Sega has recruited developer Shiny, known for Earthworm Jim and games based on "The Matrix" trilogy. This will be Shiny's first project after the departure of founder David Perry and signing with developer conglomerate Foundation 9.

Shiny plans to mix exploration, platforming, stealth, minigames, puzzle solving, and even some brawling as you take control of Lyra's massive bear friend, Iorek. In the books, Lyra is known for her ability to talk her way out of sticky situations, so Shiny is incorporating this into gameplay as well.

"We've created a deception minigame within the game which is played out in a series of flowing conversation rounds where Lyra attempts to win over her opponent by means of persuasion," says co-lead designer Ken Lee. Players will use this against non-player characters and enemies alike to obtain information and gain access to blocked locations. Aside from verbal dodges, Lyra will also physically evade captors in minigame form. This makes a little more sense than artificially tacking on some punch and kick combos.

Lyra's daemon, Pantalaimon, will be able to morph into four different animal forms with a quick press of the d-pad. One of the forms, an ermine (think weasel), will help Lyra balance on ledges and highlight hidden paths. The alethiometer will serve as a tool for hardcore players to get deeper into the game.

"The Golden Compass" will contain 13 different stages that follow and extend outside of the book and film. While the core gameplay will remain essentially the same across the various platforms, it doesn't mean motion controls are out of the picture. "We will be taking full advantage of Sony's Sixaxis controller and many aspects of the Wii Remote and its nunchuk," Berg says.