Been curious about this game I've been covering in previous updates? Here's a crash course of the game's history:
Back in 2002, Riverdeep, Inc., and BAM! Entertainment went into agreement of getting Carmen onto the next-generation consoles. Their plan was to get the game onto store shelves in time for the 2003 holiday season.
At E3 2003, BAM! reveals the title as Carmen Sandiego: To Track a Thief, according to their press release in May 2003. Paramount Pictures must've threatened them with a lawsuit (one of Paramount's films is titled To Catch a Thief, starring Grace Kelly and Cary Grant, and the title was changed to Secret of the Stolen Drums when BAM! and Acclaim Entertainment go into agreement of getting Acclaim to release BAM!'s game for Europe two months later. (If you search Google, a third title also popped up: The Clandestine File/s. It's unknown if there will be more Carmen games in the future, as BAM!'s been hit with one financial disaster after another since 2003.)
In terms of storyline, it looks like Secret of the Stolen Drums will be borrowing Jules Argent, Shadow Hawkins, and the Chief from the recent Treasures of Knowledge game released by The Learning Company. You don't get to play as either Jules or Shadow in this game, though--you play a junior detective named Cole Gannon.
Since the passing of the 2003 holiday season, the game is currently in MIA status, even though gaming magazines have already begun reviewing the game. You can read the February 2004 issue of the Official Playstation Magazine's review, or the February 2004 issue of Game Informer's review.
If anyone has the January 2004 issue of Play Magazine and/or any reviews from any European magazine you'd like to submit, please email me. You'll get credit.
(Opinion time: I've seen better graphics on the original Playstation's Final Fantasy IX compared to what Carmen has to offer for the Playstation2, and the reason why I'm using FFIX as an example is because I'm a Sony fangirl. For the geeks that like their games CG'ied and shiny, that's saying something.)
Secret of the Stolen Drums is currently slated to be released anytime from May 2004 to August 2004. It's already out in Europe.
Current release dates (North America):
Amazon.com--It ships within 2-3 days, but don't count on it.
EBgames.com--June 15 for GameCube and XBox...August 15 for the PS2
Gamestop.com--June 15, all platforms
Where to buy the game elsewhere?:
--Amazonn UK is now selling the game for all three consoles.
So where can you find out more about the game as if you haven't had your fill yet? Links could never hurt, for one thing.
General:
--BAM! Entertainment's page for Carmen
--Nintenndo has their page up...nothing much to see, though.
Articles:
--Gamespyy.com has a preview during the madness gamers call E3. Comes with screenshots to look at. (May 16, 2003)
--If you can actually read/speak French, llive in Europe, and willing to pay 24 euros per year/2.95 euros per month, you can nab yourself at Gamekult.com 3 videos, 122 screenshots, 1 artwork of the box cover, and 17 pieces of artwork for the Playstation2. There's also an article about the game...I think they give it a 4 out of 10. Those favoring the Xbox will get 3 videos and 61 screenshots. The GameCube fanboys will obviously feel very slighted with just 17 pieces of artwork to look at. Not a bad deal--only if you live in Europe, though. For the North Americans...there's only two words I can express: This. Bites.
--Game Chronicles has an interview of one of the producers working on Carmen (September 29, 2003) along with their review. (December 3, 2003)
--1Up.com has a preview, along with some (rather politically incorrect) suggestions about remaking other edutainment titles. (October 17, 2003)
--A second French-language site, jeuxvideoo.com, has their take on the PS2 version, with screenshots. (December 4, 2003) They also have a "test" of the XBox version, with screenshots as well. (February 13, 2004)
--Take your pick of seeing previews from eeither the PS2, GameCube, or XBox channels from IGN.com. (January 7, 2004)
--Not sure why anyone outside of Europe woould want to read this review. It's in Dutch, so grab the nearest Dutch-speaking person or head online for a translator. (February 14, 2004)
--GameCube Europe gives the game a 5.7 outt of 10...read their review and reasons.
--XBox Nation gives the game a 5 out of 10. (March 11, 2004)
--TotalGamers.net's rating is a 7 out of 10. (March 13, 2004)
--Jeuxvideo.com has some screenshots and still the same rating for the game...9 points out of 20. (March 23, 2004)
Media:
--Screenshots preview at Game-Over.net (October 13, 2003)
--More screenshot goodies at Gamershell.com (November 27, 2003)
--Those who resent Gamekult.com for all thhe goodies they're withholding from the world should be glad PS2-france.com has some of the artwork you can view for free.
--Artificial Mind and Movement is the developer behind Carmen, and they have 20 screenshots. (If you're really hating the French at this point, click "English," click "Products," click the system of your choice, click "Carmen Sandiego.")
--Screenshots and videos of the game in action at IGN.com (March 2 and March 3, 2004)
