William Tell Game

I may have failed to mention this, but early in the year, we reviewed the extraordinary histories of opera and videogames, and were asked to come up with an idea for a videogame based on an opera. Jumping at the chance, I decided on William Tell, based on the opera and folk tale of the same name.

It's an age-old story that many can enjoy, of the eponymous crossbow-wielding hero and his quest to free medieval Switzerland from a tyrannical governor. And now, it can be yours to play in the comfort of your living room (or watch someone else play online if you're super-cheap...).

The story of the game would stay close to Rossini's opera, with gameplay along the lines of an open-world action-adventure title (all the rage nowadays). Players carry out missions as William Tell, but will occasionally step into the shoes of his ally, Arnold Melcthal. Combat is in the mold of Assassin's Creed and Batman: Arkham, but also has an emphasis on sniping, as Tell is a master of the crossbow.

Aside from the Swiss wilderness, the towns of Burglen, Altdorf and Lucerne act as hubs in the game, each with its own unique atmosphere. Side-quests can be found here, along with various shops that sell weapons, costumes and upgrades.

As for a developer, I alone can't build this world, so I thought of asking the good people of Ubisoft, despite the game idea being a mash-up of Assassin's Creed and the recent hit Far Cry 4.