A news story from the German PC Games website that seems to have gone unnoticed bears word about a new first-person shooter, called Red Ocean, coming from Hamburger based publisher dtp Entertainment. Since sprechening Deutsch isn't really my strong point, I turned over to Google for the translation, and found that Red Ocean is being presented as an underwater Action game.

The player starts off as the owner of a diving school who discovers a secret underwater research station, on the bottom of the sea. But before you go thinking about this being a Bioshock clone, rest assured that Red Ocean won't try anything as futile as that. Instead, the game will focus around the element of water in its different states - liquid, hot steam and ice. The player will supposedly have to take into account its effects, whether he is fighting below or above the cool water, and use it to his advantage.

How exactly... that, I have absolutely no idea. And apparently neither do the Germans from PCG, since that's all they have to say about Red Ocean's gameplay for the time being. They do however mention that the game is being developed by the Hannover based Collision Studios, and that dtp is planning to release it in February 2007. First incomprehensive screenshot inside.

UPDATE: dtp Entertainment today sent out a press release officializing Red Ocean, and clearing up some details. Here's the scoop:

"Red Ocean combines innovative shooter gameplay with unique underwater elements. Players take on the role of diving instructor and treasure hunter Jack Hard, who stumbles upon a secret Russian cold war research station deep underneath the ocean surface. As he discovers, it is controlled by a terrorist organization - and before he knows it, he gets caught in their nefarious schemes.

The unique twist: players will deal with water in all 3 states of aggregation: in liquid form it not only enables you to approach enemies unnoticed by diving but can also conveniently drown a baddie. At sub-zero temperatures it quickly becomes a dangerously slippery surface and hot steam is nothing to mess with either - whether above or below the water line, Red Ocean is sure to take your breath away."

(N.B. Archive text, links removed)