Video interview: Bethesda's Pete Hines on WET
What does WET stand for?
WET is short for wetworks, which is a CIA term for operations where your hands are literally going to get wet with blood. We want you, as the player, to always be shooting, always be taking people out, whether it's with your guns or your sword. You're running around walls, jumping, spinning, sliding. It's about comboing together cool moves to take out your enemies and doing in this cool 70s Grindhouse look.
What gives WET its Grindhouse feel?
You really get that Grindhouse feel from the VO work from folks like Eliza Dushku, voice of Ruby (the character you play), Malcolm McDowell. There is a lot of music in the game, both from Brian LeBarton, who works with Beck, created an original soundtrack for the game that's kind of really cool and hip and funky; and then layered on top of that are all these tracks we got from indie bands that have this cool rockabilly type sound that fit really well with both the original soundtrack and with the game.
Gallery: WET
How was Eliza Dushku selected for the lead role?
She's got a really good voice and a really good personality that I think helps Ruby's personality come out. She's just a really good fit for the kind of character that we wanted Ruby to be in the game.
What's Bethesda's role in producing the game?
Bethesda got involved with WET early this year, in February or March, so the game was a long ways towards completion by the time we hooked up with A2M, and said "we want to help you guys bring this game out." Duppy Demetrius, who wrote a couple of seasons of 24, is the writer of the main quest in WET. So all of these guys A2M had gone out to on their own and said "these are the kind of folks we want involved." It's just a game that's got style. It's a game that's fun to play. When they brought it and showed it to us, we all wanted to take a turn with the controller, playing the game.
Is Bethesda moving away from internally-produced games?
We've never been focused on a developer versus a publisher -- we've always been both for the almost 25 years we've been in business. I think the difference is, that the things we're best known for are our internally developed titles, which we've published. But we've been working with external developers for a really long time. We continue to look for the right folks to work with and the kind of games that we want and the sort of studios that are able to manage quality on their own. I think a studio like A2M is a great example of that:really motivated bunch of guys that had a clear vision for the kind of game they wanted to make and didn't need us to come in and say "we don't know what we're doing, please help us." They knew what they wanted to do; we just kind of helped them execute it and get it to completion.
She's got a really good voice and a really good personality that I think helps Ruby's personality come out. She's just a really good fit for the kind of character that we wanted Ruby to be in the game.
What's Bethesda's role in producing the game?
Bethesda got involved with WET early this year, in February or March, so the game was a long ways towards completion by the time we hooked up with A2M, and said "we want to help you guys bring this game out." Duppy Demetrius, who wrote a couple of seasons of 24, is the writer of the main quest in WET. So all of these guys A2M had gone out to on their own and said "these are the kind of folks we want involved." It's just a game that's got style. It's a game that's fun to play. When they brought it and showed it to us, we all wanted to take a turn with the controller, playing the game.
Is Bethesda moving away from internally-produced games?
We've never been focused on a developer versus a publisher -- we've always been both for the almost 25 years we've been in business. I think the difference is, that the things we're best known for are our internally developed titles, which we've published. But we've been working with external developers for a really long time. We continue to look for the right folks to work with and the kind of games that we want and the sort of studios that are able to manage quality on their own. I think a studio like A2M is a great example of that:really motivated bunch of guys that had a clear vision for the kind of game they wanted to make and didn't need us to come in and say "we don't know what we're doing, please help us." They knew what they wanted to do; we just kind of helped them execute it and get it to completion.














Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Dirty @ Aug 26th 2009 4:20PM
Played the demo last night. Reminded me of Stranglehold.... a lot. The controls were a bit stiff, and I could see the game play getting repetitive. That being the said the game certainly does have style.
NukeAssault @ Aug 26th 2009 4:23PM
Agree'D. The game is really stylish and i enjoyed that aspect of it a lot. I wish i could play in Ruby Vision the whole time. =D
Ben Forbes @ Aug 26th 2009 4:24PM
Agreed 100% with Dirty. Very much Stranglehold. Was quite fun, though, and the demo was comprehensive (3 very different levels), which I thought was considerate.
SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Aug 26th 2009 4:28PM
The stupid stuttering screen effect annoyed the hell out of me.
Honestly, that didn't need to be added. It's like they were compensating for visuals.
JayVe @ Aug 26th 2009 5:14PM
To me, WET felt like a gun-packing, free-form, hot-looking female Prince of Persia with a twist 70's-inspired punk and a tad of Æon Flux. The tutorials were clumsy, and initially left a bad flavor on the palette almost causing me to quit. Glad I stuck with it.
I hope Wet comes with challenge rooms not unlike the ones found in Bionic Commando: Rearmed, or Mirrors Edge.
SpydaKat 17 @ Aug 26th 2009 7:41PM
I really hope the polish it up a bit because the visuals (grain or not) look like something you'd expect from the last gen. The game play feels stiff and way too scripted, I mean you can't even shoot properly unless you target people. All this needs is a little more time in the oven and it could be something.
Fane @ Aug 27th 2009 7:25AM
The Wet demo also reminded me of the Stranglehold demo, in that I found it unplayable and immediately deleted it.
balevy88 @ Aug 26th 2009 4:25PM
Is it just me or do the graphics in the gallery here look way better than they do in the demo?
Robobagins @ Aug 26th 2009 6:26PM
You're right the graphics do look better here then they actually do. I was really interested in this game till I saw the demo at home. Really sad, and the gunfire sound really got on my nerves after a minute.
Reminded me far to much of stranglehold and PoP and not in any of the good ways either.
Ashitaka @ Aug 26th 2009 4:25PM
*Obligatory comment from stupid bot who constantly advertises WET's website and who has yet to be banned*
Andrew Yoon @ Aug 26th 2009 4:26PM
We've banned many of those people.
Baalzak @ Aug 26th 2009 4:36PM
And we thank you for that.
Ashitaka @ Aug 26th 2009 4:41PM
I saw the ban hammer strike a couple times in thread a while ago, but I didn't think the guy I was talking about had already been dealt with. If he has, then good :]
May I also suggest this user, you would do us all a favour by banning him too http://www.joystiq.com/profile/3178174/
Dirty @ Aug 26th 2009 5:24PM
I was hoping that was a link to cody's profile.
JUNG GUNS @ Aug 26th 2009 5:50PM
+1 for Dirty
THE WICKER MAN (BWF) (GT: Dalek Prime) @ Aug 26th 2009 6:09PM
That little "marketing campaign" insured I would not play this game. Also I heard Pete say a too much," BLAH BLAH DUSHKU, BLAH BLAH WET" and not enough of him saying," BLAH ELDER SCROLLS 5!!!" (Make it happen Pete.)
If we are throwing out ban hammer nods may I suggest the guy who keeps pimping his gaming blog and his lousy Shadow Complex "review"?
drdre74 @ Aug 26th 2009 4:28PM
this game is a Epic Fail! I played the demo and its really stiff. Its Stranglehold all over again and we saw how that game turned out.
SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Aug 26th 2009 6:23PM
If you want to see something stiff, you might want to look in my pants.
That's what you get for saying "epic fail". Don't. Thank you.
SpydaKat 17 @ Aug 26th 2009 7:37PM
The fact of you inviting him to do that is....disturbing.
Courtney @ Aug 27th 2009 7:19PM
You get stiffies from trolls looking in your pants?
uncle jesse @ Aug 26th 2009 4:29PM
"She's got a really good voice and a really good personality that I think helps Ruby's personality come out. She's just a really good fit for the kind of character that we wanted Ruby to be in the game."
*cuts to guy being stabbed in the nuts*
Great voice work!
Edog Lost @ Aug 26th 2009 4:38PM
Oh!!
A 2 M
I GET IT!!!
Neuromancer @ Aug 26th 2009 4:45PM
Hey-oh!!!
MC Double Def DP @ Aug 26th 2009 4:47PM
that's the best feature.
C.A. @ Aug 26th 2009 5:50PM
I don't get it?
MC Double Def DP @ Aug 26th 2009 6:46PM
you will on your wedding night!
David @ Aug 26th 2009 6:47PM
ass to mouth?
Neuromancer @ Aug 26th 2009 6:53PM
David you had to go and ruin it for everybody, didn't you.
David @ Aug 26th 2009 8:38PM
yeah, i should have put in spoiler tags.
...but while I'm at it, who wants to talk about blumpkins???
Gaymer @ Aug 26th 2009 4:40PM
The movie like flickering on the game demo gave me a headache.
I hope there's an option to turn it off.
Gstaff @ Aug 27th 2009 9:42AM
In the final game, there is an option to turn off the film effects.
David @ Aug 26th 2009 5:05PM
Oh man, this game gets me so....
uhh...
....excited.
Darth Ackbar @ Aug 26th 2009 5:11PM
hahaha. nice.
Bubbameister33 @ Aug 26th 2009 6:42PM
I thought you were going to say DRY.
David @ Aug 26th 2009 6:45PM
only you do that to me, bubba
Shadowbender ( Sweatshop Supporter In Hiding) @ Aug 26th 2009 5:35PM
Wow, that looks pretty darn amazing.
eNrique @ Aug 26th 2009 5:58PM
I played the demo and thought it was very repetitive, also the controls were a little odd.
samgt @ Aug 26th 2009 5:59PM
I didn't know that the demo was out.... O_o
By the way, this interview video is really great! Thanks joystiq!
SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Aug 26th 2009 6:24PM
It's on the European PSN Store.
N3M3515 @ Aug 26th 2009 6:52PM
Demo was horrible and made way too many lame efforts to be like a Tarantino film. Getting health involves chugging a bottle of booze and tossing it in the air and shooting it. Crappy film grain effect is crappy too.
SolidSnakeX @ Aug 30th 2009 2:24PM
No this demo that I played I thought it was sick!! Yes the controls were a bit hard to get used but then I figured it out the last level in the demo was a pain the controls were not working on that highway stage Simmons kept killing me ah but eventually I beat the demo if they can fix the play control this game will be a must own!!
ziggen @ Aug 26th 2009 7:24PM
This Game SUCKS
ChomskyKnows @ Aug 26th 2009 7:48PM
"unconventional controls and arcade-inspired combo system" sounds just gangbusters to me. Please throw in an uncontrollable camera, and it's a day 1 purchase for me! By day 1, I mean after I die, and go to hell.
magicianoffear @ Aug 26th 2009 8:11PM
Yeah, I played the demo on both the PS3(euro account) and 360, and the game looks horrid when compaired to the screen captures. The game has this really annoying 70's movie reel filter over the entire thing that adds lines and flicker to the whole picture, just like in old spaghetti westerns. Personally I find it headache inducing and it makes the game look cheap, also could be a nightmare for those prone to seizures. After playing the demo I will be passing on this title and the gameplay was not that inspired either, to look past the annoying graphics filter.
Rop @ Aug 27th 2009 12:51AM
I felt that the graphics kinda looked like PS2 gen.... I was really disappointed by the demo. The gameplay seemed alright at first but then got repetitive.... They tried too hard to be cool, I think, and instead shot the otherway.
Not a purchase for me.... Been there done that!
Daffy Duck @ Aug 27th 2009 1:19AM
WET? hmmmmm something smells fishy.
t_m @ Aug 27th 2009 7:39AM
I'm trying to come up with a good Bethesda-Published game...
er... I guess Echelon and Sea Dogs were ok... ish.
But basically, they are well known for their internally developed stuff because they published piles and piles of externally developed tosh.
This looks a step up (and i've always been kinda hooked on Eliza) but the history isn't good...
...though i guess they've got much more cash now.
rubAdub72 @ Aug 27th 2009 4:22PM
Yes, tutorial was a bit clumsy but it takes a few minutes to get used to controls, not a big deal. Screen flickering on the other hand annoyed me, fortunately you can turn it off in the final game.
Overall, i was suprised, had a ton of fun with demo and this game was totally under my radar. As a fan of old exploitation/trash movies i dig the style a lot, the only other videogame to get this inspiration was that HOTD game on the Wii.
Srune @ Aug 27th 2009 6:48PM
Demo was crap anybody considering this game just buy stranglehold on cheap
joey.mushrow @ Aug 29th 2009 6:01AM
I really hope the polish it up a bit because the visuals (grain or not) look like something you'd expect from the last gen.