Highlander: The Game
Encyclopedia
Highlander: The Game is an action role-playing game
based on the Highlander franchise; it was to be published by Square Enix
for Windows
, PlayStation 3
, and Xbox 360
. It was announced on January 14, 2008 by way of a trailer on Gametrailers.com. On December 10, 2010, it was announced that the game has been officially canceled.
Highlander: The Game was to be a third-person action game featuring a previously unknown Immortal, Owen MacLeod as the main character.
An Immortal can only be killed via decapitation
. Thus, Owen cannot die from other wounds that would be fatal to a mortal such as gunshots, electrocution, and falls from a great height. At most, he can "die" for a brief period of time, reviving fully intact once his body has healed itself. As such, certain encounters would have involved Owen deliberately performing incredibly dangerous actions, such as using his body as a conductor for high-voltage electrical currents and jumping off of buildings to escape pursuers.
Over and above his ability to withstand otherwise lethal attacks, Owen would be able to use certain magical abilities, going against the franchise's previous depictions of Immortals as ordinary men and women who do not age. Such abilities, which were never explained in depth, included "chi balance", "fireblade", "wind fury" and "stone armor", to name a few. Like any other Immortal in the Highlander franchise, Owen must wield various types of swords to do battle with other Immortals. Owen can also choose between different combat styles to defeat his enemies.
The game was to span roughly eighteen missions in which Owen would encounter up to seventy-seven unique characters. Some of these characters would have been Immortals just like Owen and must be slain. Some of these characters were previously known - Connor MacLeod
and Duncan MacLeod
were both expected to make appearances and Methos
was confirmed as Owen's mentor.
The story, written by David Abramowitz who was Creative Consultant (Head Writer) on Highlander: The Series
, revolves around Owen MacLeod, ancestor to both Connor MacLeod
and Duncan MacLeod
. It begins over two thousand years ago. And similar to other Highlander films and media, the story spans several timelines including Ancient Gaul
, Pompeii
, and finally modern-day New York City
.
Owen is captured and enslaved by Romans who force him to compete as a gladiator
. During this time, Owen dies only to come back to life. Methos
, the oldest living Immortal, approaches Owen to be his mentor. He teaches Owen about The Game and how he and other immortals can only be slain by beheading.
As with other Immortal MacLeods, Owen is pursued throughout his life by an arch-nemesis. This enemy proves to be extremely powerful, one that Owen is unable to defeat. Owen learns of a magical stone, fragments of which are scattered all over the world. Throughout the game, Owen embarks upon a quest to recover these fragments and restore the stone in an attempt to gain the power to overcome his foe.
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
based on the Highlander franchise; it was to be published by Square Enix
Square Enix
is a Japanese video game and publishing company best known for its console role-playing game franchises, which include the Final Fantasy series, the Dragon Quest series, and the action-RPG Kingdom Hearts series...
for Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
. It was announced on January 14, 2008 by way of a trailer on Gametrailers.com. On December 10, 2010, it was announced that the game has been officially canceled.
Gameplay
An Immortal can only be killed via decapitation
Decapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
. Thus, Owen cannot die from other wounds that would be fatal to a mortal such as gunshots, electrocution, and falls from a great height. At most, he can "die" for a brief period of time, reviving fully intact once his body has healed itself. As such, certain encounters would have involved Owen deliberately performing incredibly dangerous actions, such as using his body as a conductor for high-voltage electrical currents and jumping off of buildings to escape pursuers.
Over and above his ability to withstand otherwise lethal attacks, Owen would be able to use certain magical abilities, going against the franchise's previous depictions of Immortals as ordinary men and women who do not age. Such abilities, which were never explained in depth, included "chi balance", "fireblade", "wind fury" and "stone armor", to name a few. Like any other Immortal in the Highlander franchise, Owen must wield various types of swords to do battle with other Immortals. Owen can also choose between different combat styles to defeat his enemies.
The game was to span roughly eighteen missions in which Owen would encounter up to seventy-seven unique characters. Some of these characters would have been Immortals just like Owen and must be slain. Some of these characters were previously known - Connor MacLeod
Connor MacLeod
Connor MacLeod, also known as The Highlander, is a fictional character in the Highlander film series, as well as the television programs Highlander: The Series, and Highlander: The Animated Series...
and Duncan MacLeod
Duncan MacLeod
Duncan MacLeod is a fictional character from the Highlander multiverse. Duncan MacLeod serves as the protagonist for the TV continuation of the Highlander franchise, which comprises Highlander: The Series and its spin-off movies, Highlander: Endgame and Highlander: The Source...
were both expected to make appearances and Methos
Methos
Methos is a fictional character from the Highlander universe - the film series, the television show Highlander: The Series, and several fiction books. He is an Immortal. He is portrayed by actor Peter Wingfield in both series and the movies. Methos, as one of the The Four Horsemen, represents...
was confirmed as Owen's mentor.
Story
Highlander: The Series
Highlander: The Series is a fantasy-adventure television series featuring Duncan MacLeod of the Scottish Clan MacLeod, as the Highlander. It was an offshoot and another alternate sequel of the 1986 feature film with a twist: Connor MacLeod did not win the prize and Immortals still exist post-1985...
, revolves around Owen MacLeod, ancestor to both Connor MacLeod
Connor MacLeod
Connor MacLeod, also known as The Highlander, is a fictional character in the Highlander film series, as well as the television programs Highlander: The Series, and Highlander: The Animated Series...
and Duncan MacLeod
Duncan MacLeod
Duncan MacLeod is a fictional character from the Highlander multiverse. Duncan MacLeod serves as the protagonist for the TV continuation of the Highlander franchise, which comprises Highlander: The Series and its spin-off movies, Highlander: Endgame and Highlander: The Source...
. It begins over two thousand years ago. And similar to other Highlander films and media, the story spans several timelines including Ancient Gaul
Gaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
, Pompeii
Pompeii
The city of Pompeii is a partially buried Roman town-city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei. Along with Herculaneum, Pompeii was destroyed and completely buried during a long catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning...
, and finally modern-day New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Owen is captured and enslaved by Romans who force him to compete as a gladiator
Gladiator
A gladiator was an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire in violent confrontations with other gladiators, wild animals, and condemned criminals. Some gladiators were volunteers who risked their legal and social standing and their lives by appearing in the...
. During this time, Owen dies only to come back to life. Methos
Methos
Methos is a fictional character from the Highlander universe - the film series, the television show Highlander: The Series, and several fiction books. He is an Immortal. He is portrayed by actor Peter Wingfield in both series and the movies. Methos, as one of the The Four Horsemen, represents...
, the oldest living Immortal, approaches Owen to be his mentor. He teaches Owen about The Game and how he and other immortals can only be slain by beheading.
As with other Immortal MacLeods, Owen is pursued throughout his life by an arch-nemesis. This enemy proves to be extremely powerful, one that Owen is unable to defeat. Owen learns of a magical stone, fragments of which are scattered all over the world. Throughout the game, Owen embarks upon a quest to recover these fragments and restore the stone in an attempt to gain the power to overcome his foe.