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No matter which way it points, The Golden Compass always leads to adventure. Follow the path to a magical world in this gamed based on The Golden Compass book and movie. Join cunning heroine Lyra as she undertakes a courageous quest to free her uncle and her best friend. She's helped by her spirit daemon Pan, the armored bear Lorek, and the legendary Golden Compass, a truth-telling tool that will guide the way. Experience 11 stunning mystical environments, with characters brought to life by the voices of the film's stars, including Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig. You'll battle and outsmart enemies, solve puzzles, play mini-games, unlock bonus content, and more.

RELEASE INFORMATION

SEGA® of America Inc. and SEGA® Europe Ltd. reached an agreement with New Line Cinema and Scholastic Media to create video game content based on the films from award-winning author Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy. With over 10 million books sold worldwide, the His Dark Materials trilogy is comprised of The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. The first film, The Golden Compass (Northern Lights in the UK), produced by New Line Cinema, producers of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Scholastic Media. The $150 million-budgeted film will star Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig (James Bond in the upcoming Casino Royale) with Oscar-nominated writer/director Chris Weitz (About a Boy, Antz) directing, and with Deborah Forte, President of Scholastic Media, producing. Scholastic Media is also serving as the licensing agent for this property.

"We are excited to be partnering with New Line and Scholastic to bring the dark and fantastic story of the His Dark Materials trilogy to the video game audience,” said Simon Jeffery, President and COO, SEGA of America, Inc. "The Golden Compass is a perfect match for the video game medium with compelling characters engaged in a heroic conflict between good and evil in an incredible and rich fantasy world.”

“For New Line's biggest film since The Lord of the Rings, we knew we wanted an interactive partner that had the talent, the scope and the reach to deliver AAA video games to the four corners of the globe,” said David Imhoff, Senior Executive Vice President, Worldwide Licensing and Merchandising for New Line Cinema. “For The Golden Compass, that company is SEGA."
"We are confident that SEGA will create a compelling interactive experience that fully realises the power and magic of The Golden Compass,” said Deborah Forte. “We’re thrilled to be working with SEGA.”

The Golden Compass revolves around a young girl named Lyra as she sets out to find her missing friend Roger. Lyra’s quest leads her to the beautiful splendor of the icy North, where giant armoured bears rule a kingdom, witch queens fly through the frozen skies, and the secret of another universe is waiting to be uncovered. The Golden Compass is an imaginative, original saga about the eternal struggle of good versus evil and the power of a young girl to change the world.

ABOUT THE GAME

Rising young stars Dakota Blue Richards and Freddie Highmore voice their characters for The Golden Compass.

THE STORY

The Golden Compass follows Lyra, voiced by Dakota Blue Richards, as she travels through the frozen wastes of the North collecting items in order to explore, evade and deceive her way to rescue a friend kidnapped by a mysterious group known as The Gobblers. Speaking about voice acting for the videogame Dakota commented, “I do find it quite difficult, but I also find it fun, in the same way that I found doing the green screen stuff fun [on the film set].” The Golden Compass is Dakota’s first major acting role and she was picked from 1000’s of hopefuls who auditioned for the part of Lyra in the film.

Lyra can also use her daemon, Pantalaimon, to collaborate with in-game characters and to help her get through certain difficult situations. The role of Pantalaimon is voiced by Freddie Highmore, who starred as Charlie Bucket in the 2005 version of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. However, this is not Freddie’s first voice-over role as he remarked, “I have performed voiceover work in the past. To convey the essence of a character you’ve got to believe in it and I think you have to get into the character, because if you don’t believe in it no one else will.”

Gamers can also play as Iorek Byrnison, a great armored ice bear who joins the quest, battling to protect Lyra during their journey using his special attacks to fend off enemies. Players will also be able to unlock secrets and mini-games using a mysterious truth-telling golden compass device called an Alethiometer.

The Golden Compass videogame is releasing on PS3, X360, Wii, PS2, PSP, DS & PSP later this year. For more information Rising young stars Dakota Blue Richards and Freddie Highmore voice their characters for The Golden Compass, SEGA's official videogame of the highly anticipated film.

The Golden Compass follows Lyra, voiced by Dakota Blue Richards, as she travels through the frozen wastes of the North collecting items in order to explore, evade and deceive her way to rescue a friend kidnapped by a mysterious group known as The Gobblers. Speaking about voice acting for the videogame Dakota commented, “I do find it quite difficult, but I also find it fun, in the same way that I found doing the green screen stuff fun [on the film set].” The Golden Compass is Dakota’s first major acting role and she was picked from 1000’s of hopefuls who auditioned for the part of Lyra in the film.

Lyra can also use her daemon, Pantalaimon, to collaborate with in-game characters and to help her get through certain difficult situations. The role of Pantalaimon is voiced by Freddie Highmore, who starred as Charlie Bucket in the 2005 version of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. However, this is not Freddie’s first voice-over role as he remarked, “I have performed voiceover work in the past. To convey the essence of a character you’ve got to believe in it and I think you have to get into the character, because if you don’t believe in it no one else will.”

Gamers can also play as Iorek Byrnison, a great armored ice bear who joins the quest, battling to protect Lyra during their journey using his special attacks to fend off enemies. Players will also be able to unlock secrets and mini-games using a mysterious truth-telling golden compass device called an Alethiometer.

The Golden Compass videogame is releasing on PS3, X360, Wii, PS2, PSP, DS & PSP later this year. For more information visit the official website of the game www.goldencompassgame.com.

Overview

Discover a world of mystery and danger in The Golden Compass, the upcoming action adventure video game based on the best-selling novel by Philip Pullman and the major motion picture from New Line Cinema. Going beyond the film you can experience the unforgettable journey through the eyes of protagonist Lyra Belacqua on a quest to rescue her imprisoned uncle and kidnapped best friend. Joining Lyra on her mission is her spirit daemon, Pan, as well as a giant and powerful armored bear, Iorek, and the mysterious Golden Compass – a truth-telling device that will help lead the way.

The Golden Compass promises to bring the beloved story to life through adventure and harrowing action sequences. As Lyra, players will evade dangers and traverse a magical landscape while uncovering the secret behind the disappearance of her friend and uncle. And as Iorek, the fearsome armored bear, players will smash through obstacles and enemies in order to protect Lyra along her way. Their travels will take them through a collection of unique locations, such as the port town Trollesund and a dark and foreboding research station in Bolvangar as well as areas not seen in the film. Together Lyra, Pan and Iorek embark on an epic journey of action, exploration, collaboration and discovery.

Key Features

    * Authenticity to the movie: The official videogame of The Golden Compass movie from New Line Cinema brings to life characters, locations and scenes sure to captivate movie fans around the world as well as delivering film footage to guide you through the journey.
    * Vivid characters are brought to interactive life: Featuring the likenesses of the movie’s impressive cast, which includes Nicole Kidman as Mrs. Coulter, Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel and newcomer Dakota Blue Richards as Lyra Belacqua.
    * Heroic action sequences: Travel into the frozen north as the rebellious and headstrong heroine Lyra who uses her cunning to evade enemies. Or charge forward as her powerful friend and protector Iorek – a giant armored bear able to overcome any challenge with his brute strength.
    * Discover a powerful bond greater than friendship. Experience the collaborative bond between Lyra and her unique animal-companion Pan who has the ability to morph into four different creatures to help Lyra navigate her way around obstacles throughout her perilous journey.
    * Explore a parallel universe: Immerse yourself in the world of The Golden Compass movie and discover 11 otherworldly vistas, including locations not seen in the theatrical release.
    * Use quick wit to discover and evade. Participate in a variety of embedded mini-games to help Lyra gain further information about her expedition and avoid enemy confrontation.
    * The Golden Compass will lead the way. Use the truth-telling Golden Compass to solve in-game puzzles and unlock bonus content allowing players to explore the worlds as seen in the movie.
    * Platform Highlights: PlayStation 3 and Wii will take advantage of motion control capabilities. The DS version promises unique and different gameplay mechanics as well as versus multiplayer mode.

JIVE MAGAZINE RATING: 3.5 OUT OF 5

PLAYER EDITORIAL

“I rented this from Blockbuster, and sat there for 6 straight hours playing. I was totally taken in within minutes. The graphics are incredible, the movement and characters are so real. The gaming experience is so much fun, I bought my own copy instantly. I guarantee you will have a great time with this game, and it is very family friendly as well, but very captivating for adults, no age limits on this one. If you really want a fun game everyone can play and you can really get into, I highly recommend this one!" - R. Siegel