Tripping the Grim Fandango

Tripping the Grim Fandango

Tripping the Grim Fandango

So you're the Grim Reaper, and you're out cruising for fresh meat to take to the Land of the Dead. Only trouble is, you're not meeting your quota. Then you find out it's because there's this embezzlement ring that's keeping you from finding the right clients. So you steal a prime prospect ... and only then does the true madness begin.

A cross between Glengarry Glenn Ross and Nightmare Before Christmas, with a healthy dollop of film noir and Mexican folk art stylings for good measure, Grim Fandango is the latest release from LucasArts, the computer game subsidiary of LucasFilm Ltd., a film production company owned by George Lucas that's best known for the Star Wars trilogy.

Given the company's theatrical roots, Grim Fandango could easily be mistaken for a spin-off from a film you never saw. But, in an emerging trend in the world of computer gaming, Grim Fandango stands on its own. Think of it as an interactive movie, popcorn and sticky floors not included.

"Grim Fandango is the most ambitious graphic adventure that LucasArts has ever developed," said Tom Byron, product marketing manager for LucasArts, in a prepared statement.

The Windows-only game began shipping Wednesday in a limited-edition version that includes a free copy of the LucasFilm game, Full Throttle, as well as a push-button, arm-wagging plastic toy modeled after the game's hero, Manny Calavera.

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