It's not every day that you find yourself in a position where you work as a spy for a living, having a double life that gets complicated with some guy you've fallen in love with and BOTH of your parents playing in the game, adding some depth of deception that could get you killed, depending on your actions. Well, okay, maybe it is every day if you're Sydney Bristow. That's the story behind Alias, an ABC action/drama that focuses around Sydney as she plays a double agent of sorts, working for a shadowy department while still reporting to the US government. From what I've seen of it, it's a damn solid show, offering just the right amount of clever writing and good espionage to make you watch every week. And, of course, it doesn't hurt having the beautiful Jennifer Garner on board, knocking 'em dead each week in a number of outfits and with a solid deal of conviction.

Now let's see how well she convinces a video game audience, as Acclaim is bringing Alias to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox just in time for the Christmas rush. The game is being worked on by their in-house Cheltenham development team, and it looks to be another solid TV-to-game project, hot on the heels of Universal's one-two punch with the Simpson's and Buffy licenses.

The story focuses on Sydney as she is called into duty upon the disappearance of her father, the CIA's Jack Bristow. There are a number of factors that may be involved in his disappearance, including her deadly arch-nemesis Anna Espinoza. The game will take you through a number of locales as your adventure progresses, including Rio de Janeiro and Hong Kong among others, and will have Sydney utilizing a number of skills and gadgets to get further on her quest, including the necessary ability to kick some ass in case things get a little bothersome. As she continues, more and more parties seem to surface, as well as some sort of plan for a device called "The Machine".

If the storyline sounds grabbing, it should be. The series creator, J.J. Abrams, and his writing team are fully involved with the project, making sure it doesn't sway into the kind of territory that previous Acclaim licenses have suffered from, including South Park and Turok. That factor alone is reassuring, but there's also involvement from the show's actors, including Garner, to make sure that the atmosphere is that much more intact. Other voice actors include Michael Vartan, Victor Garber, Ron Rifkin, Carl Lumbly, Kevin Weisman and David Anders. So you can tell that Acclaim's actually putting some work into the license this time, a welcome change from their usual track record.

The game will focus mostly on action, but will also involve some stealth tactics and the use of gadgets for level progression. In a sense, it's kind of a mixture of Tomb Raider (GOOD Tomb Raider, mind you, not Angel of Darkness Tomb Raider) and Metal Gear Solid, all formed into the Alias world. The game has several original touches, however, like the use of a split-screen feature that shows other elements within the level that add to the danger within. For instance, an enemy can be seen coming around the corner, maybe even preparing for an attack, as you're in the middle of gathering data. It's a cool little effect. You can also use weapons that are available for immediate access in the room, making for some environment interaction that's a bit innovative. Plus there are some strange but enjoyable mini-games that will further enhance your skill, including lie detector tests and lock picking. Will it borrow some elements from Splinter Cell as well and use the analog stick? A final build of the game is more likely to tell a story.

The addition of disguises is a nice touch as well, as it not only offers an alluring little outfit change for the digital Garner character, but also allows you to progress in areas where you normally couldn't get by. Then you can use a silent takedown maneuver or a vicious attack to get through other areas. The use of gadgets, costumes, and all-out combat promise to mesh together nicely, and a number of levels to complete promises hours of gameplay. No word yet on what kind of extras the game will include to keep you playing, but there's bound to be a few things to keep you hooked.

I've judged Acclaim in the past for the poor use of their licenses (I bet Trey Parker and Matt Stone still haven't forgiven them for Chef's Luv Shack), but Alias looks to be a game they actually care about, as they've gone all out to recruit talent from the show and assure that only the finest effort is being put into it to make it a game worthy of attention from fans and non-fans alike. Look for a final review soon.