EvoluCion 2

EvoluCion 2 is set for a Q2 release in the US this April. In a joint press release, Brian Fargo and George Lucas reveal that the sequel to cult PC RPG EvolU 2 , will feature a new companion character named Vasilas. We don’t currently know how Vasilas is getting along with the new character, though it’s likely he’ll be voiced by some major Hollywood actors.

Jakilas, the hero of EvolU, first appeared in ETC's The Descent on the PC, as a human defense attorney with access to a vast number of weapons, shields, and other abilities. He was also killed in the previous game, though this time around, he reappears in the sequel.

These little friendly robots will act as a companion for the player, and though you’ll be more than a little dubious about why you would use Vasilas to combat the bad guys, you will be able to assume the role of Vasilas and learn the ropes on your journey.

And the game's monsters, which are making their first appearance in EvolU 2, look quite different to those in Ecto-2.

Our demo started with our quest to find Vekta, a former knight of the French Revolution, who has seized control of a giant spider-bot that has apparently been attacked by bandits. Vekta is being pursued by several bandits, who are turning into mushroom-like creatures, each with a new set of abilities.

In addition to the massive spider-bot, we got to watch a battle in which we engaged in melee combat. Unlike the previous game's gun-toting robots, which operated with a third-person view and are capable of transforming into a wolf form, Vasilas in Ecto-2 doesn't carry a massive weapon but instead, he will charge in with a pistol. The special attacks we used were different, but for the most part, they involved slicing enemies to pieces with the bayonet, blasting them with a railgun, and then shooting the head with a regular pistol.

We also got a glimpse at a ranged attack, which was handled with the left analog stick. As you'd expect, this didn't actually use a gun, but instead were used to create a small area of effect. As you swing around the area, the right trigger will trigger a sort of climbing-hook that will attach to any building in the area.

The demo level we saw actually featured a tutorial on the combat in Ecto-2. The gameplay seemed pretty straightforward--your character will automatically leap from a rooftop, swing and jump at any time, then mow down anything that comes in his path. Once you've had the jump start on your character, you'll pick up on how to interact with the environment, which is done by pressing either the X or Y button on the Xbox controller. This will let you interact with the environment much more directly, and then either pick up on your surroundings or simply move in and take out whatever's in your way. There's also a context-sensitive option that will let you run up to an enemy to get a better grip on him or pick him up for an instant kill.

The combat seemed to be a natural fit for the PlayStation 2. You'll use a circular targeting reticle to aim your guns and fire weapons with that action on the screen. It seemed to work well in practice, as a matter of aiming your weapons was fairly accurate. Another cool feature was the grappling hook that you can use to swing across certain ledges. While you'll initially only be able to latch onto certain points, later on in the game you'll get the option to use the grappling hook to pull yourself up into the air, where you'll have to put your grappling hook to swing across. While it seemed pretty straightforward, we were told that the controls on offer were actually quite a bit different from those in the console versions of the game. While the core combat felt very similar, there were a few things that we liked about it that should make it a lot more accessible for players who aren't used to the gameplay mechanics.

Control in the game feels pretty good. The X button fires your weapons, and the square button for aiming your special moves. The circle button fires your special moves, while triangle fires your sword and square fires your shield. Finally, the Y button lets you activate a special move. This makes the controls somewhat easier to get into when you're swinging the sword. The A button lets you use the d-pad to grab an enemy or perform a jumping move. The left trigger fires your special move, and the right trigger lets you go into your third-person view. In addition to the basic combo system, you can perform all kinds of attacks, from a classic sword to a spinning move that lets you quickly move in midair.