Kotaku: mysterious mysteries

The Mysterious Project Origin Case Opens

Mike Fahey — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:20:00 MST

Last week I received a mysterious case, delivered to a local storage facility with instructions to post a video in order to receive an unlock code. Now the case has been opened - what's inside?

The small metal case was found inside a storage locker a short drive from my home, following directions that arrived via a mysterious letter in the mail. For the past week I've been staring at this thing, idly running through the numbers now and then to see if I might stumble across the unlock code, to no avail. Now a post on the Project Origin community forums from a user named Caseman has revealed the combination. Anyone have money on 332?

Hit the jump for a video of the case opening, and more questions.

All of this seems to be building up to a F.E.A.R. 2 event to take place in New York in the middle of next month. The pictures seem to be schematics for some sort of gaming chair / monitoring device. As for the pictures of the two uniformed men doing something to an SUV, I have no earthly clue. Is that a light of some sort they are screwing around with? Why don't you have a look for yourself.

Oh, and the flash drive contained another message from the shadowy figure, this time with clips of top-secret Armacham Technology Corporation experiments on unlocking the latent psychic powers in ordinary humans, which I probably shouldn't post.

I said probably.

What The Hell Is Inside This Case?

Mike Fahey — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 09:40:00 MST

A mysterious letter arrived in my mailbox yesterday, containing the address of a local storage facility and the key to the lock on the door that opened to reveal this small, metal briefcase.

What. The. Hell. Filled with creepiness, no? Not only did they have my mailing address, the storage facility was but a 2 minute drive from my house, so following my traditional Thanksgiving dinner and the accompanying nap, I drove out into the cold, dark night to an empty storage facility in a part of town that certainly wouldn't win any awards, just to see what the hell was going on here.

As any regular watcher of supernatural television fiction - The X-Files, Fringe, etc. - empty storage facilities are extremely spooky. Just rows and rows of locked doors under flickering florescent lighting. The ride to the second floor in a giant freight elevator would have been harrowing, but recent games have taught me that elevators, once devices used for high drama, are now simply used for seamlessly loading new areas.

Entering the new area I quickly found the correct door, unlocked the padlock (which is still in my possession because hey - free padlock), and discovered a tiny, locked silver case sitting in the center of the cold concrete floor.

Go go dramatic effect!

I brought the case home, and realized that the letter had also been packed with a DVD. On it, the following video message:

Attention Mr Spookyman: It's very hard to tell no one about any of this while still posting an image of the case. Besides, no one goes to that much trouble masking their voice and appearing all shadowy when they don't want attention.

Anyway, all we know so far is:
1. This has something to do with F.E.A.R. 2, previously known as Project Origin.
2. There is something going on in New York, which is a great deal north of where I live.
3. Shadowy figure is all shadowy.
4. Someone associated with this project knows how to use Google Maps.
5. The case has a three-digit combination, which I theoretically could crack way before December 5th, though it would ruin the dramatic tension.

For now, we wait. I have the case sitting next to me, and every once in awhile I turn the tumblers randomly, just to see if it opens. I suppose I could start from 000 and work my way up to 999, but they know where I live, so it might be wiser to simply leave well enough alone.

Tune in next week for the hopefully dramatic conclusion to the Case of the Case Case. Cue dramatic cliffhanger music!

What Is They?

Mike Fahey — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 09:40:31 MDT

What is They? Other than the fact that it is a mystery first person shooter for PC and next generation consoles, I have no earthly clue, but IMC seems to think it is a big deal, issuing a release about the game, which will debut behind closed doors at the Games Convention in Leipzig, along with this single screenshot meant to whet our appetites for more.

„THEY" features a technically future minded 3D engine with next generation effects, brand new gameplay elements and a revolutionary weapon system to survive the challenges ahead! But always remember: Nothing is as it seems!

Vague, vague vague. I am, however, intrigued by one line in the features list from the release below. "Unique weapon system that makes you „love" your weapons." For the sake of the less gutter-minded among us I shall leave the speculation to the comments section.

World Premiere: THEY debuts at Games Convention 2007!
Cologne/Leipzig 30.7.2007

This year's Games Convention, from 22nd - 26th August in Leipzig, will be the world's biggest game event in 2007. More than 180,000 visitors are expected and journalists from all over the world will see the next generation of games.

This is the right place and the right time to present world exclusively „THEY". The next generation mystery first person shooter for PC and next generation consoles will be unveiled at Leipzig Games Convention!

„THEY" are huge - „THEY" are different - „THEY" are hostile!

Be one of the selected media to see a thirty minutes behind closed doors presentation - at the Business Center, Hall 1, IMC booth K36. By appointment only the brains behind „THEY" will present the first playable scenes of this FPS, so mysterious, so stunning and so amazing - that „THEY" might become one of the most anticipated world premiere titles from this year's Games Convention!

„THEY" features a technically future minded 3D engine with next generation effects, brand new gameplay elements and a revolutionary weapon system to survive the challenges ahead! But always remember: Nothing is as it seems!

Facts and features:

Title: THEY
Platforms: PC & next generation console
Release date: 2008/2009
Genre: First person mystery shooter
Scenario: Near Future

- next generation 3D engine
- unique weapon system that makes you „love" your weapons
- mysterious science fiction background story
- diversified enemies - thrilling and intelligent
- heroes to identify with
- heavy usage of physics
- destructible environment relevant for gameplay
- haunting single player mode
- versatile multiplayer modes