In an effort to try to cover everything being covered during this E3 2010 period, it's time to put the spotlight on an "Arcade-FPS" scheduled for release in early 2011.

http://i45.tinypic.com/11b0pqw.jpg)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2YGKcxS0Ypg)

When the finishing touches are placed on Bodycount, Stuart Black's follow-up to last generation's Black, it has the potential to be a fun, sexy, arcade FPS. Unfortunately, the pre-E3 demo that I played wasn't ready for the limelight.

It's refreshing to see a more light-hearted take on the genre, with a focus on the sheer fun of firing weapons. I certainly wouldn't mind a change of pace from the gravitas and machismo of games like Call of Duty and Killzone. Bodycount's colorful, spy-themed world reminds me of Monolith's No One Lives Forever series -- and that's a good thing.

The world of Bodycount is heavily influenced by TV's Alias, with the player assuming the role of a reluctant operative, thrown into unstable areas of conflict. For reasons unknown to the player, he's become a member of "The Network," an organization whose slogan -- "Your Safety is our Concern" -- comes off as more than a little disingenuous. His objectives come courtesy of an unidentified female handler, and the game promises to explore the evolving relationship between the two.

More here: http://www.joystiq.com/2010/06/14/preview-bodycount/)


EDIT: Also, here's another preview: http://www.destructoid.com/bodycount-is-all-about-the-guns--176303.phtml)

Sabre: Why why why do they keep making stupid FPSs that do nothing but the same thing we did two years ago
Herms: cause money
Sabre: This game is the traditional Borderlands/CoD hybrid with GLaDOS in the background
Sabre: And its titled Bodycount
Sabre: Heehee how edgy

I still haven't played Black yet. :( But this one.....looks....odd.

Black is one of the best FPS of the old generation. Sure it wasn't serious (one guy goes rogue, leaves his Black Ops team then proceeds to inflitrate a crime cartel and blow literally hundreds of russian outlaws and terrorists with a minigun, a RPG, some SMGs and kick-ass rifles?), but it wasn't flat out satyrical like this piece here. What are those "items" coming at your direction at 0:25? Seems like an offspring of FPS with a regular third person action game item-collecting.

As far as the trailer goes on scenario "surgery", it seems about as good as Black was; boxes, cars, crates, walls; everything falls apart - except this time here there's much, much less of that cool dust effect after you blow a concrete door. It's the beloved "armed pornography" concept brought to life by Black's director all over again. Which is good.

Talking about devs, I'm not sure what the hell this have to do with Black except the Red Alert-ish levels of mayhem. I wanted the competent Criterion to make a true sequel.