The Misadventures of P.B. Winterbottom Preview

“It’s not over ’til you’ve gobbled each and every cobbler” states the subtitle under the header screenshot.  Little is known about this upcoming XBLA title, published by 2K Play and developed by indie studio, The Odd Gentlemen, other than the point is to find and consume pie.  Yes, the most versatile baked good is the focal point of this puzzle/platformer.

If you go to the Wikipedia page for this game, you’ll find an entry of less than 50 words.  It highlights that the game was based off a USC grad student’s thesis.  It compares it favorably to both Portal and Braid (it is especially compared to the latter).  Other than that, the game and its development process have been an enigma since it was announced in mid-2009.

What we do know is that the game will feature a recording concept to alter time in Braid-ian fashion, where the player can record up to 20 Winterbottoms performing different actions.  Screenshots show the player having a stack of Winterbottoms, with the “real” one on top of his recorded clones reaching for a pie.  The game portrays a “macabre Victorian landscape” in the vein of silent film legends, Buster Keaton and Charlie Chaplin.

Winterbottom is slated for release on February 17, 2010.  For more information, including screenshots and the official release trailer (as well as catchy theme music) visit http://www.winterbottomgame.com/.