Lucas Arts announces 'RTX Redrock' for PS2 & GCN
by Julius Bautista

Monday, May 13, 2002

New sci-fi action-adventure slated for spring 2003. Wow, it's not Star Wars this time.

---Lucas Arts Press Release

SAN RAFAEL, Calif. -- May 7, 2002 -- 100 years in the future Red Rock, mankind's first colony on Mars, is besieged by a brutal alien force and military leaders on faraway Earth are stymied – so they call on Radical Tactics Expert (RTX) Eugene Zeno "E.Z." Wheeler as their best hope in RTX Red Rock from LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC. RTX Red Rock is an epic third-person action-adventure expected to release spring 2003 on PlayStation 2 and Nintendo® GameCube.

Radical Tactics Experts, who evolved out of the military's special forces, are the smartest and toughest members of the armed services, uniquely known for their strategic thinking, adaptability, and pure military muscle. Individuals from this elite unit are trained for insertion into undefined combat situations where even a small team is too large and unwieldy. In RTX Red Rock players immerse themselves into the role of Wheeler, who engages in fierce tactical combat, investigates mysterious, foreboding environments, and solves challenging puzzles to reclaim the Red Rock colony on Mars.

The game begins when Wheeler embarks on a reconnaissance mission to Mars' inner moon, Phobos, to monitor the movements of the L.E.D.s, a ruthlessly hostile alien species who have ransacked the colony. The expectation is that everyone is dead. Upon arrival, Wheeler picks up a distress call from Cimmeria Rajan, Red Rock's young and beautiful Chief Colony Officer. Contrary to the military's worst fears, she and a handful of others survived the alien invasion. Wheeler quickly descends to the planet's surface for a sustained rescue operation that challenges him to swim through underground waterways, cross Mars' frozen deserts, penetrate the colony ruins, and sneak into alien ships, battling L.E.D.s at every turn.

"RTX Red Rock follows in the tradition of classic award-winning original games from LucasArts such as Grim Fandango®, The Dig®, and Full Throttle®," says Tom Byron, director of product marketing for LucasArts. "We know players will quickly welcome E.Z. Wheeler into the LucasArts family of heroes, as this game perfectly blends them with a rich, compelling story and gripping game play."

Action in RTX Red Rock is distinguished by Wheeler's unique mechanized abilities, granted to him through a series of medical operations to mend previous combat injuries. Wheeler's synthetic right arm is both tool and weapon, upgradeable to grappling hook, taser, grenade launcher, and more. Likewise, his synthetic left eye is sensitive to special wavelengths and can be used to locate and target hidden aliens, identify traps, and uncover power-ups throughout the game's 10 levels. State-of-the-art computer techniques allow LucasArts to blend realism and fantasy, bringing players to the planet Mars in a way never before possible.

Joining Wheeler in this treacherous adventure is his faithful digital sidekick IRIS (Independent Removable Information System). IRIS is a portable computer module with an impudent female personality. When inserted into standard ports on various robots and control panels she comes to chattering life and, guided by the player, helps Wheeler solve his problems. Utilizing control of IRIS for portions of the game, players directly command robots, Martian rovers, and other highly maneuverable alien craft. RTX Red Rock also will feature a two-player split-screen multiplayer mode for head-to-head battles, capture the flag tournaments, and exhilarating races in some of the game's many vehicles.

About LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company LLC is a leading international developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software for a variety of computer and console platforms. Based in San Rafael, Calif., as well as on the Internet at www.lucasarts.com, LucasArts is one of four companies in the Lucas group which include Lucasfilm Ltd., Lucas Digital Ltd. LLC, and Lucas Licensing Ltd. Lucasfilm is one of the leading film and entertainment companies in the world. Lucasfilm's businesses include George Lucas' film and television production and distribution activities as well as the business activities of the THX Group. Lucas Digital, which consists of Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) and Skywalker Sound, provides visual effects and audio post-production services to the entertainment industry. Lucas Licensing is responsible for the merchandising of all Lucasfilm's film and television properties.