and the story takes off from there. With a conspiracy quickly formed that threatens his way of life, Crypto embarks on a journey to gain enlightenment from an alien Kung Fu master, unlocking new powers that will let him save the Furons once again.

Path of the Furon expands on the open world format of the previous Destroy All Humans! titles—players will be able to decide what they want to obliterate and what they will spare, with five large open worlds on the ground and in the air (thanks to new augmentations to Crypto's new UFO) to obliterate with new weapons and new alien powers.

Plot

Using the money earned from the Big Willy fast food franchise that Orthopox started, Pox and his Destructive Furon Warrior Minion, Crypto have opened a "family friendly" casino named the Space Dust Casino, with which they use to rake in a steady flow of cash and human DNA. Crypto has lost his motivation, and has forgotten what it means to destroy humans. He drinks too much, watches too much television, and has ultimately become lazy. However, problems begin to arise as the casino begins having attacks from the American Mafia, and not long after that, Crypto is attacked by Mysterious Cyborgs known only as Nexos, from his own planet, which frightens both Crypto, and his Commander, Pox. Soon Crypto finds himself face to face with a conspiracy from his own homeworld, that if not stopped, could destroy them all forever. In the midst of all the chaos, Crypto keeps hearing a voice in his head, telling him to go to the city of Shen Long. Then Crypto, while in Sunnywood, gets shot in the neck, faints, and then wakes up in a Kung Fu monastery, greeted by a Furon martial arts expert, known as The Master. The Master beseeches him to submit to his tutelage, and train in mind and firepower, to help him defeat these new threats. Now Crypto is about to go down the path to enlightenment, and shape his own destiny, to ultimately be able to destroy all humans.

Weapons

In the recent trailers and gameplay of the third installment of the Destroy All Humans! series, Crypto is seen using some weapons from the previous games, and some weapons that are new in this game. However, some of the returning artillery will have a next-generation makeover. All weapons will scar the ground, buildings, and other objects.

Note - All hand weapons now produce DNA when used to destroy humans. The more skill or risk a weapon requires in use, the more DNA it will produce. This means there is always a reward for destroying humans, no matter how you choose to do it. DNA Is used to buy upgrades in Pox Mart.

Returning weapons

Handheld

• Zap-O-Matic - A Furon enforcement weapon that fires a burst of electricity, electrocuting the target. The electrical streak of the Zap-O-Matic is a glossy, oceanic, neon blue.

• Ion Detonator - A weapon that fires a red Ion Grenade that ionizes people and destroys vehicles instantly. It can now be used to stick to targets. This is also the only weapon that can be used during Temporal Fist, and more than one detonator may be set off in Temporal Fist.

• Orthopox AP 77 Anal Probe - It will lock on to humans and fire a glowing green probe up their anus, causing their anus to erupt into green flames and run, while expelling feces, eventually causing their brain stems to pop out of their heads, due to the shock and pressure of the probe. Crypto can sweep over multiple targets and fire multiple probes, or lock onto one target and fire multiple probes. This anal probe is also capable of rapid fire, and has a heat seeking ability.

• Disintegrator Ray- Fires molten plasma lasers that completely disintegrates a human in a ball of fire, leaving only their charred skeletons, which then turns to dust and blows away with the breeze.

• Disclocator - A weapon that fires pink gravity defying energy disks that fling people and objects in many different random directions. The player may now engage in "car surfing" by standing on a car and firing this weapon into the car. The Dislocator was ranked a fan favorite in DAH2.

Saucer

• Death Ray - The saucer's basic weapon. This heat ray incinerates humans and vehicles, as well as buildings. Crypto can also scar the terrain and buildings.

• Quantum Deconstructor - The most powerful weapon on the saucer, it fires a green sphere of destructive power and energy that can take out four city blocks at once. Crypto can now charge it up to different levels to cause more chaos.

• Abducto Beam - A beam which can abduct a human into Crypto's saucer, or abduct a vehicle and toss them around. Multiple humans can be abducted at once and then instantly processed.

• Drain - A beam from the saucer that will pick up cars or other objects and drain them of power (usually destroying them). That power repairs Crypto's saucer.

• Cloak- The saucer can be cloaked (as in DAH!2). You can activate the Tornadotron while cloaked.

• Transmogrify- Transform Cars, Tanks, etc. into ammo for the saucer.

Note: The Abducto Beam and Drain can be used simultaneously (at the same time).

New Handheld Weapons

• Venus Human Trap - Similar to the Burrow Beast, this weapon spawns a giant Venus fly trap/Pitcher plant-like monster with tentacles that grabs objects like humans and vehicles. As it continues to feed it will grow more tentacles and spit out more DNA. The plant can eat on its own or Crypto can feed it using PK. It will also act as a distraction as enemies will turn their attention from Crypto to the plant.

• Black Hole Gun - This weapon creates a truck-sized black hole with a blue-purple spinning accretion disk that sucks up objects, people, cars, etc. It is great for clearing the area since it does not pull Crypto, buildings, or the saucer. When it depletes, it will explode, raining down gobs of DNA from humans sucked inside, and ammunition from vehicles sucked inside. Just hold the trigger down until the black hole forms and sucks anyone or anything around it into another dimension, except for you. While nothing may escape from a “real” black hole, this one coughs up goodies for you: the spectacular show ends with a satisfying “Big Bang,” raining down brain stems for you to collect gobs of DNA at once.

• Super Baller  - This weapon fires out a supercharged ball of hydrohelium-infused polymer that homes in on humans and vehicles and sends them bouncing. With each super bounce, the victim takes damage, and it also causes an impulse with each impact that throws anyone and anything nearby. And in a little nod to one of the ubiquitous symbols of the 1970s: rainbows, the Superballer's vapor trail even creates a spectral refraction effect akin to a rainbow.

Note: The saucer has been completely made over for the new hi-def versions. Each weapon will spring out of the saucer in new, ungainly shapes, emphasizing the destructive potential of each.

New Saucer Weapons

• Tornadotron - The newest weapon for Crypto's saucer, it can create a tornado that can be controlled or go on its own track that causes major destruction. It will pick up people, vehicles and any other object and scatter them across the level. It will also tear into buildings ripping them apart until they collapse. It can also be activated while the saucer is cloaked leading people to think it's an act of God.

• Seeker Drones - The saucer has the ability to fire a barrage of missiles that seek out humans, vehicles, helicopters, or buildings. They will punch through buildings to hit their targets.

• Plasma Cannon - A rapid-fire, chain gun-like weapon that fires purple plasma beams that can be used to strafe traffic and can leave scars in buildings.

Psychokinetic abilities

Note - Psychokinesis is now mapped to its own button, which is revealed to be the Left Trigger on the Xbox 360 and the L1 button on the PlayStation 3. 

Returning abilities

• Psychokinesis - Also known as PK, this ability lets Crypto move objects with his mind, now he can magnetize a human which will attract other humans and objects like a magnet.

• Cortex Scan - Crypto can read human minds. There are around 2000 of these in total, between 30 and 50 unique thoughts for each type of human in the game, some of which play on stereotypes, some of which play against them.

• Body Snatch - Crypto can steal a body for disguise. You can read minds to replenish your bodysnatch.

• Transmogrify - (commonly referred to as "Transmog") Crypto can use his PK to transform inanimate objects into weapon ammunition, and humans into brain stems as well as ammuniton.

Note - When using PK, the objects are in a haze of purple with sparkles, and Crypto's hand has a purple-blue glow around it.

Note - Brain extract will NOT be returning due to the many ways already possible to obtain DNA.

New abilities

• Temporal Fist - He learns this ability from The Master. This allows Crypto to stop time and manipulate objects, giving him the chance to set up wild scenarios by moving people and objects into harm's way and allowing time to resume and destroy them. This was originally going to be a time-distortion gun, but was changed to a mental power.

• PK Magnet - An advancement to PK, also learned from The Master. It creates a magnetic field around the levitated object/person and draws any movable object toward it.

• Disco Fever - Replaces Free love (from DAH! 2), this makes all humans in the surrounding area distracted with a Disco ball above their head that they will try to dance to, leaving you unnoticed.

• Mental Lock- This serves as the Mental Powers Menu, and can also be used as a proper “lock-on” targeting mechanic. Once you "lock on" to a target, you can strafe around them on foot or with the jet pack and concentrate your fire at the target.

Note - Crypto can simultaneously use his PK, jetpack, and weapons all at once, thanks to streamlined controls.

Crypto will have five new, open world locations, based on Las Vegas ("Las Paradiso"), Hollywood ("Sunnywood"), Hong Kong ("Shen Long"), Paris ("Belleville"), and The 4th Ring of Furon.

• Las Paradiso: This is where you start. You begin confused and have forgotten what destroying humans is about. It is here Crypto begins to have a dream telling you to go to Shen Long. Also here, Crypto fights the American Mafia.

• Sunnywood: This is a parody of Hollywood. In recently released trailers, you see that there are studios, and a Hollywood-ish sign reading Sunnywood. Here you meet the Alientology cult.

• Belleville: Also seen recently in trailers, there will be an Eiffel Tower and The Arc de Triomphe.

• Shen Long: The parody of Hong Kong, This is where Crypto ends up after he has his dreams and meets The Master.

• The 4th Ring of Furon: Nothing is known about this area yet. It is either confirmed to be on The Furon Homeworld, or The Furon Homeworld itself.

Note - It's been stated that all five invasion sites are full of alien artifacts to collect, and Achievements to unlock.

• Cryptosporidium (Crypto for short) is a wise-cracking and sarcastic Furon who manages to take control of the USA at the end of Destroy All Humans. Not much information about being a new Crypto since they haven't said anything about Crypto still being 138 but it does say for Path of the furon each new Crypto will have more complete Furon DNA than the last clone. He is voiced by J. Grant Albrecht.

• Orthopox 13 (Pox for short) is Crypto's boss and mastermind behind the invasion of Earth. Having been destroyed at the beginning of Destroy All Humans! 2, Pox's mind has been confined to a HoloPox unit, which he managed to download his mind into before the mother ship exploded. He now has a new HoloPox unit, which has three extendable arms. He is a 74th level Furon Warlord. Orthopox is voiced by Richard Steven Horvitz.

• The Master is an old and wise Furon martial arts expert, whom is very mentally strong and is well trained in Psychokinesis. He is shown having several monks with him, possibly students of his. According to Crypto in a trailer of the game, he enters his dreams and calls him. Apparently, the Master knows who is behind Crypto's recent troubles and trains Crypto to unlock powers and weapons. The Master passes all his knowledge of PK down to Crypto, teaching him powerful abilities, such as Temporal Fist and PK Magnet. The Master is also one of the only purely-bred Furons known to have hair. The Master is voiced by Darryl Kurylo.

• The Nexos are a mysterious race of cyborgs of unknown origin. A primary vehicle the Nexos use, is a Special type of Saucer. The Nexos may possibly be Furon, though they are said to be a completely separate race of Cyborgs. Nexos have been confirmed to be from the Furon homeworld. They may be a special type of Furon task force, sent to hunt down rouge Furon Warriors. They are most likey the replacement for the blisk from Destroy All Humans! 2.

• Emperor Meningitis is the emperor of the Furon Empire. He wears a king-like robe and he is seen holding a scepter. He has 3 prongs on the back of his head, that look like cone-shaped volcano. He can be seen in the sandblast games website. The back of his head is seen in the Crypto's weapons trailer on IGN. 

• Alientology Leader - Confirmed by Gamespot, Crypto will be attacked by a fellow Furon. This Furon is the leader of the Alientology cult.

Secondary characters

These are secondary characters which whom are not well known, or do not play a large enough role to be considered a main character. They have been confirmed by IMDB or other sites.

• Arkvoodle is an ancient Furon god whom is buried in epidgy all over earth. He was first introduced in DAH!2. You perform tasks for him, to unlock landing zones.

• Saxon is a possible character. Not much is known about him yet, but it has been revealed, it is not known if it is rumored or not. IMDB states that Saxon will be voiced by actor James Horan. He or she might be a person from Saxon, Switzerland or possibly Saxony.

• Henri Crousteau is another possible character voiced by Michael Lonsdale. Not much is known about this character either.

• Veronica Stone is also another possible character. IMDB states Veronica Stone is voiced by Salli Saffioti, whom also voiced Ada Wong in Resident Evil 4. Not much is known about her.

• Curt Calvin once again is another possible character. IMDB stated Curt Calvin is voiced by Andre Sogliuzzo.

• "Skeeves" is a redneck that lives in the Nevada Desert. He was featured in a recent trailer. His exact purpose is unknown as of now.

• Sammy and Faire are two singers Crypto will meet in Sunnywood. They are most likely spoofs of Sonny & Cher.

• The Molinari Brothers is the name of the mob whom attacks Crypto's casino.

Development

Changes from previous installments

In the E3 trailer and gameplay videos for Path of the Furon, there are new locations, as well as some new weapons and some new abilities.

• Almost every weapon from the previous games has been externally redesigned.

• Crypto can shoot humans and use the jet pack while using Psychokinesis.

• Crypto gains the ability to stop time, manipulate objects, and then resume time. Objects can also be directed to fly at others once time is resumed.

• Crypto can use the saucer's death ray and other weapons to scar the terrain and buildings, revealing melted floors and building features. The scars will stay in place on a building until the building is destroyed, and when scarred it will stay even after save & quit until destroyed.

• Crypto's saucer can abduct more than one human at a time(like a vacuum), which are processed instantly.

• The Ion Detonator can be used as a sticky bomb, and has a much larger blast radius.

• The Zap-o-matic will now chain to different cars and objects as well as people.

• Crypto's saucer can now fly horizontally and vertically and aim in all directions.

• In an IGTV Interview, Jon Knoles states that Since Aliens from the Furon Homeworld are on Earth trying to disrupt his mission, Pox has upgraded Crypto's weapons and mental abilities, so that all his weapons now Produce DNA, and he automatically pulls the DNA to him with PK.

• The Quantum Deconstructor can be charged to increase effectiveness and destruction.

• There are now flying enemies, such as helicopters, and enemy saucers, that can fight Crypto in his saucer.

• Crypto's jetpack has a longer lasting battery.

• Crypto has a brand new, redefined saucer due to him "drunk-flying" and crashing the original saucer.

• Humans now run out of buildings when damage is caused to it, making it easier to collect humans for processing.

• Important buildings that have been destroyed will remain in ruins throughout the saved game.

• Buildings are much taller and have a much more realistic destruction affect. Levels and windows will now blow out in a fiery explosion, debris now flies out, and windows crack. Building stories pancake on top of each other when it collapses. Building rubble is more realistic. If a building is destroyed at a certain angle, it may fall at that same angle. 

• Pox is still a hologram, but he has a brand new HoloPox Unit with extendable arms, with which he can gesture and interact with things.

• Cars will actually dent, bend, and crumple when hit, and will create sparks when dragged across a stone or concrete surface.

• There is much more traffic, in the saucer and on foot. This makes for much more destruction.

• Objects in PK can be moved around more easily hence being mapped to its own trigger.

• Cars will have much more realistic dynamics when moved around or thrown.

• Objects and cars will not abruptly stop moving right when they hit another moveable object or person.

• Electricity will now surge through power lines (electrical wires) when damage is caused to the wires.

• Draw distance has been greatly improved so that objects or humans will no longer abruptly disappear off the screen, and when in the saucer, everything wont be hidden in a haze of thick fog.

• In an interview with IGN, John Knoles states "But if you want a glimpse of the alien homeworld, or want to find out what happens to all the humans they've abducted over the years, you may find the last world in PotF a real hoot."

• Seen in a recently released screenshot, the player will also be able to fight other saucers. Some say they belong to The Nexos, while others say they are the Furons whom are said to conspire against and attack Crypto.

• There are now police vans.

• Crypto may be able to go in and out of buildings freely, or certain buildings, such as his Casino or The Master's monastary.

• There are now S.W.A.T teams, whom carry Riot shields.

• In Temporal Fist, you can launch many ion detonators at once. Then, resume time to cause them all to deonate at once.

• Policemen now carry Riot shields as well.

• The player may use PK on a larger variety of objects.

• Pox Mart will be returning.

• You can now lock onto targets for shooting weapons.

• DNA is now a brain in a greenish clear ball that when it comes to you, has a tail of green sticks that dissolve.

The release date has been subject to recent change and will be released December 1st, 2008. The game still has a little ways to go. On April 1, 2008 there was a media surge surrounding THQ's Gamer's Day event that produced 8 new screenshots, a short trailer, and a written interview with Jon Knoles (the game's creative director) on IGN. Other sites featured several Hands-On reports, Previews, and one video interview with Jon Knoles on Gamespot. These were the newest updates on the game's development since the third quarter of 2007. Until the game is released, more videos, screens, blogs, etc., will be released to the public on different sites at different times. A demo was supposed to be released on Xbox Live and the Playstation Network, however, since several sandblast employees have been laid off, the demo they have is very old and doesn't represent the game properly.

The game will have Offline Co-op and Competitive modes, as well as Online Co-op and competitive. All 5 locations are said to be open for free roam, and According to creative director Jon Knoles in an interview with IGTV, the 5 worlds will change accordingly to fit multi-player purposes. There are said to be several different off line modes, including a mode that pits Crypto against his own saucer. Multi-player is also supposedly capable of having 4 off line co-op players.

Destroy All Humans! Path of the Furon has over 30 story missions, 20 side quests, and multiplayer modes to be revealed later. Creative director Jon Knoles also stated that the side quests would be related to the story and would also be creative. Knoles also state that the achievements are tied to specific statistic tracking in game, and they are unique to the wild and crazy weapons and abilities found only in PotF. IGN stated that when you take the "Sunny" off of the SunnyWood sign you'll get a funny cut scene and one of the more creative achievements. There are also repeatable challenges and mini-games that you can return to over and over to better your score and collect more rewards. It has also been stated most story missions can be played in non-linear order.

A list of Achievements can be found here. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0a/PotFboxart.jpg/256px-PotFboxart.jpg

These come in a different variety for each invasion site.

Las Paradiso - Furon Crash Test Dummies

Sunnywood - Furon Emperor Statues

Shen Long - Pox's Record Collection

Bevelle - Furon Nails

4th Ring of Furon - Lava Lamps

According to creative director, Jon Knoles, there is something in the neighborhood of 15,000 lines of spoken dialogue in the game. There will be much more back and forth banter between Crypto and Pox, interactive conversations, and many more human minds to read. Knoles also stated that "Crypto is as cranky, crass, irreverent, horny and homicidal as ever, maybe more than ever." This is a sure sign that Crypto's personality will still be the same. Not much dialogue has been released for Pox yet, except a few quotes released with Knole's IGN blogs. Knoles also stated that Grant and Richard would still be lending their voices to Crypto and Pox. It has been confirmed that the game will have more of the more interactive conversation games, such as the Mayor’s speech in the first Destroy All Humans! game, as Crypto addresses a group of humans, often while disguised as one, and manipulates them through carefully chosen words.

• The Nexo Walkers are NOT vehicles, they are actually, giant cyborgs.

• Crypto's face looks aged and redisigned with eyes that have a red tint, and he holds the weapons differently.

• Crypto's slow walk and run are different.

• Orthopox has a new HoloPox Unit with 3 extendable arms that allow him to interact with items and grab objects. He is also silver, thinner, floats higher, and has much more maneuverability.

• Crypto will come across an alien worshiping cult called Alientology in Sunnywood.

• Some weapons that were cut from the game include:

  • -A “super-sizer” gun, which would inflate humans into a balloon, float them upward and then explode them. Cute, but cut.

  • -A “collosamorpher” gun that would grow a human into a 50 foot tall giant, which would stumble around and cause a lot of destruction on its own. This got out of control when we decided you should be able to body snatch it and be the monster. Cut.

  • -'“Spider-bots” that would shoot out from a missile and swarm humans, latching onto their heads and yanking out their brains. Great idea, but cut.

  • -The “Cowitzer” launched a cow complete with a plaintiff “mooo,” which rag-dolled through the air, detonated and stunned enemies in a choking cloud of noxious gas. Of all the weapons that didn’t make it, this is the cut that stung the most.

• Some weapons which were fun or funny as they sounded include:

  • -Turn the edge of the Saucer into a giant buzz-saw and drive right through buildings.

  • -De-molecularize (is that a word?) buildings, making them vanish into thin air.

  • -Clamp a pair of giant 70s style headphones to a building and shake it to death with disco.

  • -Someone even suggested we could “scare” a building into running away on its own “feet.”

• Some alien weapon ideas that made it into the game, one way or another:

  • -A giant man-eating plant that you could feed by hand. Which was officially created to be the Venus Human Trap or VHT.

  • -A black hole that could be used as a nuke weapon, sucking everything around it into another dimension. Which was officially created to be the Black Hole Gun.

  • -A “super bouncy ball” – originally planned as a re-invention of DAH2’s groovy Dislocator, this would hit enemies and then send them bouncing all over the place. Which was officially created to be the Super Baller.

  • -A time-distortion gun. This localized time slow down effect evolved into a global time stop effect which is now Crypto’s most powerful mental ability, Temporal Fist. This feature alone will need its own blog to describe what it lets you do.