Hunter S. Thompson once wrote, "When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro." Taking that dictum to heart, xii games not long ago announced Resonance, a science fiction adventure targeted for commercial release some time next year.

Although Resonance is the first for-profit project from xii games, the label has previously produced two notable Underground titles: the minimalistic space drama Anna and the certifiably strange What Linus Bruckman Sees When His Eyes Are Closed (recently reviewed by Adventure Gamers). These games won acclaim as unique and innovative examples of the adventure game form, but Vince Twelve — the man behind xii games — admits that their mind-bending logic puzzles turned off many adventure gamers. Resonance will therefore be a more conventional third-person adventure, with a focus on storytelling and lighter puzzles:

"Resonance is set in a not-so-distant future when a particle physicist's mysterious and spectacular death starts a race to find his hidden vault and claim his terrifying new discovery. The player will take control of four complete strangers whose lives become entangled in the aftermath of the physicist's demise. They'll have to learn to trust each other quickly though, because in less than 72 hours, an event will take place that will change the world forever."

Even while targeting a more mainstream audience, Resonance promises to offer a number of fresh ideas. One unusual feature is a triple inventory, consisting of the standard collection of items, as well as a short- and long-term memory for the characters. How this system will be integrated into the gameplay remains to be seen.

Resonance is written and designed by Vince Twelve, with character art by Shane Stevens (Mind's Eye, The Shivah), background art by Latvian artist Nauris Krauze, and music by Nikolas Sideris (Linus, the just-released A Tale of Two Kingdoms). The release date is tentatively set for some time in 2008. In the mean time, a developer's diary is regularly posted on the xii games official web site.