Xboxist

Square Enix Surprises With New Xbox 360 Exclusive: Gun Loco

We got an interesting email today from Square Enix, at a time of year when game announcements are rare. The company has formally announced a new Xbox 360 exclusive title called Gun Loco. Square Enix is calling the game "an exciting, all-new approach to the third-person shooter genre" and describes it as a "sprint-action shooter format." We are clearly in uncharted territory for Square Enix, which has not focused much on the shooter genre in the past.

The story weirdly reminds us a bit of last year's hit Arkham Asylum, with some Lost Planet and Mad World thrown in for good measure. These are all ingredients that are sure to please the hardcore gamer.

At the farthest reaches of the solar system, a collection of the craziest criminals in the universe are incarcerated on a remote prison planet with no walls and forgotten by society. In this long-abandoned world, the only rule is anarchy, as each faction fights in a bloodthirsty race for survival, power and freedom. Through several seven climate zones and numerous stylized maps, players must fight through the ruins of the world's previous civilizations, taking on each region's inmates in a frantic and frenetic struggle to survive.

Then the free running aspect comes into play. While pursuing or being chased by enemies, players in Gun Loco must make use of the sprint-action play by running, jumping, ducking and vaulting, using the environments to their advantage. With a powerful arsenal of weapons at their disposal, each character comes complete with their own kill move, coupled with a mocking take-down taunt to ridicule their victims. The frenzied and furious comic style gameplay comes into its own with full 12-player online multiplayer matches across the planet, with a range of game modes and multiplayer arenas.

Characters in Gun Loco feature a unique visual style with each created from
the original design concepts of respected toy maker Kenny Wong. Painstakingly crafted by hand, each comic caricature has been designed from scratch as a real, posable action
figure in the Brothersworker vein before being digitally scanned into the game.

Square has not revealed a release date, but we foresee a holiday 2011 release window for this intriguing game. The other inevitable question is: Microsoft has nabbed 360 exclusivity for this title, but for how long?