Double Fine Unveils Latest Game, Stacking

Brutal Legend and Costume Quest developer Double Fine made public its next title, the downloadable adventure-puzzle game Stacking, which stars Russian matryoshka dolls. Stacking's setting is in the 1930s and sports Double Fine's whimsical, humorous tone. The game's main character, according to a Tuesday report on consumer site IGN, now confirmed on Double Fine's website, is Charlie Blackmore, "the world's smallest Russian stacking doll." Blackmore can place himself inside multiple layers of other matryoshka dolls. Each doll possesses a unique ability, but only the outermost doll's power can be employed at a given time. That mechanic lays the foundation for Stacking's puzzle-solving gameplay. Stacking, due to release in spring 2011 on Xbox Live Arcade and PlayStation Network, is Double Fine's second download-only console game, following this year's Costume Quest. Prior to that, Double Fine released the boxed game Brutal Legend with EA Partners. Both Costume Quest and Stacking are part of a publishing deal with THQ, announced in August this year. The San Francisco-based developer is also behind the cult classic Psychonauts, and is led by founder and game design veteran Tim Schafer. Schafer told Gamasutra this year that Double Fine is split into four small teams working on multiple projects, as opposed to just one big-budget boxed product. [Picture via IGN]