CHALLENGE

When Lionsgate Films came knocking on our door asking us to make a web experience promoting the DVD release of their film, our ears perked up. As a shop full of movie buffs and action geeks, we were naturally drawn to the project. How could we best capture the essence of the blistering action and excitement the film serves up to its viewers? The answer was simple: fighting.

STRATEGY

We created a fighting interface that would allow the spirit of competition to blossom in a simple and intuitive way. Rather than doing a real-time fighting system, visitors take a more strategic approach to the battle, choosing an arsenal of martial arts moves that will either help or hinder them in combat against their opponent.

CREATIVE AND EXECUTION

When the game starts up, users are invited to create an account in order to log their scores and keep track of their character's skill. The player then chooses the FBI agent, representing Jason Statham's character, or the Assassin, representing Jet Li's. At the outset, the character's abilities are minimal, and winning is not a given. Challenging newcomers is a smart first step before climbing up to the more experienced competitors. The player is permitted to choose two defensive, two offensive, and one special move with which to battle, and herein lies the meat of the game. Learning other fighters' tendencies and developing strategies allows players to shoot up the leaderboard. By winning matches against online opponents, the player is awarded skill points with which to improve their character's abilities. As skills improve, so do the chances of winning. Like a mix of both chess and rock-paper-scissors, Declare War combines elements of strategy and luck to deliver a fun experience that will keep fans returning for more.