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We spoke with the developers of JAWS: Unleashed, one of the hottest, and bloodiest, games of the year. With a name like JAWS, one thing's for sure; this ain't no Ecco.

Kids just love Steve Friedman. He and Appaloosa Interactive, the company he founded well over 20 years ago, are directly responsible for bringing audiences Ecco the Dolphin's award-winning adventures.

So it came as something of a shock when the developer's newest project, JAWS Unleashed (Majesco, PC/PS2/Xbox)--an exceptionally gory outing that sees players assume the role of man-eating shark--was recently revealed. Why the sudden sea change? How does a developer go from creating adorable aquatic creatures to antagonistic alpha predators? And just what are gamers to make of it all? The undersea expert answers all these questions and more in our revealing QA.

Games.net: First, the obvious question--why get into the business of making simulations about aquatic dwellers to begin with?

Steve Friedman: Appaloosa has always had an interest in creating games starring rich, lifelike characters. We also wanted to created titles that reach a broad audience of game players. The characters and universe featured in Ecco appeal to people of all walks of life, not just the traditional gamer.

Games.net: So you just, uh... randomly took the plunge?

S.F.: Well, getting back to character design, certain creatures such dolphins and sharks evoke strong interest from people. As such, they were a natural place for us to start. With Ecco, we knew that our audience would be attracted to its dolphins and beautiful undersea environments, setting the stage for an intriguing cast of characters and wonderful interactive experience.

Games.net: Gotcha. But why the sudden switch into darker, bloodier territory?

S.F.: We've been making games for more than two decades. Back in the day, we created properties targeted at players of all age groups. And we pretty much always cast gamers as the good guy. After Ecco, we toyed with the idea of creating a more action-oriented game where you controlled a powerful and deadly shark. JAWS may seem a bit contrary to the types of titles that we have created in the past. But the theme is something we've long suspected would interest audiences. It's a concept we've always wanted to explore.

Games.net: How hard was it to shift gears from a development standpoint?

S.F.: Let's just say the challenges were numerous. Ecco is a different type of experience altogether than JAWS Unleashed. The gameplay mechanisms we had to create were completely different from the outset. Sharks and dolphins are totally different types of animals in real life. Naturally, when you simulate each creature, it results in two unique experiences for the player.

Games.net: From a gameplay standpoint, how do these differences manifest themselves in JAWS?

S.F.: Although both series are set in and around water, the Ecco titles are essentially adventure games that offers many puzzles, while JAWS Unleashed is an action/arcade (OK, "slasher...) game. Differences will be quite obvious to players... Here, you're gobbling down good guys and scaring innocent people. All activities Ecco wouldn't approve of.

Games.net: Even after all these years of working on underwater adventures, have you learned anything new from pounding away on the project?

S.F.: Certainly. We continue to learn a lot about creating underwater games and games based on animals as they can be rather complex to build. With Ecco, most of the action occurred underwater... we didn't focus too much on what was happening on the surface. With JAWS, where the action takes place both above and below sea level, it's almost as if there are two different worlds in which the player can play.

Games.net: One of the game's coolest parts is its dismemberment function--people break apart in over 25 ways. What's up with that?

S.F.: Well, it's not like sharks are vegetarians. You have to model what happens when one attacks realistically, or the experience just wouldn't look right. But it's not like there was a lot of interactive reference material out there for us to draw from. We wound up viewing film footage of actual shark attacks and playing a lot of games that featured objects breaking into little bits as inspiration.

Games.net: Fair enough. Let's talk about the artificial intelligence of the critters/humans you'll meet in JAWS Unleashed.

S.F.: Simple - these characters are prey. We wanted them to act like victims might behave in the real world. For instance, when people are hunted, they panic and do irrational things in the water like swim downwards towards the ocean floor instead of swimming to the surface or to a boat for help. This type of behavior occurs in the game as well.

As for sea creatures, some of them are very offensive... as in, much more so than they would be in the real world. Others are evasive and defensive. It's tricky to describe in words, but the game has a "hunter/hunted... play mechanic going on at all times in the background.

Games.net: What gives - why scrap the movie's plot for a fresh storyline of your own creation?

S.F.: Everyone's seen the film; we felt it would be better to create a continuation set in modern times. And everyone knows how humans feel about JAWS Unleashed--it seemed much more interesting to show the shark's side of things instead, hence the new script. You'll find references to the movie throughout the game though. It's not like we've completely gone off in left field.

Games.net: Maybe so, but just who is this title aimed at?

S.F.: Mature audiences, anyone who enjoys a good horror movie, and sharks, naturally.

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