WARNING: This article may be too intensely nerdy, even by Gamervision standards. Read at your discretion.

Well, this one kind of came out of nowhere. 505 Games sent out a press release announcing the one and only (well, that’s not really true anymore, but you know what I mean) vampire slayer’s return to video games. That’s right, Buffy’s back, and she’ll be making her first-ever appearance on the DS. Although it’s been five years since the show ended, the series has been continued wonderfully into the realm of comic books, so it’s not like the Slayer lore has ever gone away completely. Still, I wasn’t really expecting a new game anytime soon, to be honest.

As a huge, huge, HUGE Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, I honestly have no idea what to make of this. I love the show in a way that words can’t quite properly express, and the Season Eight comics have been fantastic, so this should be good news, right? On the other hand, some of the information about the press release troubles me. First of all, it claims to take place in Sunnydale after Season 7, but for anyone who’s actually seen the show (i.e., the target audience for this game), we know that Sunnydale has been completely wiped off the map and replaced by a giant crater. So how, exactly, is the Scooby Gang going to be hanging out at the Bronze? Are we taking another trip to Bizarro Sunnydale, here?

The game also promises to feature many familiar faces from the show, including Angel, the Master, Caleb, the First Evil, and of course, the rest of the Scoobies. Some of that also doesn’t sit well with me if this is, indeed, a post-Season 7 game; it sounds more like this game is trying to make its own Season 7, and I’m not quite sure how I feel about this. In fact, my mind is so jumbled by all of this right now, I can’t even type anymore. Look at some pictures and check out the press release below for more information.

VAMPIRES BEWARE: BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER HIGH-KICKING HER WAY ONTO DS FOR THE FIRST TIME
505 Games Announces Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Sacrifice Exclusively on Nintendo DS Through Agreement With Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising
Milton Keynes, July 11th – 505 Games today announced a deal with Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising to unleash an official new game based on the world-famous Buffy the Vampire Slayer franchise, exclusively for the Nintendo DS.

Currently under development by Romanian studio Beast, Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Sacrifice combines third-person and first-person gameplay to create an experience like nothing else on Nintendo DS. The stakes are high for players as they take on the role of Buffy to seal the re-opened Hellmouth in an original story penned by Rob Deshotel, a writer from the TV series.

This action-packed 3D survival horror game sees Buffy using a range of special weapons, powerful spells and martial arts to take out vicious vampires and demons. In addition to these enemies, players also come across recognisable characters from the show, including Spike, Angel, the Master, the First Evil, Caleb and, of course, the Scooby Gang.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for 505 Games and we’re working extremely closely with Fox to ensure this is the definitive Buffy the Vampire Slayer experience,” said Rowan Tafler, Global Brand Manager, 505 Games. “Buffy’s return to videogames is great for long-time fans of the franchise and we hope the huge market reach of the Nintendo DS will help to create new fans too.”

Elie Dekel, Executive Vice President Twentieth Century Fox Licensing & Merchandising added, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a franchise that continues to excite people around the world. Although there are no new productions of the series there is an enduring legacy that lives on through syndication, comic books and video games like these. We’re sure DS players are going to love this version.”

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Sacrifice will be available exclusively throughout Europe on Nintendo DS November 2008.

Key features:

• Play as Buffy the Vampire Slayer through 24 levels using a third person camera.
• Unlock and use more than 20 types of unique Slayer weapons.
• Fight more than 12 different level bosses and sub-bosses, including First Evil, the boss of all bosses.
• Play “Challenge Mode” in first-person for fast-paced action and an increased difficulty level.
• Solve puzzle missions to unlock new areas.
• Collect spells to increase Buffy’s supernatural and physical abilities.
• Explore 12 dynamic environments and search for up to four hidden ones.
• Use breakable objects located within in all environments to battle demons and vampires.
• Unique story set after the climactic seventh season of the TV series, written by Rob Deshotel, one of the original writers of the TV series.
• Explore locations from the TV show, including Sunnydale High, the Bronze and the Hellmouth.

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