Stranglehold: Interactive Cinema

Midway reveals how artists turn a classic action flick into a next-generation blockbuster. New screens included.

The folks behind Stranglehold intend on blurring the line between Hollywood and the games industry. They pretty much made that clear right from the start. And what better way to begin than propose a videogame sequel to Hard Boiled, one of the coolest action flicks in the history of movies? Since the initial announcement, the gaming press has blasted through select, unfinished levels of Stranglehold. To say the game looks good, well, would be a major understatement.

One of the most impressive aspects of the game, the thing that really binds it to its celluloid predecessor, is strictly visual. If a videogame wants to deliver the feel and atmosphere of a seminal action film, then it had better look the part. Midway knows this all too well and enlisted a posse of hardcore artists to give Stranglehold its visceral edge. To get a better picture, IGN spoke with the game's Art Director, Jason Kaehler, who had a lot to say concerning the upcoming action opus.