Death by Foo

Described as Thief meets Spy vs. Spy, Swedish development team Idol FX is working on a sneak, steal and trap-'em-up based around the idea of robbing a randomly generated palace before dawn whilst laying traps for unwitting competitors. The game is set in ancient China, and the object is to loot the most without succumbing to traps set by your contemporaries. It's your choice which traps and trap components to take into the palace for assembly, but the more you carry the less loot you can carry out.

The game's stars are five different selectable characters; the Dragon, the Tiger, the Ape, the Panda and the Rat, each with their own special skills and characteristics. Each will scour the house for loot, including valuables which can be used to access elusive trap components. Arguably the best thing about Foo though is that whenever someone sets off a trap, you can observe their brutal demise in real-time.

Foo will include multiplayer LAN support, and is due for release across Europe in Q1 2003. Singularity has also released a few screenshots to illustrate their claims. One to look forward to.