E3 06: Genji 2 Update

LOS ANGELES--After we got our hands on Genji 2 for the PlayStation 3 at Sony's gala E3 press conference, representatives from Sony and Game Republic gave us a few more tidbits of information on the upcoming title. As with the original game, Genji 2's storyline will be set within Japanese history--though this game will occur three years after the first--and will feature historical figures Yoshitsune and Benkei, who were featured in the first game. Two new playable characters, a female fighter named Shizuka and a warrior named Buson who wields a Darth Maul-style double-bladed weapon, will also become playable, and eventually you'll be able to switch between all four characters on the fly to solve puzzles and tackle complicated action scenarios.

It sounds as though Game Republic is putting extra effort into making Genji 2 a more well-rounded game than the first. That game took some criticism for being too short, and the developer told us it hopes to make this next-gen sequel roughly twice as long, along with difficulty tweaks that should make the game more appealing to the hardcore audience. It was also noted that with the space available on the BD-ROM format, Genji 2 will feature both English and Japanese voice tracks (a trend we hope to see continue with all PS3 games). Finally, the game has been in development for a relatively short time--what we saw at E3 is the result of about a year's work, so the game has a good bit of time for extra polish before it releases.

When that will be isn't exactly clear--though one would assume all the PS3 games shown at E3 are intended for the system's launch, a Sony rep wouldn't confirm the release date for Genji 2, saying only that further announcements will be made later this summer about the specific launch lineup. We'll bring you that information, as well as any other available details about Genji 2 and the rest of the PlayStation 3's lineup, as soon as we can.