Ong Bak Video Game Coming, Apparently Based On A Yet-To-Be-Announced Sequel

[Brendon Connelly]

I'll never be able to pull off Muay Thai moves in real life but... actually, who am I kidding? I probably won't be able to pull them off properly in a video game either, at least not in anything like a flowing sequence.

Still, I think that an Ong Bak game could be rather exciting, or popular. I'm thinking Double Dragon but with elbows and knees too.

At least that's how it sounds from the first details given in a promo interview at PlayStationLifeStyle (via CinemaBlend). Here are a few choice bits from the mouth of Kan Supabanpot, general manager of the game developer Studio HIVE:

It will be a 3D side-scrolling action game. We can?t say specific details but you will be playing as a character portrayed by Tony Jaa. We have around 20-30 moves though we?re not finished with the combat system. We are trying our best to include all fan favorite moves in here.

Tony Jaa himself is involved in this game and it is equally important to tell you that master Panna Rittikrai [director of Ong Bak] and his stunt team are heavily involved as he is designing action sequences and fighting moves for this game.

The idea of having "designed" action sequences hints at something maybe more interesting than any fighting game I've ever seen. I'd love to see what potential there is for controlled staging while still maintaing total interactivity and freedom for the player character.

Still, my heart lies with cinema, not with video games, and so it was another comment in the interview that meant the most to me. Back to Supabanpot:

It is based on the project that has yet to be announced so that?s why it?s still a bit of a secret and no screenshots to go along with our initial announcement.

Ong Bak 4? In some shape or form, I'd guess. I might speculate that it would be another, contemporary outing for Ting, Tony Jaa's character in the first film, rather than for Tien, his role in the 15th Century storyline of parts 2 and 3.

Anyway, I'll be more than happy to see another film. Those action sequences won't be hamstrung by leaving room for button bashing, limited by a clunky virtual camera, or restricted to a small number of repeated moves. Vive Le Cin?ma!

[Dans07sti]

Never even heard of this, and its already on four.

[ampersand]

Never even heard of this, and its already on four.

One was amazing. Really crazy stunts and great martial art.



Two was painful to watch. The story was all over the place.

I haven't tried three yet. Anyone seen it? Is it worth the time?

[bottleHeD]

I don't think anyone watches a Tony Jaa movie for the story. Ong Bak and Tom Yun Goon had pretty much the exact same plot, but the action is absolutely incredible!

[VatelsRevenge]

Oh please, this would be awesome.

-huge tony jaa fan.