Hot off the presses from the PC Gaming Show, Paramount Game Studios has just released a brand new teaser trailer for their upcoming game starring everyone’s favorite Renaissance-inspired reptilian rascals, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! The game is called Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Tactical Takedown, and is taking the Turtles into uncharted territory in the form of a turn-based, bite-sized strategy game. Check out the trailer out for yourself right here:
The first thing that sticks out to me is the visuals: Characters take the form of miniature figures, complete with stands that maintain their rigid stature despite bouncing and flipping around the digital landscape. It’s a really fun take on a franchise that’s seen practically every other style of visual design throughout the years, as well as a sweet callback to classic hallmarks of the TMNT franchise, like the Palladium TMNT RPG books or the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shadows of the Past board game published by IDW.
The other fascinating choice is Paramount’s decision to go with developer Strange Scaffold for the creation of this new title. Strange Scaffold is a real indie darling in the video game community, having previously developed a number of strange, stylistic, and deeply-loved titles such as I Am Your Beast and El Paso, Elsewhere.
“Building a truly powerful licensed game requires a deep respect for the source material, love for the fans, and a willingness to challenge tentpoles of the universe to create something that both surprises and delights,” said Xalavier Nelson Jr., founder of Strange Scaffold. “Bringing that kind of experience to life requires an equally powerful relationship – so I will be forever grateful to Doug Rosen and the team at Paramount for their collaboration, and putting their trust in our team to make an original take on the world that soars. I get to make a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles game where the very first lines of dialogue establish that Shredder and Splinter are dead. Who else can say that?”
This may not only be the chance for a smash-hit commercial success for the indie developer, but also a potential early marker for a shift in licensed game development. Perhaps more major producers will take a page from Paramount and start seeking these hungry, lesser-known developers for their major licensed games so that we get to see more unique, fresh takes on franchises we thought we knew so well!
