Spyro maker's first Facebook game sounds like Pokémon in space

That's not at all to say that it could be a bad thing. Insomniac Games, the independent developer behind hit franchises like Spyro the Dragon and Ratchet & Clank, has revealed its first Facebook game, Outernauts. Currently in a closed beta and slated for a summer release, Outernauts sees players explore the cosmos for alien critters to train for battle.

See? We weren't kidding about the whole "Pokémon in space" bit. Players will embark on various journeys across the galaxy to find new extraterrestrial beasts to capture and to decipher the riddles behind the mysterious "Ancients". Of course, they'll also give various space pirates and evil galactic corporations what for with said alien allies. That said, publisher EA has billed Outernauts as an adventure role-playing game with immersive storytelling, a unique art style and Insomniac's trademark sense of wit.

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"We see a huge opportunity to reach an entirely different audience of gamers through Facebook," Insomniac president and founder Ted Price said in a release. "As we have demonstrated for nearly twenty years in the console games space, we're confident we can help evolve the definition of a game experience on Facebook. With Outernauts, we are delivering a deep story with real RPG strategy, coupled with Insomniac's signature sense of humor."

Players will fight, explore planets and harvest loot alongside or against friends asynchronously. And that's about all we know about the mysterious Outernauts. To learn more as it happens, check out the Outernauts Facebook page.

[Image Credit: EA, Insomniac]

Are you psyched about Outernauts on Facebook? Will the folks behind Spyro find success in social games? Sound off in the comments. Add Comment.