They didn’t mention this yesterday at the Tomb Raider event. Ah well, here’s the skinny. Did we say Tomb Raider…?

Eidos is working on a console game based on Highlander for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Games for Windows (PC). As with the TV series, which itself spawned from the popular (well the first one was) Highlander movies, the action focuses on Owen MacLeod, a Scot that was granted immortality over 2000 years ago. And that’s much longer than Billy Connolly has managed.

As the Highlander legend goes There Can Be Only One (immortal soul), which neatly sets up the whole show for regular duels against desperate old things wanting it all. All the while we’re led to believe that Owen is singing Queen’s “Who Wants to Live Forever?” in his head.

Highlander the game takes place in a near future New York City which probably looks a bit like Fifth Element meets Blade Runner meets however much time the art guys have to work with and whether the game designers can make sense of it all.

Because Owen cannot die he can suffer in-human amounts of pain, surviving self-inflicted wounds that might help him toward victory in battle. He can skewer himself with a sword if it means hurting the guy behind, John McClain style (ref: Die Hard 4.0). He can survive electric shocks too. True to Highlander lore, every time Owen defeats a fellow immortal he absorbs their power and skills. Shazzam!

An absolutely brilliant idea for a videogame; let’s hope Eidos can pull it off.

Highlander for PS3, Xbox 360 and PC is scheduled for release in autumn. That’s way past summer and we haven’t even had spring yet. “Tell me about it,” says MacLeod.