Exploring the Enigmatic World of Tintin: Secrets of 'Cigars of the Pharaoh' Adaptation Unveiled!

An old and esteemed franchise is set to make a significant entry into the gaming world with the soon-to-be-released Tintin Reporter - Cigars of the Pharaoh. Developed by Pendulo Studios and published by Microïds, this game will be the newest interpretation of the timeless adventures of young journalist Tintin.

Even prior to the release of this highly-anticipated adaptation, Tintin has long been a source of inspiration for gamers, as evidenced by the popular remake of the beloved character Captain Haddock in Red Dead Online. With such enduring love for Tintin even after nearly a century, it comes as no surprise that Cigars of the Pharaoh is generating a great deal of anticipation. Our website recently had the opportunity to discuss the upcoming game with Charles Leveugle, the product manager at Microïds, who provided insight into the adaptation process of Cigars and his own thoughts on the Tintin character. The following interview has been edited for clarity and conciseness.

Q: Why did you choose to adapt "Cigars of the Pharaoh" out of all the Tintin adventures available?

A: "Cigars of the Pharaoh" stands out as the perfect choice for our video game adaptation due to its unique compatibility. As the fourth installment in the Adventures of Tintin series, it holds significant importance as the album introducing diverse countries, various environments, and iconic characters like the Thompsons and Oliveira de Figueira. Notably, it also unveils Tintin's ultimate nemesis, Rastapopoulos, making it a crucial addition to our adaptation.

With a multitude of characters to engage with, a plethora of diverse environments to explore, and a variety of sequences to adapt to, it became unequivocally clear that our objective was to provide players with an immersive adventure game, encompassing a comprehensive and diverse gameplay experience.

Could you provide a brief overview of the comic adventure "Cigars of the Pharaoh" for readers unfamiliar with it? The story begins with Tintin and his loyal companion Snowy setting sail on the Mediterranean Sea. While Tintin was originally tasked with a mission to Shanghai, he chooses to embark on a detour to search for the enigmatic Tomb of Kih-Oskh, a Pharaoh. Along the way, they encounter Professor Sarcophagus, an Egyptologist, who invites them to join him on this thrilling expedition.

Snowy, Tintin's loyal canine companion, plays a crucial role throughout this captivating adventure. Can you provide more details about his specific responsibilities and contributions?

A: Snowy is an indispensable companion to Tintin, and our video game, just like the iconic comic series, recognizes Snowy's significant contribution. In the thrilling adventure of Cigars of the Pharaoh, Snowy plays a pivotal role by unlocking treacherous situations, locating essential objects, and unraveling perplexing riddles. His remarkable canine abilities prove to be invaluable throughout the game. Unfortunately, we cannot divulge further details regarding the specific situations in which Snowy will be engaged, as it would spoil the excitement!

Q: Can you explain the process of transforming a comic from the 1930s into a video game, and any specific difficulties you encountered?

A: The task of converting a 2D comic character and their surroundings into a 3D representation is always a challenging endeavor. Luckily, at Microïds, we have expertise in this type of adaptation and understand the skills necessary to achieve the highest quality results. Pendulo Studios' teams have proven their ability through their outstanding work on titles like Yesterday Origins, Vertigo, and another notable comic adaptation: Blacksad.

With the invaluable assistance of Tintinimaginatio, who provided Hergé's complete notes and valuable insights, as well as the necessary tools, Pendulo Studios undertook a thorough preproduction process to ensure the game remained faithful to the master's work and maintained coherence with the 1930s era. A significant challenge was the translation of Tintin's and Snowy's 2D forms into a 3D system. To overcome this, extensive collaboration took place between Tintinimaginatio, Pendulo Studios, and Microïds to create the best 3D rendition of all the characters. We are immensely proud of the outcome.

Q: Were there any parts of this particular story that you wanted to adapt but were unable to?

A: In order to collaborate with Tintin and Tintinimaginatio, our foremost requirement was to fully honor the original comics. Therefore, the game's core framework is based entirely on the storyline of the "Cigars of the Pharaoh" comics. We meticulously included every panel and ensured that no plot twists or supporting characters were neglected.

What other Tintin adventures do you plan to adapt into video games in the future?

B: Regarding the "Cigars" diptych, our next desired project would be the "Blue Lotus" since it serves as a direct continuation. Speaking for myself, as a fan of Tintin, I am eager to collaborate on the development of a video game based on "The Seven Crystal Balls" as it used to instill great fear in me when watching the animated series. It fascinates me to contemplate the possibilities of portraying such a terrifying antagonist like Rascar Capac.

Does the game stick to the storyline of "Cigars," one of the earliest Tintin tales, which occurs prior to Tintin encountering many of his well-known supporting characters like Captain Haddock? Can we anticipate any appearances from familiar faces who made their debut in later installments of the series?

It has been a significant amount of time since Tintin embarked on a video game journey. Thus, we have decided to take the opportunity to revive this beloved character by adapting early Tintin stories into a video game format. In this endeavor, we will ensure the inclusion of Snowy, the trustworthy sidekick of Tintin. Our dedication to maintaining absolute faithfulness to the "Cigars" album has guided us in adopting this strategy.

However, there is no need for concern, as if the game achieves the success it deserves, we will introduce Captain Haddock as well!

A: Have you identified any particularly challenging puzzles that you believe will truly challenge players?

In Pharaoh Kih-Oskh's tomb, there is a noteworthy puzzle that players will encounter. This particular puzzle showcases a balance of souls and while it may not be excessively challenging, it holds great beauty when solved.

Moving on to a different topic, in a theoretical fight between Thomson and Thompson, who do you believe would emerge victorious?

Actually, we are unable to answer such a challenging question! Frankly, I believe that neither Tintinimaginatio nor Hergé himself could provide an answer either! The issue with Thomson & Thompson is that they both exhibit complete inefficiency in combat... Therefore, I truly do not possess a definitive answer. Let us instead agree on a tie, or even better: a double knock out!

Q: What kind of Cigars do you think a Pharaoh would smoke?

A: After a little research, it has been proven that Pharaohs did NOT smoke cigars!

We are unsure what to say, but it is certain that Kih-Oskh would have made an exceptional ruler, minus the cigar smoking!

Q: Who, in the world of Tintin comics, possesses the most impressive facial hair?

A: Well… sure thing it’s not Tintin!

I believe I can answer Captain Haddock… or maybe Thomson and Thompson.

If Tintin had access to video games, his favorite puzzle game would likely be the ones found in the Kih-Oskh tomb in the Cigars video game. These puzzles are not only the first to be encountered in the game, but they are also captivating and immerse you in the role of a "real" archaeologist.

If I was Tintin, I would surely love to face those mysterious Egyptian puzzles!

How does that moment translate to the medium of video games?

We couldn't miss the opportunity to acknowledge the iconic scene from the "Cigars" comic, and we successfully did so! However, revealing its outcome would spoil the surprise. Rest assured, the sequence will mirror the peaceful and joyful moment depicted in the comic, creating a similar experience for Tintin and the player.

Q: Imagine if Tintin had a different legendary video game animal companion accompanying him. Who would be your top choice?

Tintin and Snowy form such a perfect pair that it would be a pity to substitute the dog with any other animal. However, if I were to entertain this idea, I might consider using other animals that we, at Microïds, have previously collaborated with, like Garfield! Alternatively, perhaps an entire army of Smurfs?

Nevertheless, let's be realistic, Tintin simply cannot exist without Snowy. It's as simple as that.

A: It is worth mentioning that this game was developed by dedicated Tintin fans who have put their utmost efforts into ensuring its complete faithfulness to the spirit of Tintin. We are confident that the game will be enjoyable for both Tintin fans and adventure game enthusiasts alike. We eagerly await its release to receive feedback from both communities!

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Tintin Reporter - Cigars of the Pharaoh releases November 7 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.