So Bad It's Good! Cult Film 'Manos: The Hands Of Fate' Inspires iOS Retro Platformer
July 22, 2012
Can something good come out of something patently bad? Apparently, it can. Well, at least that's what FreakZone Games is about to prove with the forthcoming iOS game launch of Manos: The Hands of Fate.
Astute cinephiles should have no trouble recognizing the name of the game to be the same as the title of a certain American horror movie released in 1966.
Made by a cast and crew with little or no experience in filmmaking, "Manos: The Hands of Fate" has achieved cult status as a film of epic-fail proportions. It joins such films as Ed Wood's "Plan 9 from Outer Space" (1959) and Tommy Wiseau's "The Room" (2003) in a select group of so-bad-it's-good movies. If you'd like to see its badness for yourself, you can download the movie in app form in the App Store.
FreakZone's game adaptation of "Manos: The Hands of Fate" aims to honor badness in a hopefully good way. At the same time, it aims to celebrate the past.
If you can't see the video embedded above, please click here.
Manos: The Hands of Fate is a retro platformer with quite a number of nods to classic NES gaming. The game is characterized by 8-bit graphics and chiptunes, some of which take their cue from the film's awful soundtrack.
Loosely based on that of the film, the storyline of Manos: The Hands of Fate is centered on Mike's mission to rescue his family:
Lost on their vacation, Mike and his family have wandered the desert trying to find a place to stay, only to wind up in the haunted Valley Lodge. Maintained by Torgo, an unusual man/satyr who "takes care of the place while The Master is away," the hotel is swimming with paranormal activity which Mike has to brave through to find his now missing family. Who is The Master, and what does he want with Mike's family? Armed with his trusty revolver, Mike will have to wander the haunted halls, venture out into the desert, uncover a dark temple and battle the forces of darkness to find out!Featuring extended levels punctuated with boss battles, Manos: The Hands of Fate is expected to break loose in the App Store on July 26. Asked if the game is going to be as bad as the film, FreakZone responds, "Is that even possible? Well, no. But yes." I guess we'll find out exactly what that means pretty soon.
